Packers/Bears Lead Up

[whatthe_buck!?]

Goodell is exploring expanding the playoffs from 12 to 14 or 16. Nothing would make me more upset.

I actually wouldn't mind 16 teams. Makes it easy all the way through, 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5. Simple.

14 would be pretty weird though. They would probably have a bye for the #1 seed and then 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5 and then re-seed so #1 plays the lowest remaining seed.

I vote for keeping it the same, then 16 and then 14.

The biggest problem for me with the 16 or even 14 is that 9 wins essentially assures a playoff spot and since there would be no byes to play for the best team's games would stop carrying even the slightest intrigue or importance after about week ten. Teams would start resting all their important starters after like week 11 or 12... Spending almost two months of every nfl season just waiting for the playoffs to start? That would be all kinds of suck. In a year like this, a pretender like the bears would've punched their playoff ticket in week 8...

[whatthe_buck!?]

Would Denver be undefeated with Rodgers? They have the best pass blocking in the league.

The correct answer is yes, definitely yes...

[Newz]

And his three-year apprenticeship watching Brett Favre make ridiculous throws for bad plays seems to have conditioned Rodgers to avoid being stupid with the ball. Rodgers’ 1.8 interception percentage is the lowest in NFL history. He has thrown one pick-six in 2,551 passes over eight NFL seasons. That can’t be all luck. Nobody in NFL history is even close to that ratio. The Patriots’ Tom Brady has twice as many attempts and eight times the number of interception touchdowns.

Rodgers’ 46 career interceptions have been returned for 311 yards. Cutler’s 16 picks over his last 16 games have been returned for 333 yards and two touchdowns.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/16957625-419/unlike-jay-cutler-packers-aaron-rodgers-avoids-unnecessary-risks.html

I love advanced stats when it comes to Aaron Rodgers... because he dominances all of them.

[jakecronus8]

It's kind of crazy what Rodgers does behind this line. I do think it is unsustainable, as his escapability will decline. I hope we don't do what we did with Favre and his receivers. Meaning, going his whole career without a good offensive line like Favre went without legit playmakers. I often ponder how much more ridiculous his #s would have been if sterling didn't have to retire.

[Newz]

It's kind of crazy what Rodgers does behind this line. I do think it is unsustainable, as his escapability will decline. I hope we don't do what we did with Favre and his receivers. Meaning, going his whole career without a good offensive line like Favre went without legit playmakers. I often ponder how much more ridiculous his #s would have been if sterling didn't have to retire.

Agreed. I love the way Thompson builds teams, but at some point you have to start worrying about Rodger's health.

He needs to start investing even more resources into the offensive line. They absolutely have to do a better job of protecting him before something bad happens. When you have a player as valuable as Rodgers, you cannot afford to let him get hit as much as he has... especially as he starts to age.

[ReasonablySober]

I think you have to remember that Rodgers best plays usually come when he's running and outside the pocket.

[emunney]

It would be awesome if Finley had a career game, as beyond stupid and unnecessary as his comments on Urlacher were.

[ReasonablySober]

Briggs was right.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I think you have to remember that Rodgers best plays usually come when he's running and outside the pocket.

Yes, but I would rather have him escaping 1 DL instead of 2 where he is waaay more likely yo get blind-sided. Also, It would cause more blitzing so that's one less DB while out of the pocket.

Rodgers likes to hold the ball and have the play break down so he can improvise and make a good play. I would rather let him hold the ball longer so the play breaks down. You think Rodgers is great when he holds the ball for 4 seconds outside the pocket, think how awesome he would be if that scrambling happened six seconds into the play

[Siefer]

Briggs was right.

Well, he's our idiot.

[trwi7]

I think you have to remember that Rodgers best plays usually come when he's running and outside the pocket.

Yes, but as he gets older he's not going to be able to escape as much.

[humanrefutation]

Briggs was right.

[jakecronus8]

I would throw some money at Jake Long. I would be fully on board with trading Tramon, restructuring Wood, and eventually losing Raji if it meant we could bring him in. One more high draft pick to play with too.

[Kerb Hohl]

I would throw some money at Jake Long. I would be fully on board with trading Tramon, restructuring Wood, and eventually losing Raji if it meant we could bring him in. One more high draft pick to play with too.

If Jake Long makes it to the free agent market or isn't signed quickly by Miami for some huge deal, I'll wear a Kanye West skirt. This is a video game dream. And as good as he is, I don't think dropping what he'd get on the open market if he got there would be beneficial for the Packers.

[jakecronus8]

I would throw some money at Jake Long. I would be fully on board with trading Tramon, restructuring Wood, and eventually losing Raji if it meant we could bring him in. One more high draft pick to play with too.

If Jake Long makes it to the free agent market or isn't signed quickly by Miami for some huge deal, I'll wear a Kanye West skirt. This is a video game dream. And as good as he is, I don't think dropping what he'd get on the open market if he got there would be beneficial for the Packers.

I've heard Miami is planning on moving on and don't wanna risk him signing the franchise tender.

[wichmae]

I honestly wish Finley would just go away. Im so done with him and his antics.

[Newz]

I honestly wish Finley would just go away. Im so done with him and his antics.

He'd be a lot easier to stomach if he played up to his potential.

[ReasonablySober]

I don't think it makes a lot of sense to pay a LT $15 million when your team is going to win six games a season.

[Kerb Hohl]

I don't think it makes a lot of sense to pay a LT $15 million when your team is going to win six games a season.

True, but I also don't think it is going to make much sense for the Packers to do that, either.

[Newz]

I don't think it makes a lot of sense to pay a LT $15 million when your team is going to win six games a season.

True, but I also don't think it is going to make much sense for the Packers to do that, either.

If you let Jennings go, trade/cut Finley, let Driver go, trade/cut Hawk and get rid of Woodson... that clears up way more than $15 million, right? We'd be able to pay him that and also extend Rodgers/Matthews, correct?

So if we did that and then drafted a guy like Jon Cooper or Barrett Jones our OL could look like:

LT: Long
LG: Bulaga
C: Jones/Cooper
RG: Sitton
RT: Barclay

I'd do it assuming the only players it cost us would be Jennings, Finley, Driver, Hawk and Woodson. If it got in the way of Rodgers and Clay, no way. If it prevents us from signing guys like Shields, Hayward, House, Cobb, Bulaga, Nelson, Jones, etc... then it starts to get a lot sketchier.