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Great read Neil...your a lucky guy!

Like you said its the OL thats at fault, Rodgers seems gets flushed from the pocket far too early and needs to make plays outside the pocket too often.

"captainlazytim"
Generally when one of your best players moves to a rival team the fans are mad. Tevez to city?
Hardly shameful...its part of sport

Is this a one-off are are you planning other commentaries - I think it would be good to mix occasional ´óÏó´«Ã½ commentaries with those from US broadcasters
PS Whoever you support, you have to respect the Green Bay Packers. The idea that a publicy owned, small town team can still survive (and thrive) in the NFL is almost incomprehensible, and yet it's true! It's wonderful that teams who are not run and resourced like the NY Yankees, Chelsea etc can compete in a big league, and this says as much about the NFL and its draft system as it does about the the Green Bay franchise. Anyway, let's hope they win another Superbowl soon.

Best recent match in Lambeau was the Giants-Packers play-off game in 2007, played in -25 degrees without the windchill. Legendary, and I rather feel that for you to experience pure Lambeau, the mercury needs to head a bit further south! Looking like it's going to be a balmy few degrees above freezing this weekend and no snow...

Still, I'm very envious. And partly because this has the makings of a pretty exciting game. The Cowboys are in great form, and this is a must win game for the Pack.

Unfortunately, though, I don't see it happening for the Pack, after the Tampa debacle does anyone want to bet on their defense coping this weekend? Romo has been passing very accurately, and now has a full set of weapons in the backfield as well. The Pack's only chance is if Rodgers plays a blinder and Jennings and Driver are on the end of a whole lot of big plays... the kind of odds which get Cheeseheads all nostalgic for Favre, and for which Rodgers is very unfairly expected to be a replacement.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Packers by 7? Do me a favour! Have you seen their OL recently? How about the Cowboys' DL and linebacker core's sack record in the last 5 games after a fruitless start to the season? It's going to get messy and Rogers will get desperate leading to a few picks for the backs. Easy win at against a poor team: America's Team 38 - 13 Cheeseheads.

I hate to be pedantic and point out to Mr Reynolds that Josh Sitton was only drafted by Green Bay in the 2008 NFL draft. Jason Spitz started at Right Guard.

Although the o-line is struggling in its protection schemes and blown assignments, there have been a number of injury disruptions and players playing below expected levels (Daryn Colledge. Also, for all his impressive statistics, Aaron Rodgers has had a tendency to hold the ball longer this season, forcing him to take sacks. Couple this with the lack of confidence in receivers who are dropping an above average number of passes, it is not difficult to see why the Packer offense is struggling for confidence and consistent production.

I can't believe that you really are covering the NFL that closely this season if you think that Green Bay will beat Dallas.

For one, do you even know how good the Dallas defense is? They have one of the few nose tackles that actually provides a sack threat up the middle and that's even before we get to DeMarcus Ware, last season's sack-leader.

Also, if Josh Freeman, in his first game as a rookie after coming out of the NCAA early can toss three TDs, how can you confidently predict that the Tampa defense (which has recently changed from it's unique "Tampa 2" style to a more traditional 3-4 or 4-3 formation) will be able to hold Dallas' offense, led by a resurgent Tony Romo? Add in the fact that there are numerous receiver options - Witten, Austin, Williams, Crayton, Hurd, Ogletree, Barber to name but a few in addition to the three-headed running back core of Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice - the Packers just don't have the defensive coverage to account for all the threats.

Sorry, I just can't see it happening.

There are too many negatives on the Packers side, and too many positives on the Cowboys side to make that confident prediction. Makes me wonder what NFL you're watching...

Great post Neil. Im a lifelong packers fan and think that Lambeau probably is one of the best stadiums in the nfl along with pittsburgh due to the number of years both have been used in the nfl. I watched a regular season game against the Redskins two years ago and it was great to witness the atmosphere of a gameday (plus the redskins fans had a great laugh in the stadium aswell).I have a feeling that the packers might just beat the cowboys on Sunday but it might just take another season or two for Rodgers to get used to the Offensive Line and Wide Receivers around him before we start to see regular playoff appearances.

Favre put the organization in a terrible position. He chose to retire after 16 years with Green Bay, so the organization did the sensible thing and moved on without him. Only after the Packers passed the torch to Rodgers did Favre decide he wanted to return. His behavior was classless, and it has made life difficult for Rodgers ever since. Further, Favre has chosen to play for Green Bay's foremost rival, the Minnesota Vikings, so that he can "stick it" to GB's general manager Ted Thompson. The Green Bay fans who chose to boo Favre for his behavior over the past two years were not off the mark, Lazy Tim.

>> America's Team 38 - 13 Cheeseheads

Heh, a Cryboy fan getting all excited in November.

To be fair, your lot will win this weekend, about 35-27, having been in control throughout. But I won't regard Romo and friends as the real deal until they start showing up in December.

Err how is this related to Wembley? Have you been at Wembley?

Neil - good read that, great insight into life in Green Bay and what the football team means to locals.
I think you make some valid points but what stands out for me is that you refer to the Packers having 18 starters from the championship side two years ago, and that there is some discontent with Rodgers as a leader.
You make these separate points but I believe they are very much linked.
A young guy taking over from a legend is hard as you say, any new QB will find it tough leading 'Favre's' team.
And whilst I agree that Rodgers does hold the ball for too long and therefore spends too much time on his backside, he must take confort from the management team who effectively told Favre that Rodgers was the franchise QB and his services were no longer required.
Rodgers will get better and with the targets he has he's in the right place to shine.
Like you I'm backing the Packers to overcome Dallas this weekend

Can you please do this more often? It would be better if you just provided your own commentary on your match rather than squeezing yourself into advert breaks!

Being a Pack Man, I'm mega jealous! Second of all I must say amazing article that really displays the high times as well as the low times of the franchise. This season has been extremely hit-n-miss for us as starting with high hopes with a shift to the 3-4 defense, and the amazingly deep and high-impact receiving corps, this was a season like no other in recent times. But the case still seems to be Rodgers holds onto the ball too long, doesn't step into the holes, and the O Line just seems to be struggling. It's got to be one of the toughest places for a rookie or a man with not much experience to play, and it shows as with the days of Tauscher, Rivera and Clifton a distant memory, the QB just doesn't feel safe.

I seriously worry about DeMarcus [Be]Ware as he's a demon when putting pressure on the Quarterback, and our own Pass Rush is being questioned as Aaron 'THE Man' Kampman has admitted to finishing the Tampa Bay game with a concussion picked up late in the proceedings.

This game is like every other, Rodgers needs protection, the D needs to pressure the QB, and the running game needs to step up. Glad to see Ahman Green 'so good they named the Bay after him' is back in green, and with an average of 7.5 yards per carry vs. Tampa Bay, is the help Ryan Grant needs in the backfield setup.

er, just a bit loose with the facts again Neil. Packers joined the league in 1921 (only Bears and Cardinals have been then since 1920). Also, Lambeau's only really been packing in 70000+ since the refurbishment, not to mention the years when Green Bay played 3-4 of their home games in Milwaukee.

Anway, on the game itself, Dallas not due their meltdown until December... I think DeMarcus will be looking forward to catching up Jared Allen as sack leader on this one game alone.

I spent 3 months in Wisconsin in the summer of 1996, in the Dells. Met many many Packers fans. As an Englishman that loved their sport and their team (I was already a follower due to Favre) they loved me and my brother and friends we were with. They looked after us so well and they are highly passionate.

I think I can honestly say I have never met more crazy but genuinely nice fans than the cheeseheads. They begged us to come to a game, but we were gone before the season started and I think it's something I will live to regret.

The company I work for has its Reasearch & Engineering HQ along with a number of manufacturing facilities in Appleton WI which is about a 40 minute drive from Green Bay.
Over the last 10 years or so this has meant i have been in Appleton on about 20 seperate occasions (staying at the Paper Valley Hotel where all the NFL away teams stay prior to playing the Packers!) and almost without fail I visit Lambeau Stadium whenever I get the chance!
There is something about the stadium atrium that just oozes class, its hard to believe its in such good shape when you think about the number of fans that pass through it on gameday. Somehow I always get drawn to Curly's bar for a pint and some food as it overlooks the players car park. Watching the players, coach (of the day) and training staff come and go is great fun. Its hard to believe how slowly they all walk from their cars to the players entrance yet on the pitch they are so explosive!
As yet i've never been lucky enough to see a regular eason game although I have been to season warm up matches. The fans are just wild.... even in pre season!
So, whats the point of my ramble..... Whatever the time of year, make sure you visit this place if you are close by.
Oh, one little tip. Don't go when there is an election rally at the Resch Centre opposite (as I did in 2004 when ex President Bush was there) unless you love guns, police, helicopters, police, rolling road blocks, police, secret service and more police!

Along with public ownership the other way that Green Bay can compete with larger cities in the NFL is the large scale revenue sharing and salary cap that exists in the league. Imagine if Manchester United had to share its revenue with Hull and were limited in terms of their spending by the league.

RE: WisconsinMan

I guess you paint a very different picture to what a lot of people know regarding Favre's departure. While I wouldn't say he was free from blame the Packers hierarchy has a lot ot answer for as well. The guy just loves to play football, in this day and age to see that passion from a guy who has already done it all and has nothing to prove is very admirable.

Regardless of how he left the fact remains that what Favre gave to Green Bay over the 16 seasons he played is more than anyone ever has or could. Along with what he played through sometimes to wear the green and gold each week............the guy's earned a respect that should never be forgotten and a history that should never be traded in for his trade to the Vikings. In any case I think most of Lambeau were booing the Vikings as a collective unit, I'm sure a vast majority still love Favre and miss him.

How did i break the rules? welcome to C´óÏó´«Ã½ chat!

and post 2: Favre did a bit more at Green Bay than Tevez did at Man U, methinks. So a silly comparison, more like if Henry got booed at Emirates. I think it shameful, and have backed up my opinion. Will you?

I would disagree with your assertion that the Packers would not be any better off with Favre at the helm this year. To the contrary, I would assert that the Packers would be at least 6-2, and probably 7-1 right now if they had Favre. Without doubt, the Packers would have won both games against the Vikings, mainly because the Vikings would have been without Favre, and Favre carried them in both of those games. The Pack also probably would have beaten the Bucs without Rodgers' 3 interceptions and 6 sacks. Favre would not have gotten sacked six times by the Bucs' weak defense.

I otherwise enjoyed the article and agree that attending a game at Lambeau is a near-religious experience.

I am a hugely disappointed packers fan! and I am confused as to why the situation is so disappointing as here in the uk its hard to develop a deep knowledge of the game!

My views are that the problem isnt to do with rodgers or our under performing offensive line.
Firstly because the only real downfall with regards to rodgers vs favre, is that rodgers clock management has cost us multiple defeats with opposition scores within the final few seconds, which arguably would have been avaided under favre.
secondly with regards to the offensive line, look at the facts, we are losing high scoring games! therefore, although they certainly arent covering themselves in any glory, the offense as a whole are putting more than enough points on the board to win games!

The problem has to be the defence! we give up points in the air and on the ground! Offence, 8th highest scoring in 2008, 7th so far this term. So this is a defensive problem right? whas the problem and whys it continued in the same trend for one and a half seasons now?

They have two straight losses
...So you're betting against the form book as well as the team rosters?
Fair enough, because on any given sunday romo can have a meltdown and dallas can implode.

Not sure I agree that they need the win more - both clubs need every win they can scrape together, because they're in similar positions. neither will win their divisions so they're vying with each other plus nyg or philly (whichever doesn't win the east division) & atlanta for the wildcard spots in the nfc

interesting blog and follow up comments.

go bears! time for a Bears-related blog; not seen one yet this season Neil?


:-)

G'day from Laos.
First started following football as a kid listening to AFN (American Forces Network) on the radio - now it's courtesy of Fox Sports and ESPN. Never seen a live game but have learnt to appreciate the game over the years.
The magic of the Packers for me is that they're a "small town team" owned by the community with profits going back to the community - not a business man (or Russian oligarch/Arab Prince) in a flash office - (sorry if I upset any Man U or Chelski supporters). If I'm ever in the USA for long enough the only ground I want to visit is Lambeau - although the old Mile High comes a close second.

>> I am asked to give my supposed expert picks on another website here in the UK...

The expert picks on the NFLUK site is tremendous. I am proudly standing on 87/113, but I know what you mean about picking up ground by going against the grain - I recently picked the Rams over the Lions and the Chargers over the Giants to get myself into the mix.

This week, where I was very nearly tempted to take a flyer was on the Skins to beat the Broncos. But there's enough tight calls to keep it all very interesting, and I differ with your choices on Panthers, Eagles, Packers and Colts.... I think your Packers call is a bit of a long-shot... the others, they are all toss-ups.

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Captainlazytim.

Henry being booed by arsenal is a good example...better than my tevez example. If you supported celtic and Larsson moved to rangers you trying to say you wouldnt boo him?
Its comes with the soprt.