Julio Jones is a beast. Matt Ryan is playing like a man who's out to prove his doubters wrong. Let me remind those of you who don't remember, however, Atlanta had a 27 - 7 lead against Seattle at home last week and gave it up before they pulled it out of their you know whats at the end. And that first TD was huge for San Fran. Being down two scores rather than three allows them to use their über-dangerous pistol offense and run the ball like they love to do as opposed to having to use the pass to get quick scores. It also keeps the play action game involved which is a major part of their offense.
My prediction? I still think the 49ers will win, but it appears it'll be more difficult than I expected. As for the AFC Championship I'm rooting for the Ravens, but I think the Patriots offense is too much, and they'll out score Flacco and Co. I'm thinking 35 - 27. Agree or disagree?
The Season's Over. So Now What?
The Packers' season came to an end last night in San Francisco because they were physically dominated by a tougher team. That's all there is to it. To a man, they were just physically owned. They are a finesse team who ran into a power team, and in the NFL, power usually always wins. So that begs the question: What do they do in the offseason to address that problem? Do they do it through the draft or free agency? Maybe. I think they need to dig deeper than that though. I think they need a fundamental change in their team philosophy. Teams like the 49ers and Giants aren't going away, and if things stay the same, the Packers are going to keep getting dominated by much tougher and more physical teams.
In their last three playoff losses, the Packers have given up 51, 37, and 45 points. Things obviously need to change defensively. Do they fire defensive coordinator Dom Capers? Personally I say no, but that may be an option. More importantly, they need to develop an attitude and they need to be more physical. They need to come into a game with bad intentions, intentions of hitting people hard and hitting people often. Without that attitude, the scheme won't matter and things won't change.
Where does that attitude come from? It has to start at the top with the head coach. Mike McCarthy needs to get his team to develop a killer instinct and a mean streak. They need to attack with the same nastiness and confidence that the 49ers have. "We're tougher than you, stronger than you, and we're going to hit you in the mouth all day long until you quit." That's the attitude the great teams have, and they don't have it. That's why they lost last night, and until they get it, scheme changes or player changes aren't going to make a difference and these early playoff exits are going to be par for the course in Green Bay.
In their last three playoff losses, the Packers have given up 51, 37, and 45 points. Things obviously need to change defensively. Do they fire defensive coordinator Dom Capers? Personally I say no, but that may be an option. More importantly, they need to develop an attitude and they need to be more physical. They need to come into a game with bad intentions, intentions of hitting people hard and hitting people often. Without that attitude, the scheme won't matter and things won't change.
Where does that attitude come from? It has to start at the top with the head coach. Mike McCarthy needs to get his team to develop a killer instinct and a mean streak. They need to attack with the same nastiness and confidence that the 49ers have. "We're tougher than you, stronger than you, and we're going to hit you in the mouth all day long until you quit." That's the attitude the great teams have, and they don't have it. That's why they lost last night, and until they get it, scheme changes or player changes aren't going to make a difference and these early playoff exits are going to be par for the course in Green Bay.
The Packers Lost, Not the Referees
As recently as yesterday afternoon, I used to think, "Man, I love these replacement refs. It's hilarious to watch them screw up call after call and look like idiots." I even researched Replacement Ref Fantasy Leagues I enjoyed watching them so much. It was more entertaining than some of the actual games they were officiating. But there was this part of my brain that kept saying, "It's not going to be funny at all when the time comes where they actually cost someone a game, because it will happen, and it could go against the Packers." I just think things like that will happen to my team because I have that kind of luck. I tried to ignore it, thinking, "The chances of that happening in a Packer game when there are 15 other games a week for 17 weeks is slim to none, there's no way that will really happen." Now, I don't even know what to say.
The Packers didn't deserve to win that game last night because they played like crap. I have to say that. But they didn't deserve to lose it because of piss-poor officiating, either. The entire fourth quarter was the worst job of officiating I think I've ever seen. From Erik Walden's invisible roughing the passer call to Sam Shields getting raped and somehow being called for defensive pass interference to the offensive pass interference by Golden Tate on the last play or the ridiculous call on the catch. All these calls were just mind-blowingly bad. These replacement refs clearly have to go, it's an embarassment to the NFL. When they're arguing for less than $100,000 per team and the NFL makes hundreds of billions of dollars a year, why aren't we giving them the money? And don't blame Roger Goodell, either. He works for the owners of the 32 NFL teams (The Packers, ironically after what happened last night, are the only team without an owner). And the most pathetic part of all? Last night Wont. Change. A. Thing.
All that being said, the Packers offense didn't play well enough to win, and we can't forget about that. They just didn't. The offensive line couldn't block, Rodgers held onto the ball way too long, and we were too one dimensional. McCarthy refused to call a running play for the almost the entire first half. Literally. We had 3 called running plays in the entire first half. Three. What do you think is going to happen when you drop back in the shotgun with 4 or 5 wide receivers every single play? The defense is going to come after the quarterback, because they know there's no chance in hell you're going to run the football. McCarthy even admitted he should have made adjustments sooner. Hindsight's 20/20, huh Coach? It was the most terribly called offensive first half I've ever seen by a coach. In order to slow down a pass rush, you have to throw screen passes (which clearly weren't working, ask Randall Cobb) or run the ball. Then, in the second half, he finally did make adjustments and we ran the ball down their throats on that first drive. We were going for 4 or 5 yards a pop every single play. What does he do then? Goes back to throwing the ball like it never happened. For the life of me, I don't understand it. He can't help himself and it's costing us.
The refs screwed us over, no doubt. I just don't want Packer fans to sound like a bunch of babies all week, whining about how unfair it was that we didn't win. If we played better for the 59:52 before that final play, we would have. And what can we do, anyway? It sucks, but it happened and there's nothing any of us can do to fix it. Boycotting the NFL isn't going to change anything, and people aren't going to do it. As Packer fans, we need to stop pouting like a bunch of two year olds and go out an support our team. Make the G-Force even louder at the Saints game this Sunday. Make Lambeau rock even more than it usually does. Yell at Drew Brees as he's changing the play until your throat hurts. Be an even better fan than you were before last night, because you can bet the players are already thinking about how they can do the same thing.
A few additional things that are getting lost in the outrage of this game:
The Packers didn't deserve to win that game last night because they played like crap. I have to say that. But they didn't deserve to lose it because of piss-poor officiating, either. The entire fourth quarter was the worst job of officiating I think I've ever seen. From Erik Walden's invisible roughing the passer call to Sam Shields getting raped and somehow being called for defensive pass interference to the offensive pass interference by Golden Tate on the last play or the ridiculous call on the catch. All these calls were just mind-blowingly bad. These replacement refs clearly have to go, it's an embarassment to the NFL. When they're arguing for less than $100,000 per team and the NFL makes hundreds of billions of dollars a year, why aren't we giving them the money? And don't blame Roger Goodell, either. He works for the owners of the 32 NFL teams (The Packers, ironically after what happened last night, are the only team without an owner). And the most pathetic part of all? Last night Wont. Change. A. Thing.
All that being said, the Packers offense didn't play well enough to win, and we can't forget about that. They just didn't. The offensive line couldn't block, Rodgers held onto the ball way too long, and we were too one dimensional. McCarthy refused to call a running play for the almost the entire first half. Literally. We had 3 called running plays in the entire first half. Three. What do you think is going to happen when you drop back in the shotgun with 4 or 5 wide receivers every single play? The defense is going to come after the quarterback, because they know there's no chance in hell you're going to run the football. McCarthy even admitted he should have made adjustments sooner. Hindsight's 20/20, huh Coach? It was the most terribly called offensive first half I've ever seen by a coach. In order to slow down a pass rush, you have to throw screen passes (which clearly weren't working, ask Randall Cobb) or run the ball. Then, in the second half, he finally did make adjustments and we ran the ball down their throats on that first drive. We were going for 4 or 5 yards a pop every single play. What does he do then? Goes back to throwing the ball like it never happened. For the life of me, I don't understand it. He can't help himself and it's costing us.
The refs screwed us over, no doubt. I just don't want Packer fans to sound like a bunch of babies all week, whining about how unfair it was that we didn't win. If we played better for the 59:52 before that final play, we would have. And what can we do, anyway? It sucks, but it happened and there's nothing any of us can do to fix it. Boycotting the NFL isn't going to change anything, and people aren't going to do it. As Packer fans, we need to stop pouting like a bunch of two year olds and go out an support our team. Make the G-Force even louder at the Saints game this Sunday. Make Lambeau rock even more than it usually does. Yell at Drew Brees as he's changing the play until your throat hurts. Be an even better fan than you were before last night, because you can bet the players are already thinking about how they can do the same thing.
A few additional things that are getting lost in the outrage of this game:
- If this game takes place in Green Bay, I'd bet a ridiculous sum of money that that call is an interception. The NFL will deny it, but the crowd has a ton to do with what these replacement refs are doing every week. That's not a touchdown if they're in Green Bay.
- The Packer offense has looked downright bad in their last 4 games dating back to the Giants loss in the playoffs last year. The most points we've scored in that span? 23. Last year, we were averaging almost 40 points a game. Add in 7 turnovers, when one of our strengths has been the fact that we didn't turn the ball over. This year, we're only converting on 3rd down 40% of the time, as opposed to almost 50% last year. In the red zone, we're only scoring touchdowns 57% of the time, when last year we were above 65%. We're just not as good. Our receivers can't get separation and our offensive line can't block. A game plan has clearly developed to stop our offense: bump and run, man-to-man coverage with 2 deep safeties and get after Rodgers with the front four. I don't even know if defenses prepare for the run against us, anymore. And McCarthy, who's supposed to be some kind of offensive/play calling genius, can't seem to adjust to it. Like at all. RUN THE DAMN FOOTBALL.
- Our worst offensive down and distance? 3rd or 4th and 1. It's supposed to be the easiest thing for an offense to do in football, but we can't gain one single, solitary yard when we need it. You can't win a Super Bowl like that, it's not going to happen. Granted, when your only 2 calls in that situation are run up the middle with Kuhn or line up in the shotgun with 5 wide receivers, you're making it ten times harder on yourself. Again, RUN THE DAMN FOOTBALL.
- We're an overrated team at this point. Our offense isn't what it was, but we're still waiting for them somehow, magically snap out of it. That doesn't happen. We need to change what we're doing, because we're pounding our head against the wall over and over by running the same offense. Teams have changed their approach against us, so why aren't we changing ours in response?
Andrew's 2012 Fantasy Football Preview - Part 1: Defense/Special Teams
In anticipation of the upcoming 2012 Fantasy Football season, I'll be breaking down my Top 10 Players at each position. I'm skipping kickers because, well, frankly they don't matter. I don't pick one until the final round of my drafts and I just grab the kicker with the most explosive offense left on the board. So there's my advice for that one. As for this post, we'll be covering my Top 10 Defenses.
1. San Francisco 49ers
It would make sense that the best defense in the NFL would be the best fantasy defense as well. They don't give up a lot of points which will gain your team a lot of points.
2. Houston Texans
Even without Mario Williams, the Texans will continue their ascent into the elite group of NFL defenses. Wade Phillips knows what he's doing.
3. Chicago Bears
Even with aging superstars like Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers, the Bears D is still solid. Devin Hester helps quite a bit on special teams, as well. He's good for a few return TDs every season.
4. Baltimore Ravens
Ed Reed and Ray Lewis will get the rest of the guys on this defense ready to play this season, even without T-Sizzle, who still claims he'll be back at some point. The Ravens D is the model of consistency in the NFL.
5. New York Jets
I'm really not a huge fan of the Jets D, but at this point you could probably flip a coin between these next few teams. The Jets have Darrelle Revis and should still be stout against the run, so that's why I'm going with them here.
6. Green Bay Packers
Maybe I'm a homer here, but I think the Packers D is going to be vastly improved from last season. The likely loss of Desmond Bishop for the season will hurt a lot, but backup D.J. Smith is no slouch. The big change from last year will be the pass rush, which should be back to where it was during the Super Bowl run of 2010.
7. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles D wasn't where it was expected to be last season after the big splash they made in free agency. They still have a ton of talent, however, and another year together in the system should only make them better.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers
Another staple in the Top 10 every year. You should feel pretty comfortable taking the Pittsburgh defense in any draft during any year, especially if you're one of the last people to be selecting a D/ST as you would be if they were in this position.
9. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks were an underrated defense last year and they should only improve. Their secondary was good enough, but their ability to stop the run was where they really thrived.
10. New England Patriots
I think the Patriots had an amazing draft defensively, and couple that with Bill Belichick's scheming and this defense should be improved from last season. Their pass rush should be their best asset which can help mask the below-average secondary.
Look for my next post coming soon where I'll be giving you my Top 10 Tight Ends.
2012 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: The Lottery
NBA Draft time, baby! Here is FDS's 2012 NBA Mock Draft where Andrew will be predicting and breaking down each of the first 14 picks in June 28's draft.
1. New Orleans Hornets - Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
Davis is the clear-cut favorite to go #1, and with good reason. Athletic, shot-blocker, hard working, and with upside. An NBA GM's wet dream.
2. Charlotte Bobcats - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
It gets fuzzy starting right away at 2, but I think Kidd-Gilchrist is the next best prospect. He's not necessarily someone you can build around, but he's athletic as hell and is going to be a shut down defender at the SF position for the next decade and should improve offensively.
3. Washington Wizards - Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
The Wizards need to get tougher and Robinson would help fill that void perfectly. Great rebounder and above average offensive player at the PF position, he'll fit in well up front next to Nene.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Brad Beal, SG, Florida
A backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Beal would look good for the future, and Beal should benefit from playing alongside Kyrie.
5. Sacramento Kings - Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
The Kings need someone who can score and Barnes is probably the best available prospect who can fill that need.
6. Portland Trail Blazers - Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut
Someone is going to take a chance on Drummond's potential and Portland can use a center. If they can get him to play hard every night, this will be a great pick.
7. Golden State Warriors - John Henson, PF, North Carolina
The Warriors will continue to morph into a defensive-minded team under Mark Jackson, and Henson is the best defensive prospect in this draft outside of Davis.
8. Toronto Raptors - Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
I don't necessarily get this pick, but all the insiders seem to have it marked down. I like Waiters and his scoring ability, just not this high.
9. Detroit Pistons - Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
Lamb reminds me of Rip Hamilton. A lot. He should be able to fit in nicely next to Brandon Knight going forward in Detroit.
10. New Orleans Hornets - Damian Lillard, PG, Weber St.
This would be a dream for the Hornets. Davis No. 1 and the highest rated point guard falling to them at No. 10? They wouldn't even hesitate to snatch him up here.
11. Portland Trail Blazers - Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
I think Kendall Marshall will be better than Lillard in the long run, but I'm not an NBA GM. However, if Marshall is everything I think he is and Drummond can live up to his potential, the Rose Garden will be rockin' again soon.
12. Milwaukee Bucks - Perry Jones III, SF, Baylor
The Bucks can't sign big name free agents, they won't come to Milwaukee. Therefore, they need to take some shots in the draft. Jones has the biggest upside of anyone left.
13. Phoenix Suns - Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio St.
Sullinger was a two time All-American at Ohio St. and can score in the post with the best of them. The big question with him is whether or not he has the athletic ability to do that in the NBA.
14. Houston Rockets - Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina
Zeller is the most pro-ready center in this draft after playing 4 years at UNC. You know exactly what you're going to get with him - a good post game, rebounding, the ability to run the floor, and a high motor. He's also an underrated athlete and can develop a mid-range jumper.
1. New Orleans Hornets - Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
Davis is the clear-cut favorite to go #1, and with good reason. Athletic, shot-blocker, hard working, and with upside. An NBA GM's wet dream.
2. Charlotte Bobcats - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
It gets fuzzy starting right away at 2, but I think Kidd-Gilchrist is the next best prospect. He's not necessarily someone you can build around, but he's athletic as hell and is going to be a shut down defender at the SF position for the next decade and should improve offensively.
3. Washington Wizards - Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
The Wizards need to get tougher and Robinson would help fill that void perfectly. Great rebounder and above average offensive player at the PF position, he'll fit in well up front next to Nene.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Brad Beal, SG, Florida
A backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Beal would look good for the future, and Beal should benefit from playing alongside Kyrie.
5. Sacramento Kings - Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
The Kings need someone who can score and Barnes is probably the best available prospect who can fill that need.
6. Portland Trail Blazers - Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut
Someone is going to take a chance on Drummond's potential and Portland can use a center. If they can get him to play hard every night, this will be a great pick.
7. Golden State Warriors - John Henson, PF, North Carolina
The Warriors will continue to morph into a defensive-minded team under Mark Jackson, and Henson is the best defensive prospect in this draft outside of Davis.
8. Toronto Raptors - Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
I don't necessarily get this pick, but all the insiders seem to have it marked down. I like Waiters and his scoring ability, just not this high.
9. Detroit Pistons - Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
Lamb reminds me of Rip Hamilton. A lot. He should be able to fit in nicely next to Brandon Knight going forward in Detroit.
10. New Orleans Hornets - Damian Lillard, PG, Weber St.
This would be a dream for the Hornets. Davis No. 1 and the highest rated point guard falling to them at No. 10? They wouldn't even hesitate to snatch him up here.
11. Portland Trail Blazers - Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
I think Kendall Marshall will be better than Lillard in the long run, but I'm not an NBA GM. However, if Marshall is everything I think he is and Drummond can live up to his potential, the Rose Garden will be rockin' again soon.
12. Milwaukee Bucks - Perry Jones III, SF, Baylor
The Bucks can't sign big name free agents, they won't come to Milwaukee. Therefore, they need to take some shots in the draft. Jones has the biggest upside of anyone left.
13. Phoenix Suns - Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio St.
Sullinger was a two time All-American at Ohio St. and can score in the post with the best of them. The big question with him is whether or not he has the athletic ability to do that in the NBA.
14. Houston Rockets - Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina
Zeller is the most pro-ready center in this draft after playing 4 years at UNC. You know exactly what you're going to get with him - a good post game, rebounding, the ability to run the floor, and a high motor. He's also an underrated athlete and can develop a mid-range jumper.
What Moves Should the Brewers Make to Help Solve Their Injury Woes?
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| Shorstop Alex Gonzalez, out for the year with a torn ACL, is just one of many key Brewers to go down with injuries in the early part of this season. |
First baseman Mat Gamel, who was supposed to try and help fill the extra large void left by the departure of team leader Prince Fielder, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez, the team's best defensive infielder and one of its most consistent hitters so far this year, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Starter Chris Narveson is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. Center fielder Carlos Gomez, who's been playing the best baseball of his career early this season, will be out for a couple more weeks. Ryan Braun, last season's MVP, is currently playing with a sprained achilles. The injury bug seems to have built a nest and is constantly buzzing around in the Brewers clubhouse. In which direction should the team look to replace its injured starters? I'm sure GM Doug Melvin has his own ideas, but here are my suggestions, whatever they're worth.
Junior Seau and Jonathan Vilma: Connected by a Culture
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| 12-time pro bowler Junior Seau who passed away yesterday at age 43 |
Junior
Seau is dead, apparently by his own hand. Jonathan Vilma is suspended for the
entire 2012 NFL season because of his role in the Saints bounty program. And
these two stories, which broke yesterday, are inescapably connected to the culture of a sport that glorifies violence to a point that our society clearly doesn't care to know about.
To
understand where this is all stems from, we have to go back to February 2011. That's when former NFL safety Dave Duerson committed suicide with a gunshot wound to his
chest. To his chest, not his head. He spared his brain after sending a text
message to his family asking that it be used for research in a study on chronic
traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which is believed to be a side effect of playing professional football. Less
than three months after his suicide, doctors confirmed what Duerson had already
known for years; that he suffered from a neurodegenerative disease that has
been linked to concussions.
Andrew's 2012 NFL Mock Draft
1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Already announced by Colts GM Ryan Grigson. Mark it down.
2. Washington Redskins - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Mark this down - When it's all said and done, RG3 will be better than Andrew Luck. I'd take him first without hesitation. I love this guy.
3. Minnesota Vikings - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
Facing Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford, and Jay Cutler will kill you if you don't have a good pass defense. Claiborne's the first step.
4. Cleveland Browns - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
Best player available and best fit. Could be Rookie of the Year.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
When you have a top 10 pick, you have to take the best player available. Offensive line isn't a need for Tampa Bay, but Kalil is the best player there and he'll make a strength even stronger.
6. St. Louis Rams - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St.
A weapon for Sam Bradford, who doesn't have any at all.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
Coples has the highest upside of any pass rusher in the draft, and Jacksonville needs all the help they can get on the D-line.
8. Miami Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
He has to sit for a year, but it's finally time for the Dolphins to get a franchise QB. If his former college coach and an NFL QB guru can't help Tannehill, the Dolphins might be in trouble for another 10 years.
9. Carolina Panthers - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.
The Panthers need help on the D-line, and Cox is the surest thing in this draft at that position.
10. Buffalo Bills - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
With Floyd on one side and Stevie Johnson on the other, the Bills offensive should develop even further under Ryan Fitzpatrick.
11. Kansas City Chiefs - Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
The Chiefs need help on defense and Kuechly might be the most consistent prospect coming out in years.
12. Seattle Seahawks - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
Seattle will take Tannehill if he drops, but in this scenario, he doesn't.
13. Arizona Cardinals - David DeCastro, G, Stanford
I think DeCastro should go higher because he's the best offensive lineman in this draft. He's mean, nasty, and consistent. He'll fit in perfectly with O-line coach Russ Grimm in Arizona.
14. Dallas Cowboys - Mark Barron, S, Alabama
The Cowboys are apparently high on Barron and will be thrilled if they don't have to trade up to get him.
15. Philadelphia Eagles - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
The Eagles could go a lot of different directions here, but Reiff is the best lineman available and his blue-collar approach should fit well in Philly.
16. New York Jets - Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
Rex Ryan won't be able to help himself here. He sees another Haloti Ngata in Poe, who didn't do much at Memphis but looked like a superhero at the Combine.
17. Cincinnati Bengals - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
With Leon Hall on one side and Kirkpatrick on the other, the Bengals should be set at corner for years to come. And we know they don't shy away from guys who have character issues.
18. San Diego Chargers - Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama
Upshaw may fall, but the Chargers would be stupid not to scoop him up. They need a pass rush and Upshaw was dominant in Tuscaloosa.
19. Chicago Bears - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
A speedy WR to pair with newly acquired Brandon Marshall should give the Bears a formidable offense along with Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.
20. Tennessee Titans - Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
Gilmore will step in and try to replace Cortland Finnegan who left for St. Louis.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
The Bengals already got a corner, so a pass rusher is next on the priority list. Mercilus is one of the best available in this class.
22. Cleveland Browns - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
The Browns desperately need help at right tackle and Martin should be able to start there from day 1.
23. Detroit Lions - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia
The Lions offensive line is getting old and isn't all that good anyway, so Glenn should be able to provide some protection for Matt Stafford.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
Hightower screams Dick LeBeau. He'll fit in perfectly in Pittsburgh.
25. Denver Broncos - Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
The Broncos will be thrilled to see Brockers fall this far. He could end up being the steal of the first round if he plays to his potential. Plus, Denver needs help on the D-line in the worst way.
26. Houston Texans - Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
The Texans are still looking for an upgrade opposite Andre Johnson, and Hill's speed and size would definitely provide that.
27. New England Patriots - Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC
As long as the Patriots don't trade down, they'll have to take a pass rusher. Perry should fit in with Bill Belichick's scheme, plus as a Packer fan, I hope they don't take Shea McClellin.
28. Green Bay Packers - Shea McClellin, OLB, USC
Line him up across from Clay Matthews and go from day 1. With Nick Collins' release, the Pack could also look for a safety in which case they could trade down from this spot.
29. Baltimore Ravens - Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
It seems like the Ravens have been looking for help at receiver for forever, and they still haven't found it. Maybe Randle can be the guy.
30. San Francisco 49ers - Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma St.
I hear Jim Harbaugh likes Brandon Weeden, and I don't think he'll be able to help himself when he sees him there at this point. He may take over for Alex Smith next year if Smith doesn't perform.
31. New England Patriots - Jerel Worthy, DT/DE, Michigan St.
The Pats will still need more of a pass rush up front, and Worthy is versatile enough to play every down whether the Pats go with their 4-3 or 3-4 schemes.
32. New York Giants - Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
Corner isn't necessarily a need for the Giants, but Jenkins is the best player available and they don't really have any shut-down guys there. He definitely has the potential to fill that role.
Andrew's Green Bay Packer Mock Draft (Rounds 1-4)
Round 1
Shea McClellin, OLB Boise St. (6'3" 260)
McClellin's been rising quickly up draft boards the last week or 2 and is now being mocked to Green Bay in lot of scenarios, mine being one of them. The Packers obviously need to improve their pass rush as I outlined in my Packer Draft Preview last week, and McClellin will most likely be available at pick 28 and will look nice opposite Clay Matthews. McClellin lacks the elite athleticism that some of the other pass rushers in this draft have and will need some work transitioning from DE to OLB in the NFL, but he's an extremely hard worker and has an insane motor, two qualities Packer fans love in Matthews. He's also a down home, small town kind of guy from Idaho and has a Green Bay kind of personality.
Other Possibilities:
Peter Konz, C Wisconsin
Devon Still, DT Penn St.
Harrison Smith, SS Notre Dame
Round 2
LaMichael James, RB, Oregon (5'8" 194)
Yep, you read that right. I think the explosive, heisman-trophy candidate from Oregon will be donning the green and gold next season. Ryan Grant will not be returning, which leaves the Packers with injury-prone James Starks and last year's third round pick Alex Green, who missed his entire rookie season with an injury. Running back will be a position GM Ted Thompson will have to address, and unless he continues his free agent "binge" he'll have to do so in the draft. James would add a whole new threat to the Packers offense as an explosive runner and good pass catcher out of the backfield. Just think what Darren Sproles did for New Orleans when he arrived.
Other Possibilities:
Kendall Reyes, DE Connecticut
Ronnell Lewis, OLB Oklahoma
Trumaine Johnson, CB/S Montana
Round 3
Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia (5'10" 183)
Minnifield is the son of a coach and a very smart, versatile cornerback, something the Packers value. He is good in man but better in zone coverage, has decent ball skills, and is a solid tackler. He also returned some punts for UVA.
Other Possibilities:
Dwayne Allen, TE Clemson
Ben Jones, C Georgia
Brock Osweiler, QB Arizona St.
Round 4
Michael Brewster, C, Ohio St. (6'4" 310)
Brewster was a four-year starter at a big time program and was an All Big 10 performer multiple times. He had a down season as a senior, which is why he'll probably fall to around this spot, but he's smart, durable, an pretty athletic on top of his experience. The Packers will need a long-term replacement at center because this is most likely Jeff Saturday's last season.
Other Possibilities:
Markelle Martin, S Oklahoma St.
Nick Foles, QB Arizona
Antonio Allen, S South Carolina
Shea McClellin, OLB Boise St. (6'3" 260)
McClellin's been rising quickly up draft boards the last week or 2 and is now being mocked to Green Bay in lot of scenarios, mine being one of them. The Packers obviously need to improve their pass rush as I outlined in my Packer Draft Preview last week, and McClellin will most likely be available at pick 28 and will look nice opposite Clay Matthews. McClellin lacks the elite athleticism that some of the other pass rushers in this draft have and will need some work transitioning from DE to OLB in the NFL, but he's an extremely hard worker and has an insane motor, two qualities Packer fans love in Matthews. He's also a down home, small town kind of guy from Idaho and has a Green Bay kind of personality.
Other Possibilities:
Peter Konz, C Wisconsin
Devon Still, DT Penn St.
Harrison Smith, SS Notre Dame
Round 2
LaMichael James, RB, Oregon (5'8" 194)
Yep, you read that right. I think the explosive, heisman-trophy candidate from Oregon will be donning the green and gold next season. Ryan Grant will not be returning, which leaves the Packers with injury-prone James Starks and last year's third round pick Alex Green, who missed his entire rookie season with an injury. Running back will be a position GM Ted Thompson will have to address, and unless he continues his free agent "binge" he'll have to do so in the draft. James would add a whole new threat to the Packers offense as an explosive runner and good pass catcher out of the backfield. Just think what Darren Sproles did for New Orleans when he arrived.
Other Possibilities:
Kendall Reyes, DE Connecticut
Ronnell Lewis, OLB Oklahoma
Trumaine Johnson, CB/S Montana
Round 3
Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia (5'10" 183)
Minnifield is the son of a coach and a very smart, versatile cornerback, something the Packers value. He is good in man but better in zone coverage, has decent ball skills, and is a solid tackler. He also returned some punts for UVA.
Other Possibilities:
Dwayne Allen, TE Clemson
Ben Jones, C Georgia
Brock Osweiler, QB Arizona St.
Round 4
Michael Brewster, C, Ohio St. (6'4" 310)
Brewster was a four-year starter at a big time program and was an All Big 10 performer multiple times. He had a down season as a senior, which is why he'll probably fall to around this spot, but he's smart, durable, an pretty athletic on top of his experience. The Packers will need a long-term replacement at center because this is most likely Jeff Saturday's last season.
Other Possibilities:
Markelle Martin, S Oklahoma St.
Nick Foles, QB Arizona
Antonio Allen, S South Carolina
Andrew's Green Bay Packers 2012 NFL Draft Preview
Here's another NFL Draft post, this time giving Green Bay fans some idea of which positions are a need and which prospects the Pack will be looking at come draft time. Look for my 4-round Green Bay Mock Draft coming within the next few days, where I'll let you know which players I think the Packers will be selecting with their picks in rounds 1-4.
Needs
Defensive end - After losing Cullen Jenkins last year to Philadelphia, the Packers had high hopes for 2010 2nd round pick Mike Neal out of Purdue. Neal can't seem to stay healthy, however, and is now suspended for the first four games of this season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Jarius Wynn filled in decently for most of the year, but he's clearly not the long term answer. The Packers could definitely use an upgrade at the DE position, preferrably someone who can rush the passer.
Outside linebacker - Packer fans have been clamoring for a rush linebacker opposite All-Pro Clay Matthews, and maybe this is the year GM Ted Thompson finally pulls the trigger on that position in the first round. The Packers pass rush was clearly a huge problem throughout last season, and they'll have to upgrade it somewhere in the defense. Whitney Mercilus from Illinois, Nick Perry from USC, and Andre Branch from Clemson all fit the mold of a college defensive end who can make the move to OLB in a 3-4 scheme. Erik Walden may not be back this season and the combination of Vic So'oto, Brad Jones, and Frank Zombo aren't good enough to get the job done.
Secondary - Charles Woodson has been a beast for Green Bay since he arrived, but he'll turn 36 during the season. Sam Shields is young and still improving, but is he really ready to fill in as a starter if Woodson or fellow starter Tramon Williams go down? Pat Lee has signed with the Raiders and Jarrett Bush is completely worthless as a cover man. We saw nothing from Davon House last year, though that was mostly due to injuries. On top of the questions at CB, no one knows whether or not All-Pro safety Nick Collins will return to football after the neck injury he sustained last year. The Packers are going to need depth in the secondary and possibly a starter at safety.
Needs
Defensive end - After losing Cullen Jenkins last year to Philadelphia, the Packers had high hopes for 2010 2nd round pick Mike Neal out of Purdue. Neal can't seem to stay healthy, however, and is now suspended for the first four games of this season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Jarius Wynn filled in decently for most of the year, but he's clearly not the long term answer. The Packers could definitely use an upgrade at the DE position, preferrably someone who can rush the passer.
Outside linebacker - Packer fans have been clamoring for a rush linebacker opposite All-Pro Clay Matthews, and maybe this is the year GM Ted Thompson finally pulls the trigger on that position in the first round. The Packers pass rush was clearly a huge problem throughout last season, and they'll have to upgrade it somewhere in the defense. Whitney Mercilus from Illinois, Nick Perry from USC, and Andre Branch from Clemson all fit the mold of a college defensive end who can make the move to OLB in a 3-4 scheme. Erik Walden may not be back this season and the combination of Vic So'oto, Brad Jones, and Frank Zombo aren't good enough to get the job done.
Secondary - Charles Woodson has been a beast for Green Bay since he arrived, but he'll turn 36 during the season. Sam Shields is young and still improving, but is he really ready to fill in as a starter if Woodson or fellow starter Tramon Williams go down? Pat Lee has signed with the Raiders and Jarrett Bush is completely worthless as a cover man. We saw nothing from Davon House last year, though that was mostly due to injuries. On top of the questions at CB, no one knows whether or not All-Pro safety Nick Collins will return to football after the neck injury he sustained last year. The Packers are going to need depth in the secondary and possibly a starter at safety.
Tebow to Green Bay, ESPN Sucks, March Madness, and Michael Bay's Teenage Mutant Ninja Injustice
- Now that Peyton Manning has signed with the Broncos and ESPN has made that story all about Tim Tebow, the rest of the country has to follow suit ... again. Whether it's them making an insanely irrational star out of Tebow or most recently Jeremy Lin in the NBA, the "Worldwide Leader" is right at the forefront of over blowing shit to the point where I'm refusing to watch any of their channels. They're not the Worldwide Leader in Sports anymore, they're the Worldwide Leader in Overreacting. I saw a question on First Take the other day asking, "On a scale of 1-10, how annoyed are you of the Peyton Manning story?" Are you kidding me? Why would we be annoyed of the Peyton Manning story, other than the fact that all you're talking about is the Peyton Manning story? Do you realize that the only reason you're asking this question in the first place is because you guys won't shut up about it? I'm not annoyed of the story, I'm annoyed of you talking about the story. We've actually only heard from Peyton Manning twice in less than two weeks, if you weren't hammering us over the head with it for your 17 hours a day worth of SportsCenter, no one would be annoyed of it at all. And that goes for the Tebow and "Linsanity" stories too. I'm so incredibly sick of ESPN's crap. If anyone wants to get real sports news instead of hearing someone repeat the same crap over and over again but not actually do any real reporting, go to Yahoo! or Fox Sports. Anyway, now that I've gotten that out of the way ... the Packers are one of the teams who have been mentioned as a possible destination for Tebow, and people in Green Bay are losing their minds about it. No one seems to want Tebow here for whatever reason. I don't know if they're worried about the morons at ESPN showing up everyday to talk about a backup quarterback or what, but why not bring him in for a late-round pick? If anyone can work wonders with a QB, it's Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Tom Clements. Look what they just did for Matt Flynn and what they're doing with Graham Harrell, not to mention what they've done with Aaron Rodgers already. They have a quarterback and team in place to be able to handle the circus that Tebow would bring. If Rodgers dealt with all the Favre crap, I'm pretty sure having Tebow as a teammate wouldn't be too rough on him. It clearly wouldn't hurt to have Tebow's leadership and intangibles in the locker room. He's obviously going to work his ass off to get better, and if McCarthy and Clements can't help him then no one can. I'd have no problem with them bringing him in and letting him hang out for a few years with a clipboard or watching him score TDs from inside the five. I'd probably even buy a #15 Packer jersey.
- The big story in the NCAA tournament this week is the injury to North Carolina PG Kendall Marshall. Being the die-hard UNC fan that I am, I'm pretty worried about losing a guy that's been the best PG in the country the last few weeks and the guy that runs our entire offense. On the list of guys we couldn't lose, he was number 1. That being said, we can still make a run at a National Championship. We still have the ACC Player of the Year in Tyler Zeller and the Defensive Player of the Year in John Henson. We still have Harrison Barnes, but he's going to need to step up and start scoring 25 to 30 ppg. Reggie Bullock and P.J. Hairston are going to have to start knocking down their threes and playing some point. The Tar Heels are going to have to put together a new game plan on the fly, but they have the talent to do it. On another note, shout out to Wisconsin and Marquette for also making the Sweet Sixteen and to Lehigh for knocking out Duke. It was an amazing first weekend until the Marshall injury news came out, but other than that it couldn't have gone better for a UNC fan living in Wisconsin. Go Badgers, go Golden Eagles, and go Tar Heels.
- I haven't shredded my bracket yet which is a good sign, but it's not in the best shape either. I had Missouri in the Final Four and Duke going to the Sweet Sixteen as well as Montana beating Wisconsin and Wichita St. advancing past the first weekend. I'm still in the running to win some money in one pool, so I can't complain too much. What a day Friday by the way with two 15 seeds beating 2 seeds even though I didn't get a chance to watch any of it. Again, who schedules a wedding during the first weekend of the NCAA tournament? During one of those "You'll always remember where you were when..." sports moments, I was driving 10 hours to the south (which I never want to do again, the southern half of the U.S. and I don't mix at all) and attending a rehearsal dinner when I never even went to the actual rehearsal itself. The open bar at the wedding was pretty nice, though.
- One more quick rant: Someone needs to stop Michael Bay from making anymore movies. It was bad enough that he turned one of the most horrific days in American history into a love story with Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck and barely managed to make watchable movies out of one of my most beloved childhood cartoons, Transformers. (If it weren't for Megan Fox and Shia LeBeouf, those movies would have been insanely shitty. They don't even have all the original characters in them.) Now he has to go and ruin my most beloved childhood cartoon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Apparently, Michael Bay is turning the turtles from mutants into ... wait for it ... yep, that's right, aliens. Teenage Alien Ninja Turtles. Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael apparently don't come from the ooze anymore, they come from outer space. This is the final straw in my ever-increasing desire to remove Michael Bay from Hollywood at all costs. He has to go, and if I'm the one that has to start the movement, so be it. You don't mess with the turtles. If there's anything that can unite Splinter and the Shredder, this kind of sick injustice has to be it. Let's bring out the Rat King, Bee-Bop and Rocksteady, Toca and Razar, Krang, Casey Jones, April O'Neill, and even Keno. (And yes, all those names came from memory.) We need all hands on deck. Occupy Michael Bay's Studio, let's go!
Andrew's First Round Tournament Predictions
As the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament gets underway, we'll have 12 hours of non-stop basketball madness today, which is followed by 12 more hours continuing tomorrow. Anyone who hasn't faked sick already or taken vacation time will be at work streaming the games live on their computer, hoping their boss doesn't catch them. While you're spending less time doing anything at all constructive and more time getting paid to discreetly watch basketball until "the man" tries to stop you, here are some things to look for:
- Long Beach State (12) upsetting New Mexico (5) - A name to watch - Casper Ware. This guy will be a star in this tournament, I guarantee it. Look out for Casper Ware.
- NC State (11) beating San Diego State (6) - The Aztecs seem to actually be the underdog in this game despite being the higher seed, and I have to agree. NC State has been playing extremely well down the stretch and probably should have beaten North Carolina in the semifinals of the ACC tournament. Watch out for the Wolfpack.
- Montana (13) over Wisconsin (4) - I told my buddy Quinn while I was watching Montana win the Big Sky tournament that they would win a game or two in the Big Dance. Too bad for Wisconsin fans they drew the Grizzlies in the first round, because I'm sticking by my prediction.
- Temple (5) will beat South Florida (12) by double digits - After USF's dominating win over Cal last night, they've quickly become a hot bracket-buster in the minds of some experts. There's a big difference between the talent and experience Temple possesses and the lack of experience and overall talent that Cal has, however. Expect Temple to easily do away with the Bulls in the first (technically second) round.
- Bob Knight's State Farm Discount Double Check commercial to start trending on Twitter - Each year there seems to be some commercial that CBS runs about 12 million times during the tournament and I think this is it. I think it's actually pretty funny, but ask me again in a few hours when I've seen it about 598,746 times.
- CBS to replace Lesley Visser ASAP - Damn, does she look old. She's still a good reporter but in the world of HD, sideline reporters need to be a little easier on the eyes.
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