***NFC North Thread***

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an-also
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Post by an-also »

I like the thought of having a norf thread that goes on over various seasons.

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Post by capable_keL »

hows that nfc east thread doing?
Hey, by the way who's Curt?

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Post by DLG »

the thread was too busy getting fitted for rings to flourish in the off season.

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Post by an-also »

Percy Harvin requests a trade.

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Post by peanut butter »

an-also wrote:Percy Harvin requests a trade.
This is the exact brand of faggotry that has to be expected from a man named Percy



PEACe

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Post by capable_keL »

negotiating tactics created by his agent

percy will be a viking. nothing to see here

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Post by Roy Johnson »

Emery's new additions in bold.
QB: Jay Cutler
QB: Jason Campbell
QB: Josh McCown
RB: Matt Forte
RB: Michael Bush
RB: Kahlil Bell
FB: Tyler Clutts
WR: Brandon Marshall
WR: Alshon Jeffery (2nd Round Pick)
WR: Earl Bennett
WR: Devin Hester
WR: Devin Thomas
WR: Eric Weems
TE: Kellen Davis
TE: Matt Spaeth
TE: Evan Rodriguez (4th Round Pick)
RT: Gabe Carimi
RG: Chris Spencer
C: Roberto Garza
LG: Lance Louis
LT: Chris Williams
T: J'Marcus Webb
G: Chilo Rachal
G/C: Edwin Williams
DE: Julius Peppers
DE: Israel Idonije
DE: Shea McClellin (1st Round Pick)
DE: Corey Wootton
DT: Henry Melton
DT: Stephen Paea
DT: Matt Toeaina
MLB: Brian Urlacher
WLB: Lance Briggs
SLB: Nick Roach
LB: Geno Hayes
LB: Dom DeCicco
LB: J.T. Thomas
LB: Blake Costanzo
CB: Charles Tillman
CB: Tim Jennings
CB: Kelvin Hayden
CB: D.J. Moore
CB: Isaiah Frey (6th Round Pick)
SS: Major Wright
SS: Brandon Hardin (3rd Round Pick)
SS: Anthony Walters
FS: Chris Conte
FS: Craig Steltz
K: Robbie Gould
P: Adam Podlesh
LS: Patrick Mannelly
It's been a glorious offseason.
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Post by capable_keL »

so this means bears go 7-9?

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Post by Roy Johnson »

:lol:
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Post by Roy Johnson »

Annual fantasies for Bears arenג€™t quite so crazy this time

RICK MORRISSEY
rmorrissey@suntimes.com
July 21, 2012

What would happen if the Bears ever lived up to the public fervor that precedes the arrival of training camp each summer?

You know the fervor of which I speak: the kind that makes an otherwise clear-thinking person believe that This is the Year, that 16-0 sounds perfectly reasonable and that itג€™s only a matter of time before Chicago will be referred to as ג€˜ג€˜Football Town USA.ג€™ג€™

What would happen?

Critical mass would be reached. The End Times. Armageddon. Free parking in the city. Oh, wait, that would be the result if the Cubs won a World Series.

If the Bears won a Super Bowl, Chicago would lose its collective mind, but the planet somehow would live to tell about it. Is this the year? Probably not. But the wild optimism doesnג€™t seem out of place this time around. It seems almost ג€” dare I say it? ג€” rational. The Bears should be very good in 2012, good enough to make the playoffs, even coming out of the difficult NFC North.

And once in the playoffs, is it unreasonable to think . . . OK, I wonג€™t ask the question. Letג€™s just say the Bears have reason to believe theyג€™ll be in the mix for postseason success.

The first practice of training camp is Thursday in Bourbonnais, and all the reasons for public confidence will be in attendance: Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Brian Urlacher, Matt Forte, Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs, etc.

You start with Cutler because you always start with the quarterback. He is the biggest reason for high self-esteem levels around here. If he had stayed healthy last season, we wouldnג€™t have had to watch Caleb Hanie and Josh McCown throw a season away. Then again, if Cutler had stayed healthy, maybe Jerry Angelo wouldnג€™t have been fired for failing to have a decent backup quarterback in place. Thatג€™s called winning through losing.

Cutler should have the chance to prove heג€™s among the elite quarterbacks in the league. Iג€™m not sure he had that opportunity in his first three seasons with the Bears. He has been reunited with Marshall, who was his go-to receiver when both were with the Denver Broncos.

Weג€™ll have to wait to see what a Mike Tice offense looks like, but itג€™s not unreasonable to think Cutler will have a Pro Bowl-type season. That could be the Kool-Aid talking.

Cutler seems happier these days, perhaps because heג€™ll soon be a first-time father. But impending fatherhood wonג€™t help his offensive line block, unless the kidג€™s a bruiser.

Which leads me to the three concerns. What, you thought Iג€™d be concern-free?

◆ Marshall. Can he lead a peaceful life off the field? If he can, then the Bears finally have a reliable No. 1 receiver. He has gone through treatment for borderline personality disorder and says a turbulent past involving repeated violence is just that ג€” the past. Weג€™ll see. He recently invited a reporter to his home and ended up sounding defensive and suspicious, like ג€˜ג€˜Citizen Kaneג€™ג€™ in Xanadu.

But thereג€™s no doubt Marshall can catch the football, especially in a crowd. For years, the Bears have suffered from a wide receiver disorder. Not anymore.

◆ The offensive line. You want your line to be set in stone going into camp, but until Jג€™Marcus Webb proves he has mastered the snap count, the Bears are unsettled at left tackle. Tim Spencer, a former center who played right guard last year, is moving to left guard. Right tackle Gabe Carimi is coming back from a knee injury that made him miss most of 2011. The good news is Cutler was sacked 23 times in 10 games last season, compared with a league-high 52 in 15 games the year before. Letג€™s see if Ticeג€™s magic with the line can be expanded to include the entire offense.

◆ Urlacher. He recently told ESPN Radio 1000 that heג€™s ג€˜ג€˜110 percent,ג€™ג€™ which is impossible, unless he grew an extra limb in the offseason. But you can see where heג€™s coming from ג€” a position of unbridled enthusiasm. He sprained the medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee during the last game of the 2011 season. He says heג€™s healthy, but heג€™s also a 34-year-old linebacker, which is about 50 in human years. Can he hold up physically? Will his speed still be there? Can girlfriend Jenny McCarthy be considered a performance-enhancing drug?

Lots of questions, but a lot of positives, too. One more question: Can we start the season now?
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Post by Roy Johnson »

The Bears traded a 7th round pick to Tampa Bay for DT Brian Price, who was the #35 overall pick in the 2010 draft, and only 23 years old. His rotoworld blurbs are extremely fucked up.

December 4, 2011
Bucs coach Raheem Morris personally ejected DT Brian Price from Sunday's loss to the Panthers after a personal foul penalty.
"I told him go home. F---. Yeah," said Morris, using profanity in his post-game press conference. "Because it's foolish, it's selfish to your teammates, to everybody in your organization, to your fans. That's terrible." Added Morris of his team as a whole, "They're not listening. They've got to listen." The Bucs are now 4-8 and have dropped five straight games. Sun, Dec 4, 2011 06:42:00 PM
May 19, 2012
Bucs DT Brian Price was hospitalized this week for "exhaustion and grief" in the wake of his sister's death.
It's why Price was absent from Bucs OTAs. His sister was killed in a car accident last week. "It was just a situation where like the stress of the whole situation made him sick," Price's agent said. Price is planning to adopt his late sister's seven- and nine-year old sons. A 2010 second-round pick, Price started 14 games in 2011, notching 24 tackles and three sacks. May 19 - 10:34 AM
June 19, 2012
Bucs DT Brian Price reportedly punched first-round S Mark Barron in the face during a players meeting last month.
The fracas started when Price found Barron sitting in his seat at a team meeting. Although Barron's face was bloodied, he practiced later that day. Price can be forgiven for the short temper in the heat of the moment. He was hospitalized for "exhaustion and grief" after taking on his sister's children when she died in a car wreck earlier this spring. He had previously lost two brothers to gunshot wounds. We wouldn't make too much of the incident, as Price still carries plenty of respect among teammates and coaches. Jun 19 - 1:15 PM
July 26, 2012
Bears acquired DT Brian Price from the Bucs in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft.
Price will have to pass a physical, which is hardly a given. Late in 2010, Price became the first NFL player to undergo a radical procedure screwing his hamstring to the bone while also attaching the pelvic bones to themselves. New coach Greg Schiano is running a tight ship, and Price may have written his ticket out of town by punching rookie Mark Barron in the face during an offseason meeting. A cakewalk run defense last season, the Bucs will be thin up front again in 2012. If healthy and in football shape, Price is certainly worth the risk for Chicago. The 2010 second-rounder started 14 games last season. Jul 26 - 4:45 PM
Here's a quote from Emery:
"This is a very talented player," Emery said. "When he came out in the draft, he was picked high in the second round (35th overall). Fits our system. Fits the 4-3. Very explosive player off the ball, very reactive.''
And the Bears have another young, potentially good player at DT - 2011 2nd round pick Stephen Paea.
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Post by Roy Johnson »

Packers Still Class Of NFC North
While Bears have closed talent gap, evaluators still rate rivals higher

There is little doubt that, on paper, the Bears have a highly talented team.

But how does their talent stack up against their competition?

With that in mind, the Tribune asked five personnel evaluators from different teams who have studied the NFC North to rate the division position by position.

In their professional opinions, the Packers clearly are still the class of the division. The Bears have the second best team, barely, over the Lions.

"It's going to be a real good division," one player personnel director said.

Four were given for a position group that was best in the division; three for second best; two for third best and one point for worst.

Here is how each team ranked at each position.

Quarterbacks

1. Packers (20); 2. Bears (13); 3. Lions (12); 4. Vikings (5);

Each of the five personnel men thought the Packers had the best quarterback, but they were split on who was second best. Three of them chose the Bears' Jay Cutler and two picked the Lions' Matthew Stafford.

Some of the pro-Cutler comments:

ג€¢"Stafford is gaining on Cutler, but Cutler gets the benefit of the doubt because he has done it more years in a row."

ג€¢"Stafford has Megatron (Calvin Johnson) to throw to, and just has to get it out to him. Cutler has had to make smart decisions and accurate throws on a consistent basis. He hasn't had the dominant receiving weapons until now."

And some pro-Stafford comments:

ג€¢"They are equally athletic in terms of escaping pressure, but Stafford is more accurate, and he has gotten it done without a running game."

ג€¢"Stafford won't make as many bad decisions."

Running backs

1. Vikings (20); 2. Bears (15); 3. Lions (9); 4. Packers (6).

The personnel men voted as if Adrian Peterson, who is coming off a knee injury, will be healthy and as capable as ever. Each of them had the Vikings best and the Bears second best. The only question was if the Lions or Packers are third.

The Lions have more talent, but Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure are coming off injuries and Leshoure is facing a two-game suspension.

"It seems you never are sure who is available for the Lions," one front office man said. "Who knows with that group?"

Wide receivers

1. Packers (19); 2. Lions (16); 3. Bears (10); 4. Vikings (5).

The acquisition of Brandon Marshall failed to move the Bears into the top two because the Packers and Lions both are stacked.

"Even with Marshall, the Bears receivers leave something to be desired," one scout said.

Another pro personnel man had a different take.

"If they had Johnny Knox healthy, the Bears would have a really strong receiver group," he said.

Despite the presence of Johnson for the Lions, probably football's best receiver, the Packers were given four of five first-place votes.

"The Packers have more depth than anyone," a personnel man said.

Tight ends

1. Lions (20); 2. Packers (14); 3. Vikings (11); 4. Bears (5).

The personnel men were unanimous that the Lions had the best group and the Bears the worst.

One said, "The top three in the division are almost a tie. The Bears group isn't as good."

Offensive lines

1. Packers (19); 2. Lions (16); 3. Vikings (8); 4. Bears (7).

"This position is where the talent falls off in the division," an assistant pro personnel director said.

Indeed, each of these lines has question marks. Even the Packers, who received four first-place votes, lost two starters and are not sure who their left tackle will be.

"Aaron Rodgers makes that line look good by getting rid of ball, but the run blocking is not impressive," one scout said.

Two of the five polled said they would not be surprised to see significant improvement in the Bears' offensive line.

"I really think it's a decent group of players that got a bad rap," the assistant director of pro personnel said.

Defensive lines

1. Lions (20); 2. Vikings (13); 3. Bears (12); 4. Packers (5).

Voters were split between the Vikings and Bears as to which team was second best, but each of the front office men had praise for the top three lines.

"If Chicago's young guy (Shea McClellin) comes through, the Bears can give Detroit a run," one pro personnel man said.

Another cited the need for Bears defensive linemen other than Julius Peppers to step up and make plays.

Linebackers

1. Bears (18); 2. Packers (15); 3. Lions (10); 4. Vikings (7).

Of the nine area graded (excluding special teams and coaching), the Bears scored highest here, and it was the only position in which the Bears were ranked first.

There were mixed opinions, however. The Packers and Lions linebackers each received a first place vote.

"Given the age of Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, I'm not quite sure how to judge them," a personnel director said. "It's close between them and the Packers."

Safeties

1. Packers (19); 2. Lions (15); 3. Bears (11); 4. Vikings (5).

There is more uncertainty here in the NFC North than at any other position. One front office man said he wouldn't be surprised if the rankings completely flipped during the season.

The Packers likely will use cornerback Charles Woodson at safety more this year, and the Vikings hope to start rookie Harrison Smith.

"Chris Conte and Major Wright are solid players for the Bears," one pro personnel man said. "They are smart, tough and can run. They might be limited in some areas of the passing game, but Chicago uses them well."

Cornerbacks

1. Packers (19); 2. Bears (15); 3. Vikings (11); 4. Lions (5).

The Packers came in first place even though Woodson likely will spend more time at safety and the team finished 32nd in pass defense last year, which does not say much about cornerback talent in the division. None of the NFC North teams were in the top 21 of pass defense.

The Bears received one first place vote.

"The Packers have better talent, but the Bears corners played better as a group," he said. "The Bears protected their corners better with that zone scheme, and eliminated big plays better than the Packers."

Special teams

1. Bears (19); 2. Packers (15); 3. Vikings (11); 4. Lions (5).

The Bears received four first-place votes. The man who placed them second cited the loss of Knox as a kick returner. Another scout voted the Bears first, but said he thought "their return game could fade."

Coaches

1. Packers (19); 2. Bears (16); 3. Lions (10); 4. Vikings (5).

Every ballot was the same except one, in which a personnel assistant ranked the Bears first, ahead of the Packers.

His justification?

"Lovie Smith has had to deal with quarterback issues, job speculation and inconsistencies that Mike McCarthy has not," he said.

Another front office man voted the Bears staff second but said, "Lovie does a nice job. He is steady and that is a team that is well coached, well prepared and ready to play."

One more noted the Packers "took a shot losing Joe Philbin, but McCarthy can overcome it."

Overall

1. Packers (170); 2. Bears (141); 3. Lions (138); 4. Vikings (101).

What was impressive about the vote for the Packers is they finished first in six of 11 categories, including the two most would say are most important ג€” quarterbacks and coaches.

The conclusion to draw is that as impressive as the Bears are on paper, they still are not the most impressive team in their division.

dpompei@tribune.com

Twitter @danpompei
Last edited by Roy Johnson on Wed Aug 08, 2012 5:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

fuck the gay ass rankings cuz
Hey, by the way who's Curt?

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Post by Roy Johnson »

What's up with the Purple People Eaters, bro? When's Peterson coming back? How's Ponder looking in training camp?
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Post by capable_keL »

Roy Johnson wrote:What's up with the Purple People Eaters, bro? When's Peterson coming back? How's Ponder looking in training camp?
we're gay as fuck

peterson is done but toby will :copy: defenses

ponder ceiling is jeff garcia at best


greg childs = ROY the next moss

khalil getting :copy: in camp

FML


(thanks roy)
Hey, by the way who's Curt?

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Post by Roy Johnson »

Going Camping With The God Dan Pompei
First stop: Vikings

MANKATO, Minn. ג€” After losing 11 straight games to NFC North opponents, the Vikings' view of the division might be similar to an ant's view of a Redwood forest.

But, believe it or not, they have high hopes.

"Stranger things have happened," Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said.

The Vikings point to the growth of second year quarterback Christian Ponder, the consistent excellence of NFL sack leader Jared Allen, the presence of football's best runner Adrian Peterson and an influx of young players who don't know the Vikings are expected to roll over for the Packers, Lions and Bears.

But whereas the other NFC North teams are primed to win now, the Vikings clearly still are trying to find themselves.

The Vikings' offseason purge left them without 10 players who started more than half the team's games last year (including kicker Ryan Longwell). The previous offseason, they lost seven starters.

They will not call this rebuilding, but the rest of the world will.

"I imagine our average age will make us one of the youngest teams in the league," Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said. "Two years ago, we were the oldest team in the league. We needed to get younger."

Going young usually means going home before the playoffs start, but the Vikings veterans are having none of that.

"I've never been a believer in saying we're young, and that's an excuse," Allen said. "We're all getting paid to play football and we're here for a reason."

Ponder is showing signs of NFL quarterback maturation. And it goes beyond the thick beard he has grown and the 20 or so pounds he put on in the offseason to get above 230.

"Ponder is going to be better," Spielman said. "He has so much more confidence, so much more confidence."

Ponder made in NFL debut against the Bears in October, replacing an ineffective Donovan McNabb in a loss at Soldier Field. He started the Vikings' last 10 games, winning two. He completed only 54.3 percent of his passes and threw 13 interceptions.

Ponder did not have the benefit of normal learning in the offseason before his rookie year because of the lockout. And then the Vikings coaching staff did not give him many reps in training camp because they were trying to acclimate McNabb, who also was a newcomer.

It was frustrating for Ponder to see fellow rookies Cam Newton and Andy Dalton make the transition to the pros seem simple.

"It definitely puts a chip on my shoulder," he said. "I know those guys. To see them play well and to know I didn't play as well definitely motivates me. But they obviously are good players."

Now Ponder is working on not forcing passes, knowing his reads, developing chemistry with teammates and preparing his body to avoid injuries (he couldn't finish two games last year after getting hurt).

To bulk up, the 6-foot-2 Ponder hit the weights and ate right.

"My dad was a defensive lineman, so I have the genes," he said. "It's not hard for me to put on weight."

He offset weightlifting with hot yoga to increase flexibility, which he found to be "good not only for my body but my mind as well."

Ponder also is taking ownership of both the locker room and the offense. Just the other day, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave changed a route at Ponder's suggestion.

Ponder has a lot more going for him in 2012 than he did as a rookie out of Florida State, including a new left tackle (Matt Kalil was the fourth pick of the draft) and a dynamic new wide receiver (free agent Jerome Simpson, the former Bengal who is famous for his front flip touchdown over Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington).

The Vikings may have to rely more on the passing game this year, given Peterson's status. The all pro running back tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in December and has yet to be cleared for practice. There is some hope he may be ready to play at or near the start of the season, but even if he is, he may not resemble the runner who has earned the nickname "Purple Jesus."

Backup Toby Gerhart likely will have a more prominent role for the Vikings.

"You would think there will be more split carries with Toby early on just because of the injury if you look at the history of guys with ACLs and how long it takes them," Frazier said. "But Adrian is not typical in the way he responds to injuries. He is genetically different."

The Vikings have to hope being different is an advantage.

Key additions: Cornerback Zack Bowman, tight end John Carlson, cornerback Chris Carr, fullback Jerome Felton, offensive tackle Matt Kalil, guard Geoff Schwartz, wide receiver Jerome Simpson, safety Harrison Smith, kicker Blair Walsh.

Key losses: Safety Husain Abdullah, cornerback Asher Allen, defensive tackle Remi Ayodele, cornerback Cedric Griffin, linebacker E.J. Henderson, guard Anthony Herrera, guard Steve Hutchinson, tight end Jim Kleinsasser, kicker Ryan Longwell, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

August stars: Tight end Kyle Rudolph has stood out as much as anyone with his size, speed and receiving skills. Charlie Johnson has taken to a position switch (left tackle to left guard) very well. Cornerback Chris Cook looks like he is ready finally to become a starter. Tight end Rhett Ellison has played as well as any rookie on the team. Others include linebacker Audie Cole, fullback Jerome Felton, defensive tackle Letroy Guion and defensive endD'Aundre Reed.

On the hot seat: Coach Leslie Frazier, the former Bears cornerback, is in a tough spot. He has only one year remaining on his contract after 2012, and former Vikings coach Brad Childress' salary also will come off the books after 2012. Vikings ownership likely will decide to extend Frazier's contract or find a new coach. That means Frazier might have to exceed expectations. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf recently said he expects the Vikings to be NFC North champions. "There is always pressure to win," Frazier said. "You are judged on wins and losses. Our players know it, our coaches know it, I know it."

Camp oddity: The Vikings may lead the league in one category already: Ponytails. They have 16 players who some sort of them, including defensive end Brian Robison, who claims his is the best and cites himself as the inspiration for the trend. "They saw how luxurious my hair is and they decided they wanted luxurious hair," he said. "They just aren't blessed with great genes."

Regular season vs. Bears

ג€¢ Nov. 25 at Soldier Field, noon, WFLD-Ch. 32

ג€¢ Dec. 9 at Mall of American Field, noon, WFLD-Ch. 32.

dpompei@tribune.com
Last edited by Roy Johnson on Wed Aug 08, 2012 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Post by Roy Johnson »

Going Camping With Dan Pompei
Next stop: Packers


GREEN BAY, Wis.ג€”After a season in which 15 opponents were vanquished, some NFL teams might become self-congratulatory.

Big headed, even.

There has been none of that in Green Bay, however.

In fact, the talk in cheese country is all about building better mousetraps.

How to improve the tackling?

What could be done about the pass defense?

How can the Packers prepare better?

Those problems never would have been issues if the Packers had played in the postseason as they had in the regular season. But they struck out in their only at-bat, a stunning 37-20 loss to the Giants in the divisional playoff round.

As the Packers look back at 2011, they can't see past that one game. "I don't feel good about last season at all," defensive back Charles Woodson said. "To me it's a missed opportunity to do what we all set out to do."

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the league's reigning most valuable player, concurs. "Last year left a lot to be desired," he said. "I had a lot of fun doing that Super Bowl coverage with NBC but it was tough to turn around and see the Giants play out there. It was frustrating watching that film and seeing how many mistakes we all made, especially on offense. It's a good motivator for us, the disappointment."

Rodgers believes he knows where the Packers' failure was rooted.

"We got in a mindset where we weren't quite as hungry as we were the previous season," he said. "We have to get that energy back. Here's what happens, even at 15-1 there are still issues. And when you are winning, they kind of get swept under the rug.

"We have addressed some of those issues. I think we will be a more sound team and a team that will have an opportunity to put a better product on the field. I don't know if it will be 15 wins. That's really tough to do. But I think we will be a better, more fundamentally sound football team."

In particular, Rodgers says the Packers have addressed preparation issues. "On the offensive side of the ball, the levels weren't there at all times," he said. "That includes guys who weren't maybe expecting to play and had to be thrown into roles mid game or mid week as potential starters, and also guys who have been playing here for a long time and didn't have the same kind of level of preparation."

Woodson thought the defense was lulled into a false sense of security because the offense kept bailing it out all season. When the offense had four turnovers against the Giants after averaging less than one per game in the regular season, the defensive issues were exposed.

So in the offseason, the Packers spent their first six draft choices on defensive players.

From the way it looks now, they could have three new opening day defensive starters (defensive end C.J. Wilson, left outside linebacker Nick Perry and one of three cornerbacks ג€” Jarrett Bush, Davon House or Sam Shields) and two old starters in new positions (Clay Matthews is shifting from left outside linebacker to right, and Woodson is expected to play more safety and less cornerback).

The Packers gave up more passing yards than any team in the NFL last year, in part because they failed to pressure opposing passers consistently, in part because they had tackling breakdowns and in part because they could not get off the field on third downs.

"We're going to have to grow a little there because your personnel has a chance to get a lot younger," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's not like we're going to walk out there and say, hey you have that fixed. I don't think that's realistic."

The hope is the defense improves as the season goes on. In the early stages, the Packers' inexperience won't be the only issue. They also will be without three suspended players: defensive ends Anthony Hargrove (eight games) and Mike Neal (four games) and outside linebacker Erik Walden (one game).

In that regard, the Bears might catch a break by being scheduled to play the Packers in the second week of the season.

In another regard, the Bears will be a little in the dark about what defensive coordinator Dom Capers will be up to this year. The position shift of Woodson is a potentially big move for the Packers.

"I think he has all the tools to be a really good safety," Capers said of Woodson, who has dabbled in the position in certain packages in the past. "He is smart, instinctive, he understands the game and what offenses are trying to do to us. He'll be good in terms of disguising things."

The Packers may be disguising defenses, but they are not trying to disguise their disappointment over 2011. In fact, they are embracing it.

dpompei@tribune.com
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by Roy Johnson »

Good times ahead for Cutler
Bigger, better weapons, improved protection, strong short-yardage game should help Bears' quarterback

It was only one exhibition game, and the starters didn't play a whole lot, but if there is one conclusion we could draw from it, it is that Jay Cutler should have a much easier go of it this year.

Cutler played well against the Redskins, but the film showed he had a little help from his friends that he might not have had last season.

For instance:

•Players he is throwing to are capable of getting yards after the catch. Only five teams in the NFL had fewer yards after the catch last year than the Bears, according to STATS. That should not be the case this year.

On Alshon Jeffery's 34-yard reception in the second quarter, 18 of the yards came after the catch. Eric Weems caught a ball behind the line of scrimmage, put a move on DeAngelo Hall and was off to the races for 33 yards. Twelve of 15 yards were after the catch on Evan Rodriguez's clutch third-down catch on the game-winning drive.

•Big receivers should lead to a higher completion percentage for Cutler. In addition to giving the quarterback a bigger target and more catching radius, they also should be more reliable.

Jeffery has been targeted eight times in two exhibition games and has caught seven passes. His hands are outstanding. Rodriguez also shows the ability to pluck the ball.

What's more, this group of receivers is going to be open more. The big receivers know how to use their bodies.

Jeffrey in particular has a knack for being able to shield defenders, the way he did on a 12-yard second-quarter catch. Jeffery threw his body in front of safety Tanard Jackson, catching the ball and drawing a pass-interference flag at the same time.

Brandon Marshall and Rodriguez are going to create mismatches the way they did Saturday. Redskins cornerback Cedric Griffin could not run with Marshall on the Bears' first play from scrimmage, a 41-yard completion.

The Redskins didn't have success covering Rodriguez with a linebacker (he beat Bryan Kehl for a 14-yard gain) or a safety (Jordan Bernstine struggled to stay with him on a 19-yard reception).

•The pass protection might be improving. It's true the Bears gave up four sacks Saturday, but none of them should be pinned on offensive linemen.

On the first, the pocket got a little tight on Jason Campbell so he stepped up into a sack. The second and third sacks get pinned on tight ends and backs. The fourth appeared to be quarterback Josh McCown's fault.

At the critical left tackle position, neither J'Marcus Webbnor Chris Williams had any grievous lapses in pass protection.

•The Bears look like they have a respectable short-yardage run game, which should mean Cutler will have more opportunities. Michael Bush scored easily on a 1-yard touchdown run Saturday, and he should get plenty more chances in short-yardage situations.

The Bears had only one 1-yard touchdown run all last season. Mike Martz didn't have much confidence in the short-yardage game for good reason. The Bears converted only 60.9 percent of third- or fourth-and-1 situations last year — only five teams had a lower percentage.

Some other observations after a closer look at the game:

•Marshall was showered with hosannas for his performance, but he could have had a 48-yard touchdown. He beat cornerback Josh Wilson deep, then misjudged Cutler's throw, slowed down and couldn't get to the football.

•Rodriguez can help the Bears immediately as a receiver. He probably always will be more or less a one-dimensional player, but he has a long way to go as a blocker.

•Right guard Lance Louis continued his fine month. An unsung highlight of the game was his pancake block on Redskins linebacker Lorenzo Alexander on Bush' 8-yard touchdown run.

•Stephen Paea has been the bright spot on the interior defensive line this summer, but with him out, the Bears needed someone to step up at tackle.

They received solid contributions from five tackles. Matt Toeaina and Nate Collins provided the muscle. Brian Price came off the ball well and showed some flash. Israel Idonije did most of his damage playing end but had some nice moves at tackle on passing downs.

And Henry Melton finally gets to come off the milk carton, but he is capable of much more.

•Nick Roach has done all right filling in for Brian Urlacher, but he was outplayed by Blake Costanzo on Saturday. Whereas Roach took some bad angles from Urlacher's position, Costanzo played an impressive overall game.

He read well, shot gaps aggressively, came off blocks, showed range and made solid tackles.

dpompei@tribune.com
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by peanut butter »

Why Your Team Sucks 2012: Green Bay Packers
http://deadspin.com/5936676?utm_campaig ... socialflow
I loathe the Packers. I hate their fucking perfect little organization in their fucking perfect little town with their fucking perfect little stadium with every announcer telling me what a fucking perfect little place Green Bay is for football. Say the word "Packers" to John Madden and he'll close his eyes and have a nine-minute soundless orgasm. It's repulsive. Chris Berman still thinks doing his Facenda voice and saying "FROZEN TUNDRA" is funny. It's not. It's pathetic.

Packers fans are the Trekkies of the NFL. Fat. Slovenly. Unjustifiably arrogant. When you celebrate the Packers, you're celebrating a group of people who never had the intellect or courage to leave Green Bay and actually go DO something with their lives. You're celebrating the likes of Vince Lombardi, who was Nick Saban with bad teeth—a precursor to the modern, powermad, dumbfuck football coaches of today. You're celebrating a group of people who lack the self-awareness to know just what it means to walk around with a cheese block on your head. Do you know how stupid that looks? Do you have ANY self-respect? I went to Milwaukee earlier this year and virtually every Milwaukee resident I met DESPISED the Packers fans from Green Bay, because they didn't want their state represented by a group of fat disgusting mouthbreathing rednecks.

And yes, I am jealous. My team never wins jack shit, and somehow the football Gods smile upon THESE idiots? Ridiculous. The fact that Packers fans are allowed to be happy is proof that God doesn't exist and that this universe is a cold, black, random place that cares little for the travails of mankind.

PEACE

Roy Johnson
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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by Roy Johnson »

Haha, the Lombardi thing is definitely true. It stands to reason that if you treat people with respect, you'll probably get the most out of 'em. That drill sergeant shit is an antiquated notion.
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

Roy Johnson
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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by Roy Johnson »

"Camping With Dan Pompei" - Lions edition
Lions trying to clean up act
Schwartz & Co. quietly stressing discipline, self-control on, off field

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Lost in all the opponent stomps, roadside arrests, practice sucker punches and handshake fracases is the fact that the Lions are mighty fine football team that keeps getting better.

Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson arguably is the most dynamic quarterback-to-receiver combination in the NFL.

General manager Martin Mayhew has surrounded Stafford, the No. 1 pick of the 2009 draft, with seven skill-position players who were either first- or second-round draft picks.

If the Lions' defensive line is not the best in the NFL, it is a close second to that of the Giants.

The Raiders, er, Lions really could take advantage of all of this and jump to the next level — if they can improve their discipline and self-control, on and off the field.

It is clear this team is trying to clean up its act.

After cornerback Aaron Berry was arrested twice in a month, the Lions cut him shortly before camp opened. Berry was expected to be a starter, so this was not a move that was made easily.

"Losing him was a big deal," defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham said. "He is a very good cornerback."

If the Lions are holding up a Lombardi Trophy at some point in the near future, perhaps they will look back to the day they cut Berry as the turning point.

It's about time the Lions and coach Jim Schwartz took a hard line.

According to the Football Outsiders Almanac, the Lions have led the league in personal fouls since Schwartz became head coach in 2009. Last year, the Lions had 1,075 penalty yards, second most in the NFL.

Schwartz publicly has downplayed reducing penalties but privately has made it a mission.

Players say he has railed about penalties in meetings. During offseason practices, when a player did something that would have been called a penalty in a game, he stopped practice and made the team run. At the start of training camp he showed players a chart comparing the Lions' penalties to the penalties of teams that advanced past the first round of the playoffs, which the Lions failed to do.

His message was clear: The Lions need to cut down on penalties if they want to go further in 2012.

But they still want to have a little renegade in them.

Receiver Nate Burleson puts it this way: "We don't want to be too much of the bad guy. But this is Michigan. We do represent Detroit. That means hustling hard and not getting pushed around. If we can tighten up the screws around that attitude and not have so many mistakes, that can work. We definitely embrace a little of being the bad guy."

What the Lions really want is to be physical, tough and intimidating.

"You want to be a team that can impose your will, be a team to be reckoned with," defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said. "As a defense, we want people to feel our wrath. We don't want to be pushovers, especially the way some Lions teams have been pushovers in the past."

There appears to be no risk of that happening with Suh around. With 10 sacks in 2010, he was the defensive rookie of the year. His sack production fell off to four last year, but he remained a tremendous force.

He missed two games while serving a suspension for stomping on Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith. It was the fifth time the NFL disciplined him for an on-field transgression.

"I'm a guy who is known for my physical play," Suh said. "That's been the (trademark) of my game. There are lots of good things that come with that and there can be some bad things with it."

The plan is for the Lions to see more of the good things this year, and if his training camp performance is any indication, they will.

"He is starting to figure it out," Cunningham said. "I told him last year he probably was hitting 25 percent of his ability. He said, 'We have to change that.' He is on a mission. He's raising hell in practice."

The Lions will need Suh and his pass-rushing partners in crime to turn up the heat, because the Lions' secondary is very suspect.

So is the run game. The Lions ran for more yards than only three teams in the NFL last year, and they still have questions at halfback.

Jahvid Best is dealing with post-concussion syndrome and has had multiple head injuries. Mikel Leshoure is coming off an Achilles injury and a hamstring strain and is facing a two-game suspension.

Still, the Lions need to be more grounded this year.

In more ways than one.

dpompei@tribune.com
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

capable_keL
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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by capable_keL »

moving forward the pack is about to sign Tarvaris Jackson as a backup
Hey, by the way who's Curt?

Roy Johnson
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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by Roy Johnson »

Sweet Tarvarus.

The Ced Benson signing was pretty awesome.
Tweak Da Leak wrote:My nigga Poppabitch fucks with the swine?

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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by capable_keL »

he's a faster adrian peterson
Hey, by the way who's Curt?

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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by an-also »

T-Jack to the bills. Looks like the pack might target Colt McCoy

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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by capable_keL »

an-also wrote:T-Jack to the bills. Looks like the pack might target Colt McCoy
reminds me of the tim couch packers era
Hey, by the way who's Curt?

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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by capable_keL »

things already getting questionable in green bay
Greg Jennings says things can get a bit grabby during a Lambeau Leap
By Maggie Hendricks


He's right. Grabby. During his six seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Greg Jennings has 49 touchdowns. Twenty-one of those have come at Lambeau Field, which means Jennings has made Lambeau Leaps. While the celebration is iconic and memorable for both Green Bay players and fans, Jennings admits the leap into the stands can get a little ... touchy.

"I try to go away from the men because the men get a little grabby," Jennings said. "The women get grabby too but them men it's like come on, really, seriously?"

Jennings is in the final year of his contract with the Packers and acknowledged he might be in his last season in Green Bay. No word on if the grabbing will send him packing.

Shutdown Corner previously wrote on the origins of the Lambeau Leap on a Christmas Day in 1993 when LeRoy Butler took to the stands after receiving a lateral for a touchdown. That memorable moment has become a tradition unlike any other during NFL games in Green Bay.
Hey, by the way who's Curt?

an-also
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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by an-also »

We better resign Jennings.

Also


There is a good chance every team except the pack start 1-0 this weekend.

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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by capable_keL »

pack wins by 14+ against san fran (i hope pb isn't looking)
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Re: NFC North Thread

Post by VideoKilledThe »

call me a doubter, but i was think it would be more like 20+

37-17 type scoreline.

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