49ers 2009 opponent breakdown: Green Bay Packers

Judged:

Apparently there are a few folks around the country that think TT has put together a pretty nice team!!! This cuts against the grain for many of the posters on this blog who think TT is piss poor and doesn't know what he's doing. I can just hear the monotones now.

normallylikeyell ow

Philipsburg, PA

All I read here is that he doesn't think they can come in and beat us on December 10. I hope not. If they do, we are really in trouble, looking at the subsequent weeks. It will be a "tough task," because GB "still has a lot of players from the 2007 playoff team." We expect the offense "to get back on track." He notes Grant's "inconsistent play" last year. Our offensive line "is yet to be determined," but our defense has "explosive talent." He also raves about Raji, Matthews, Collins, Woodson and our LBs. Man, you'd think it was the offense we would be changing schemes for, not the D! Do your homework, Samuel. We were 5th in offense and 22nd on D, 26th against the run. You'd think he be salivating over the thought of Frank Gore torching us for about 200 yards. Then he calls us "a veteran club." We were the youngest team in the league, man. This is weak. But I do hope he is correct about the outcome.

GBPfan

First of all, the article says nothing about Turd Thompson! Plus, the guy is a typical idiot sports writer. His comments show he knows little about the NFL and even less about the Packers. For example, he incorrectly stated that the Packers were the number one seed in 2007.

More importantly, he is a writer for a San Francisco paper! His comments amount to little more than an assessment of perceived team strengths about one of the 49ers opponents this season. He apparently wrote or is writing a similar article about all of the 49ers opponents this season.

Most importantly, so what? You believe a 49ers sports writer is impressed with one of their opponents this year. Tell me which of their opponents aren't they impressed with? Oh boy, TT has managed to build a team that the 49ers may have difficulty beating, according to a stupid columnist. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that it doesn't mean shit! I hope TT and the Packers have bigger goals than impressing sports writers for one of the NFL's worst teams.

wal0645

and the beat goes; and the beat goes on..........

wal0645

Discounting an injury to Rodgers, GB clearly has the most balanced offense in the North. Loaded at WR, very solid at RB and now they have a possible punishing FB, decent TE depth, and the line rotation has some talent there. Rodgers is definitely a top player with some fantasy experts saying he's the 3rd QB off the board. Except for Driver and Clifton the rest of these guys are TT picks. The defense has good players with four having been pro bowlers the past two years. These drafted guys haven't played yet, but they look pretty good. Then there's the defensive coaches we brought in; clearly from a knowledge standpoint no comparison to what we have had. I firmly believe GB will have an successful season and TT/MM will have been the drivers.

GBPfan

wal0645 wrote:

Discounting an injury to Rodgers, GB clearly has the most balanced offense in the North. Loaded at WR, very solid at RB and now they have a possible punishing FB, decent TE depth, and the line rotation has some talent there. Rodgers is definitely a top player with some fantasy experts saying he's the 3rd QB off the board. Except for Driver and Clifton the rest of these guys are TT picks. The defense has good players with four having been pro bowlers the past two years. These drafted guys haven't played yet, but they look pretty good. Then there's the defensive coaches we brought in; clearly from a knowledge standpoint no comparison to what we have had. I firmly believe GB will have an successful season and TT/MM will have been the drivers.

The offense is basically the same as last year when the Packers only managed 4 wins against opponents that weren't the Lions, the worst team in NFL history. Yes they have added a rookie FB. The defense has a new coordinator. There were at least three others the Packers tried to hire before him. Players win games, not coaches and not schemes. The players are actually handicapped by having to learn a new scheme. The defense has no significant player changes other than two rookies, one of which may not even start. Meanwhile, our division rivals have been making significant changes in attempts to improve.

I admire your optimism. However, it is not based in fact. Your optimism is only supported by wishful thinking. That is fine for children and fairy tales, but it doesn't produce results in the NFL. I really would love to share your optimism, but I don't own a pair of those rose colored glasses that you have on.

GBPfan

Steve Tellers wrote:

<quoted text>The Packers are still a quality team. With any breaks at all last year, they would have been at least 9-7.

Still a quality team? From when? 1996? I have news for you -- that team doesn't exist anymore. The 2007 team didn't exist in 2008 and last years team won't be playing in 2009. If you doubt it, all you have to do is compare the roster changes from each year. The Packers expect to have three new young inexperienced starters on the offensive line, to make no mention of other changes. How can they still be a quality team when they aren't even the same team.

Moreover, the Packers have a losing record the last 4 years despite playing in one of the NFL's weaker divisiions. Are the Redskins a quality team? They have won more games than the Packers the last 4 years. They also have made the playoffs more often in the last 4 years while playing in one of the NFL's best divisions. You wouldn't call them a "quality" team would you?

This is what Turd Thompson has done to the Packers! How can can you be so delusional? The Packers may be a quality team again someday but it won't happen under Turd Thompson's management.

normallylikeyell ow

Tyrone, PA

We start pretty good players (except maybe the O line). This has more to do with our inability to run than who is at FB. Grant's backups didn't fare any better. Last night on Total Access they were showing the Williams's just collapsing our O line into the backfield. Aaron's great on deep balls and making big plays. He needs to spread it around and move the chains, especially late in games. Patience is his next step. We need to cover kicks better and return kickoffs more efficiently. We need a punter, period. Biggest weakness, as we saw last year, is we have no depth--except maybe at LB. Injuries are inevitable. Last year our defensive leader, Barnett, and both starting safeties missed significant time, as did Cullen Jenkins. Our youth shows when guys start going down.

wal0645

I would add another key point to this last post; letting Corey Williams go was the right move and the gamble with Harrell didn't pay off. Also note that Barnett was lost and Hawk played most of the year injured, plus Harris missed a few. It was one of those years if you ask me. Crosby makes two key kicks and we go at least 8-8 and sweep the division. So with the pieces added from the draft, younger players a year older, and the defensive coaches we brought in; there is plenty reason to feel optimistic.

GBPfan

So you wish that the Packers had won more games last year and you hope that they win more games this year. I totally agree with those sentiments. But those aren't reasons for optimism.

wal0645

We've got the players; have had them since 2007. Now you add coaches that know the game and have a proven track record like Capers. There is no substitute they will have especially with this young team. Kampman, Barnett, Woodson, Harris; these are the yets that will produce irrespective of the coaching, but the younger players stand to really benefit a lot I feel. Rodgers and Co. will get the job done on the offense.

GBPfan

I do hope so, but many young inexperienced players will need to step up and produce.

jeremy

GBPfan wrote:

<quoted text>
The offense is basically the same as last year when the Packers only managed 4 wins against opponents that weren't the Lions, the worst team in NFL history. Yes they have added a rookie FB. The defense has a new coordinator. There were at least three others the Packers tried to hire before him. Players win games, not coaches and not schemes. The players are actually handicapped by having to learn a new scheme. The defense has no significant player changes other than two rookies, one of which may not even start. Meanwhile, our division rivals have been making significant changes in attempts to improve.
I admire your optimism. However, it is not based in fact. Your optimism is only supported by wishful thinking. That is fine for children and fairy tales, but it doesn't produce results in the NFL. I really would love to share your optimism, but I don't own a pair of those rose colored glasses that you have on.

I would have to say coaching and schemes are more important than one thinks. It is always a chess match with offense vs. defense. But in the end players are what matters, and I think we have a pretty could core of players, just need our D to step up and we'll be poised to make a serious run.

GBPfan

I agree that the D needs to step up. However, many fans seem to be taking the O for granted. There will be significant changes to the line. If the line faulters the rest of the offense will suffer as well. Unless many young inexperienced players produce, it will be a long season.

jeremy

GBPfan wrote:

I agree that the D needs to step up. However, many fans seem to be taking the O for granted. There will be significant changes to the line. If the line faulters the rest of the offense will suffer as well. Unless many young inexperienced players produce, it will be a long season.

I think we had some young inexperienced players get valuable playing time last year with all the injuries, obviously our new rookies definitely need to play well for us to rise up to the top again.

GBPfan

jeremy wrote:

<quoted text>I think we had some young inexperienced players get valuable playing time last year with all the injuries, obviously our new rookies definitely need to play well for us to rise up to the top again.

As I said, they need to produce, not just play. Unless you forgot the Packers only won 4 games last year that weren't played against the worst team in NFL history. Having played and having produced are not necessarily the same thing.

normallylikeyell ow

I hope the 3-4 works out, but I have to disagree with Jeremy. I grew up a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, and coaches and schemes came and went (some who won elsewhere) and we never won anything. We were exciting, though...

jeremy

normallylikeyellow wrote:

I hope the 3-4 works out, but I have to disagree with Jeremy. I grew up a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, and coaches and schemes came and went (some who won elsewhere) and we never won anything. We were exciting, though...

Patriots, Eagles, Cardinals, Ravens, Steelers, Colts, Titans are all examples of schemes and coaches that came in and put their stamp on the team, but like I said before, in the end players do need to produce and our players who came off the bench didn't produce that well, but most were first year players. So I feel they got valuable playing time and Tramon Williams is one of those guys who I think will have a big year being that Al Harris isn't getting any younger as we seen last year with his injuries, Tramon looked good last year in Al's spot.

normallylikeyell ow

Bigler, PA

If McCarthy is as good as those coaches, I accept your assessment. HOF QBs don't hurt either. They've been consistent winners. I'd like to get back to that.

jeremy