Candlestick Park was silenced after second year quarterback Collin Kaepernick dropped back on the fourth play of the game and threw an interception to Packers cornerback Sam Shields, who returned it for a touchdown.

Kaepernick quickly brushed off his lone mistake to have a career day to help lift the 49ers over the Packers 45-31.

Green Bay’s defense was non-existent and unable to contain the dual threat quarterback. Kaepernick set a quarterback rushing record, compiling 181 yards on 16 carries for two touchdowns. He also completed 17 of 31 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns.

His favorite target was wideout Michael Crabtree, who caught nine passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

The Packers also had no answer for 49ers running back Frank Gore. Gore carried the ball 23 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 48 yards.

After the Packers had a 14-7 lead going into the second quarter, momentum quickly shifted when Packers punt returner Jeremy Ross muffed the catch and the 49ers recovered the fumble. The 49ers responded with a touchdown to tie the game.

On Green Bay’s ensuing drive quarterback, Aaron Rodgers over threw wideout Jordy Nelson and was intercepted. Once again the 49ers turned a Packers mistake into a touchdown to retake the lead.

The Packers went into the half down 24-21 but did not make any halftime adjustments to get back into the game and were outscored 21-10 in the second half.

Rodgers finished the game, completing 26 of 39 passes for 257 yards two touchdowns and one interception. Rodgers connected with James Jones and Greg Jennings for touchdowns.

Jones finished the game with four receptions for 87 yards along with his touchdown. Jennings led the Packers with six receptions for 54 yards along with his late score.

The 49ers are now heading back to the NFC Championship game. They will either face the No.1 seed Atlanta Falcons or the No.5 seed Seattle Seahawks. If the Seahawks pull off the upset, San Francisco will host the Championship game at Candlestick Park.

As for the Packers, they will enter the offseason with many decisions to make regarding players and staff.

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The Green Bay Packers took care of business over NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings 24-10 at Lambeau Field to punch a ticket into the next round of the playoffs.

Minnesota, was without starting quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder was ruled inactive in Saturday’s match-up because of an elbow injury. As a result, back-up Joe Webb got the nod and started in his first game of the season.

Webb, completed 11 of 30 passes for 180 yards one touchdown and one interception. He had success evading the pocket and scrambling seven times for 68 yards. The third-year quarterback from UAB, led the Vikings down the field on their first drive but settled for a Blair Walsh 33 yard field goal.

The Packers answered back towards the end of the first quarter to help swing momentum on their side. On Minnesota’s nine yard line, Green Bay’s starting running back DuJuan Harris punched in an nine yard run to give the Packers a 7-0 lead.

Green Bay was back on the board in the second quarter with a Mason Crosby 20 yard field goal. Right before the half, Packers full-back John Kuhn punched in a three yard run to give Green Bay a 17-3 lead into half.

On the first drive of the second half, Aaron Rodgers lead the Packers offense right down the field with ease. The Vikings gave the Packers another opportunity after committing a 12-men on the field penalty. On the ensuing play, Rodgers dropped back and connected with Kuhn for a score to give the Packers a 24-3 lead.

Kuhn, had one touchdown all season long and was able to be a leading factor scoring two touchdowns to help the Packers defeat the Vikings.

Webb threw his first touchdown pass with just under four minutes in the game to a wide open Michael Jenkins.

After torching Green Bay in the regular season, the Packers defense was able to contain Adrian Peterson. Peterson rushed 22 times for 99 yards.

Rodgers ended the game completing 23 of 33 passes for 274 yards and one touchdown. Rodgers was able to connect with 10 different wide receivers. Wideout Greg Jennings caught four passes for a team high 61 receiving yards.

With the victory, the Packers will travel to No.2 seed the San Francisco 49ers next week. The Packers lost to the 49ers in Week 1 at Lambeau 30-22 and will look to clinch a spot in the NFC Championship.

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The Minnesota Vikings defeated NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers 37-34 at Mall of America Field to earn themselves the final NFC Wild Card position.

All eyes were on Adrian Peterson, who entered the game 208 yards away from Eric Dickerson’s rushing record. Peterson had an extremely effective game but fell nine yards shy of the record. Peterson carried the ball for a career high – 34 times for 199 yards and one touchdown. Peterson also had one reception that was a touchdown.

Vikings quarterback, Christian Ponder played mistake free football to help Minnesota win a fourth straight game and clinch a spot in the playoffs. He completed 16 of 28 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. His three touchdown passes was a season high along with his 120.2 passer rating.

Rookie wideout Jarius Wright caught an eight yard touchdown pass with just over a minute left in the first half. Ponder connected with Wright again in the fourth quarter on a 65 yard bomb, that later resulted in a Michael Jenkins three yard touchdown catch.

Wright led the Vikings with three catches for 90 yards along with his touchdown. Also wideout Michael Jenkins had three catches for 37 yards along with his touchdown grab.

As for the Packers, they were unable to take a lead the entire game and found themselves fighting back until the final whistle.

Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers completed 28 of 40 passes for 365 yards and four touchdown passes. His 365 passing yards was a season best and it was the fourth time this season he threw at least four touchdown passes.

Rodgers favorite target was wideout Greg Jennings. Jennings caught eight passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns and his big performance helped the Packers stay competitive the entire game. Wideout, James Jones was the recipient of Rodgers second touchdown pass in the third quarter. Rodgers and wideout Jordy Nelson connected on a two yard back shoulder pass to tie the game 34-34 with less than three minutes to go.

Green Bay was led on the ground by back, DuJuan Harris. Harris had 14 carries for 70 yards. Although, having some success the Packers were forced to throw the ball because they were trailing the entire game.

With the loss the Vikings snapped Green Bay’s 12-game winning streak over the NFC North division.

The Packers are now the No. 3 seed in the NFC Playoffs and will face the No. 6 seed Vikings next week in the Wild Card Round.

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The Green Bay Packers demolished the Tennessee Titans 55-7 at Lambeau Field to improve to 7-1 at home and an 11-4 overall record.

Green Bay played ferocious defense the entire day, giving up 180 total yards and compiling seven total sacks. Titans quarterback Jake Locker completed 13 of 30 passes for 140 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Locker threw back-to-back interceptions on the Titans final two drives of the first quarter.

Linebacker Erik Walden and cornerback Sam Shields both recorded their second interceptions of the season. The Packers contained Titans running back Chris Johnson to 11 carries for 28 yards. Johnson exited the game in the first half with an ankle injury but was able to return.

The Packers were led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers completed 27 of 38 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns. This was Rodgers seventh game throwing at least three touchdowns in a game. Rodgers started the scoring frenzy in the first quarter with a six yard run.

Rodgers connected with wideouts Randall Cobb, Greg Jennings and James Jones. Jones led all wide receivers with seven receptions 100 yards along with his touchdown. Jones’ touchdown was his 13th of the year an NFL best for wide receivers.

Cobb caught three passes for 62 yards along with his eighth touchdown of the season. He also broke a Green Bay record for most all-purpose yards, previously held by Ahman Green. Unfortunately, Cobb injured his ankle in the third quarter on a punt return.

Rodgers and the Packers were on cruise control and he was able to take a seat for a majority of the fourth quarter.

The Packers were led on the ground by Ryan Grant. Grant had 20 carries for 80 yards for a touchdown. Also DuJuan Harris carried the ball eight times for 29 yards and one touchdown.

With the victory, the Packers are still in contention for the No.2 seed. The Packers have won 20 of their last 21 home games. They will end the season at Mall of America Field against NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings. The Titans season finale will be at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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The Green Bay Packers clinched the NFC North division for a second consecutive season with their 21-13 victory over divisional rivals the Chicago Bears at Solider Field.

Aaron Rodgers helped the Packers continue their 12-game winning streak in the NFC North division by tossing three touchdown passes. Rodgers completed 22 of 36 passes for 291 along with his three touchdown passes.

James Jones was the recipient to all three touchdowns, catching a total of five catches for 60 yards. Also, wideout Randall Cobb caught a game high six reception for 115 yards.

The Packers featured a combination of running backs to help jumpstart the run game. Alex Green, Ryan Grant and DuJuan Harris combined for 94 of Green Bay’s 113 rushing yards. The run game has picked up in the recent weeks due to rotation they have implemented.

Green Bay was ecstatic with the return of linebacker Clay Matthews, who missed the team’s last four games with a hamstring injury. His presence on defense was known, finishing the game with six tackles and two sacks. Matthews has 11 sacks in the 10 games he has played this season. The defensive pressure stepped it up in his return, combining for four total sacks.

The gameplan for Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears was to run the ball, control the clock and keep Rodgers off the field. Their opening drive looked as if it would have been successful but they had trouble moving the ball.

Cutler finished the game after completing 12 of 21 passes for 135 yards one touchdown and one interception. Cutler connected with wide receiver Brandon Marshall on a 15-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give the Bears their early (and only) lead of the game.

The Packers secondary contained Marshall, who leads the league with 107 receptions, to only six receptions for 35 yards along with his score.

As for Chicago’s run game, Matt Forte had 20 carries for 69 yards. Forte also contributed in the pass game catching five passes for 64 yards.

Chicago’s tenacious defense was without Brian Urlacher but was still able to force two turnovers against Green Bay. Grant busted through the defense for a positive gain and was hit by cornerback Charles Tillman, who forced a fumble recovered by linebacker Nick Roach.

With less than eight minutes left, on a punt, returner Cobb attempted to throw a backwards pass to Jeremy Ross which he also fumbled — the Bears regained possession. The Bears were only able to kick a field goal on the horrendous Packers mistake.

With the victory, the Packers are in contention to earn a first-round playoff bye. As for the Bears, they have fallen to 8-6, along with four other teams in the NFC and will have to battle to earn a wild card playoff position. The Packers will be play their final home game of the season next week against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears will head west to take on the Arizona Cardinals.

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A snowy and cold Lambeau Field played a decisive role in the Green Bay Packers 27-20 divisional win over the Detroit Lions, continuing a NFL record 22 consecutive victories over the Lions at Lambeau.

The Detroit Lions, marched down the field on their first drive with ease. The drive was capped off with quarterback Matthew Stafford’s four-yard touchdown run for an early 7-0 lead. On the Packers ensuing drive, Aaron Rodgers brought his offense down to Detroit’s 12 yard-line.

On 2nd and 10, Rodgers was sacked and fumbled the ball. Lion’s linebacker, Stephen Tulloch, recovered the ball. Once again the Lions attacked Green Bay’s weak defense and went ahead 14-0, after Stafford and tight-end Tony Scheffler connected on a 3-yard touchdown pass.

The Packers were able to respond with a Mason Crosby, 49 yard field goal. The Lions slowly started moving down field once again. On 1st and 10 from the Packers 42 yard-line, Stafford dropped back, went to throw and the ball slipped out of his hand. Packers’ defensive end Mike Daniels, recovered the fumble and took it back 72 yards to cut the deficit 14-10.

Rodgers, led the Packers down field on the first drive of the second half. On third and four from Detroit’s 27 yard-line Rodgers bought himself some time, eluding the pass rush and headed for the end-zone giving Green Bay their first lead of the night, 17-14.

Packers’ running back, DuJuan Harris put the finishing touches on the Lions in the fourth quarter, on a 14 yard touchdown run.  Harris finished the game with seven carries for 31 yards along with his touchdown. Also running back Alex Green had 13 carries for 69 yards. Recently signed, Ryan Grant got some action running the ball once for a 13 yards.

Green Bay had a well balanced offense running for a total of 140 yards. Rodgers completed 14-of-24 passes for a 173 yards. Rodgers’s favorite target was Randall Cobb. Cobb caught seven passes for 102 yards.  This was Rodgers second game this season not tossing a touchdown pass. Also he snapped his 30 consecutive home game touchdown streak.

Green Bay welcomed back corner back Sam Shields who has been out with an ankle injury. Shields picked off Stafford in the win.

Stafford finished the game completing 27-of-45 passes for 264 yards one touchdown and one interception. Wideout Calvin Johnson, caught 10 passes for 118 yards and still remains on pace to break Jerry Rice’s receiving yards record.

With the victory the Packers improved to 9-4 and control their own destiny. The Packers have an opportunity to win the NFC North next week, when they travel to Soldier Field to take on rivals the Chicago Bears. As for the Lions, they will be heading west to take on the Arizona Cardinals.

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After last week’s pounding, the Green Bay Packers prevailed past the Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson to retake the NFC North Division lead in a 23-14 victory at home.

The Packers were led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers completed 27-of-35 passes for 286 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Rodgers connected with wide receiver James Jones on a 32-yard strike to take a 7-0 lead after their first drive.

Green Bay welcomed back wide receiver Greg Jennings, who has been out since week four ailing a groin injury. Jennings caught four passes for 46 yards in his return. Unfortunately, the Packers lost wide receiver Jordy Nelson.  Nelson was forced out of the game in the first quarter after re-injuring his hamstring.

The Packers run game finally emerged after being nearly non-existent. James Starks carried the load with 15 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown. Alex Green also contributed with 12 carries for 58 yards. Green Bay still remains at the bottom of the NFL in rushing touchdowns.

The Packers defense was able to contain Christian Ponder, limiting him to 12-of-25 for 119 yards one touchdown and two interceptions. Safety, Morgan Burentt recorded the two interceptions for the Packers.  Ponder was unable to connect with a wide receiver until the fourth quarter.

The Vikings were without Percy Harvin, who still has not recovered from his ankle injury. Tight-end Kyle Rudolph led the Vikings with six receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown.

However, the Packers defense had difficulties stopping Adrian Peterson. Peterson carried the ball 21 times for 210 yards and a touchdown. Peterson broke through Green Bay’s defense, bounced off a few defenders and busted up-field for a career long 82 yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Peterson’s 210 yards was a season best thus far. He continues to run through defense after defense compiling his sixth straight 100+ rushing game.

Green Bay improved to 5-1 at home and 8-4 overall. They will be back in action next week at Lambeau Field against NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions. As for the Vikings, they fell to 6-6 but are still in playoff contention. The Vikings will have another tough match-up next week against NFC North rivals the Chicago Bears.

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On a chilly Sunday evening at MetLife stadium, the New York Giants pummeled the Green Bay Packers on offense and defense to earn a well-deserved 38-10 victory.

Eli Manning, completed 16-of-30 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Manning finally threw a touchdown pass after being held to none in the previous three weeks. He also passed Giants’ great Phil Simms for the most touchdown passes in Giants history.

Hakeem Nicks led the Giants receiving core with five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. Wide-outs, Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle each had a touchdown.

Andre Brown led the Giants rushing with 13 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he exited the game in the fourth quarter and has officially been diagnosed with a broken left fibula. Brown could possibly miss the remainder of the season. Ahmad Bradshaw also contributed to the run game, with 10 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown.

The Giants defense was aggressive and on point containing Green Bay’s high powered offense. They were able to break through the Packers fragile offensive line and record five sacks. Cornerback, Corey Webster recorded his fourth interception and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had a fumble recovery.

A 31 point first half performance for the Giants was more than enough to put the Packers away.

Aaron Rodgers was flustered the entire night with no time to throw the ball. He completed 14-of-25 passes for 219 yards for one touchdown, one interception and a fumble. His 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver, Jordy Nelson to tie the game 7-7 in the first quarter was the Packers best offensive play of the night.

Green Bay’s running attack continues to be very ineffective and trailing the entire evening did not help. James Starks had eight carries for 35 yards and Alex Green had 10 carries for 30 yards. The Packers are at the bottom of the NFL with only two rushing touchdowns.

With the loss, the Packers are now 7-4 and have fell back to second place in the NFC North Division. Green Bay will be home next week against NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings. As for the Giants they remain atop the NFC East Division and will head to FedEx Field to take on the Washington Redskins.

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The Green Bay Packers improved to 7-3, escaping past NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions 24-20 at Ford Field.

Green Bay was led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who completed 19-of-27 passes for 236 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Rodgers’ first touchdown pass was in the second quarter to tight-end Jermichael Finley, to give the Packers a 7-3 lead.

Finley  caught three passes for 66 yards along with his touchdown catch. This was Finley’s first game with a touchdown since Week One against the San Francisco 49ers. His 66 receiving yards is also a season high thus far.

Detroit answered back on their next drive with a Mikel Leshoure touchdown run to regain the lead 10-7. Leshoure carried the ball 19 times for 84 yards along with his one-yard touchdown run.

Before the end of the first half quarterback Matthew Stafford dogged a Packers blitz. While trying to scramble for positive yards he was stripped by linebacker Dezman Moses, and the fumble was recovered by defensive end Mike Daniels. Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby was unable to capitalize, missing a 50-yard field goal wide left.

The Packers retook the lead 14-10 on Detroit’s first drive of the second half. On 3rd and 10 from Green Bay’s 44 yard-line,  Stafford dropped back and tried connecting with tight-end Tony Scheffler, but the ball tipped off of his finger tips and landed into safety M.D. Jennings’ hands. Jennings zoomed past the Lions for a 72 yard touchdown.

Stafford and wideout Calvin Johnson connected on a 25-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead 17-14. The pass somehow went right through Packers’ safety Morgan Burnett’s hands, and Johnson secured the catch.

Johnson caught five passes for 143 yards along with his score. This was Johnson’s third consecutive game with over 100+ receiving yards and his second consecutive game with a touchdown catch. Kicker Jason Hanson extended the lead 20-14 after nailing a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

On Green Bay’s ensuing drive, Rodgers led the Green Bay offense down to Detroit’s 22 yard line. On 3rd and 1, Rodgers threw the ball up to wideout Randall Cobb, who caught the pass in between two defenders for the winning touchdown. Cobb caught nine passes for 74 yards along with his touchdown. He continues to be an essential role in the Packers’ high powered offense.

The Packers’ defense stopped Stafford on the following drive, and Crosby kicked a 39-yard field goal to finish off the Lions. Green Bay will have a tough match-up next week on the road against the New York Giants. As for the Lions, they will be back in action on Thanksgiving against the Houston Texans. If the Chicago Bears lose Monday night against the 49ers, the Packers will move into 1st place of the division.

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Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes in their 31-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Rodgers, continues his dominance under center throwing at least two touchdown passes in six consecutive games. Rodgers tossed his first touchdown pass in the first quarter to wideout Randall Cobb.

Cobb continues to excel as one of Green Bay’s biggest offensive threats especially with the absence of Greg Jennings. Cobb caught his second touchdown pass of the game in the second quarter, putting the Packers ahead 14-7.

Packers receiver James Jones put Green Bay ahead 21-7 before the half on a 28 yard touchdown pass. Jones finished the game with four receptions for 61 yards along with his touchdown. Jones and Cobb stepped it up especially after wideout Jordy Nelson injured his ankle in the first quarter.

Tight-end Tom Crabtree’s lone catch came in the 4th quarter and resulted in a 72 yard touchdown to finish off the Cardinals. The 72 yard touchdown was Green Bay’s longest play of the season.

The Packers finally effectively ran the ball with the contribution of a few runners. Running back James Starks carried the ball 17 times for 61 yards, his best game this season. Alex Green also contributed with 11 caries for 53 yards. Rodgers, scrambled eight times for 33 yards and wideout Cobb carried the ball three times for 29 yards. They ran for a total of 176 yards, the most since 2009 against the Cleveland Browns.

The injury bug hit Green Bay again this week and hopefully everyone can return healthy after their bye week. Other than losing Nelson, Packers lost tackle Bryan Bulaga and linebacker Clay Matthews. All three exited the game and did not return.

As for the Arizona Cardinals, quarterback John Skelton threw for 306 yards one touchdown and one interception. His 306 yards was the first time Skelton threw for over 300 yards this season. His lone touchdown pass was to star wideout Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald caught six passes for 74 yards along with his 31 yard touchdown catch in the 4th quarter.

Running back LaRod Stephens-Howling carried the ball 17 times for 51 yards and one touchdown in the second quarter.

After starting the season 4-0, the Cardinals are on a five game losing streak, averaging 10.6 points per game in their last five games. The Cardinals will have their bye week next week but will have another tough match-up Sunday, November 18, against the Atlanta Falcons.

Green Bay is on a four game winning streak entering their bye week. Coming off their bye, they will have a tough divisional rival match-up at Ford Field against the Detroit Lions.

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The Green Bay Packers surprisingly struggled against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but were able to hang on to earn themselves a 24-15 victory and improve to 5-3 on the season.

The Packers were without number one and two wideouts Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson. Jennings will miss about six weeks after opting for surgery on his groin. As for Nelson, he was inactive because of a hamstring injury. Lets not forget all of the injury woes the Packers are facing on the defensive side.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 22-of-35 for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Rodgers has thrown at least two touchdowns in the last five games for the Packers. Rodgers connected with wideout Randall Cobb on a five yard touchdown pass in the 1st quarter and veteran wideout Donald Driver in the 4th quarter.

James Jones led the Packers receiving core with seven receptions and 78 yards. Cobb continues to make a name for himself after catching his 4th touchdown pass of the year, already three more than last season. Cobb has already surpassed last seasons yards and receptions totals.

Green Bays running game continues to be non-existent and the absence of Cedric Benson continues to hurt them week after week. Alex Green carried the ball 22 times for an unproductive 54 yards. Green Bays rushing high of the season is held by Benson with 84 yards. Since he went down with a season ending injury, there has not been a single back to run for more than 65 yards.

In the 2nd quarter, Green Bay’s special teams came up with an enormous punt block that was recovered in the end-zone to help put seven points on the board.

Jacksonville quarterback Blaine Gabbert threw a career high 303 yards and tossed one touchdown pass in the defeat. Wideout Cecil Shorts led the receivers eight receptions for 116 yards.

The Jaguars lost star running back Maurice Jones-Drew to a foot injury last week, therefore promoting Rashard Jennings as the starting back. Jennings carried the ball 17 times for 59 yards, including six receptions for 56 yards. Jacksonville will face another NFC North opponent, the Detroit Lions, next week at home.

Green Bay’s victory is their third straight this season, and they have won 16 of their last 17 games at Lambeau Field. The Packers are now tied for second with the Minnesota Vikings. They will be welcoming the Arizona Cardinals to Lambeau next week as they look for a 4th straight win.

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The Packers offense started where they left off last week after crushing the Houston Texans, defeating the St. Louis Rams in Edward Jones Dome 30-20.

Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay’s offense with another spectacular game under center. Rodgers completed 30-of-37 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns. In Rodgers last four games, he has thrown at least three touchdowns in each contest. His 81.1 completion percentage was a season best.

The Packers run game continues to be extremely inconsistent, especially without starting running back Cedric Benson. Starter Alex Green had 20 carries for 35 yards. He also caught four passes for 29 yards.

The Packers’ receiving core were without Greg Jennings for a third consecutive game. Jordy Nelson led the receivers with eight receptions for 122 yards and one touchdown. Nelson has emerged to become Green Bay’s number one wideout. This is the second consecutive week Nelson has compiled over 120 yards and a touchdown.

Randall Cobb also continues to be an electrifying threat on the Packers offense, whether being featured as a running back or a slot wide receiver. Cobb had one carry for 19 yards and caught eight passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns.

Green Bay’s offense has scored 72 points in their last two games to reestablish their high powered offense.

Green Bay’s defense is battered with injuries and were without defensive back Sam Shield, defensive tackle B.J. Raji, linebacker Nick Perry and linebacker D.J. Smith, who was put on injured reserve. Rookie defensive back, Casey Hayward stepped in for Shields and made his presence known.

Hayward had three tackles and one interception. He caught his fourth interception of the season in the 3rd quarter and is leading the team in interceptions. Linebacker Eric Walden led the defense with nine tackles. Also, linebacker Clay Matthews recorded his 9th sack of the season and remains in the top tier of pass rushers this season.

Rams quarterback Sam Bradford completed 21-of-34 passes for 255 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Bradford’s lone touchdown pass was to wideout Austin Pettis in the 4th quarter.  Running back Steven Jackson carried the ball 12 times for 57 yards and one touchdown. Jackson punched in his first touchdown of the season.

Green Bay will be back in action next week at Lambeau Field against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Packers are still towards the bottom of the NFC North division; however, they are picking up their production as the season progresses.

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The Green Bay Packers kicked it up a notch on offensive and defense, handing the Houston Texans their first defeat of the season in a pummeling 42-24 victory at Reliant Stadium.

Despite missing wide receiver Greg Jennings due to a lagging groin injury and running back Cedric Benson who will be out for at least eight weeks with a Lisfranc foot injury, the Packers offense played their best football of the season over top ranked Houston Texans defense.

The Packers have struggled all season long to get on the scoreboard in the first quarter. Green Bay was able to punch in two touchdowns in the first quarter against the Texans, matching their first quarter point’s performance in their five previous games.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers connected with wide receiver Jordy Nelson on a 41 yard pass for the first touchdown in the game on the Packers first drive. Nelson had a season high nine catches for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Also in the first quarter, Rodgers connected with receiver, James Jones for a six yard touchdown. The six-year wide out, punched in another score late to finish off the Texans. Jones has already matched last season’s seven touchdowns six weeks into the 2012 season. This was also Jones’ third consecutive game with two touchdowns. Speedy slot receiver, Randall Cobb also had an extremely productive performance catching seven passes for 102 yards.

Rodgers had a season high through the air passing for 338 yards and six touchdowns; tying a franchise record with ex- Packer Matt Flynn for the most touchdowns throw in a single game. Rodgers was extremely efficient finishing the game with a season best 133.8 passer rating.

Tight-end Jermichael Finely continues to struggle for the Packers with penalties and dropped passes, although ailing a shoulder injury. Luckily back-up tight-end Tom Crabtree picked up the load with two catches for 62 yards and one touchdown.

Green Bay was fortunate enough to get several second chance opportunities which turned into points because of foolish penalties on Houston’s defense and special teams.

A.J Hawk was the Packers anchor on defense, compiling 10 total tackles and one sack. Green Bay’s defense held Texans quarterback Matt Schaub without a touchdown pass. In addition they contained one of the best running backs in the game, Arian Foster to 29 yards on 17 carries. The Packers also forced three turnovers. Rookie cornerback, Casey Hayward continues to make a name for himself picking off Schaub two times. Hayward has an interception in two consecutive games. Also cornerback, Sam Shields snagged his first interception of the year along with having four tackles.

Unfortunately, Green Bay was hit with the injury bug again this week. Linebackers, D.J Smith and Nick Perry both left Sunday’s game with knee injuries. The Packers are becoming very thin at the linebacker position and have yet to find out if either Smith or Perry will miss extensive time.

A well-deserved win brings the Packers back to .500 (3-3) but still sit in third place behind Chicago and Minnesota. Green Bay will be on the road again next week against the St. Louis Rams.

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The Green Bay Packers were able to bounce back after last weeks heart breaking loss and hold off the winless New Orleans Saints 28-27.

The Saints took over momentum in the 3rd quarter after injuring Aaron Rodgers with the Packers in the red-zone. On the following play, back up quarterback Graham Harrell tripped while handing the ball off to Benson and the Saints recovered the fumble. A few plays later, New Orleans took the lead late in the 3rd quarter when Drew Brees connected with Joseph Morgan for an 80 yard touchdown bomb. On the Packers next drive, the Saints regained possession forcing an Aaron Rodgers interception.

Two drives after throwing his lone interception, Rodgers brought Green Bay down field and connected with Jordy Nelson for the game winning touchdown. On the ensuing kick-off, Green Bay was victim of another terrible call after New Orleans kick returner Darren Sproles fumbled and the referees called he was down by contact.

With an opportunity to take the lead, Saints kicker Garrett Hartley nailed a 43 yard field goal, but it was called back because of an offensive holding. Pushing the Saints ten yards back, the Packers jumped offside to give the Saints back five yards. Finally, Hartley lined up for a 48 yard field goal, and just missed giving the Packers the ball back with 2:49 left in the game. After a three-yard Cedric Benson run, the Saints called their final timeout. On a 3rd and 3, Aaron Rodgers threw a bullet to wideout James Jones, who miraculously caught the ball for a first down. Regardless of the catch the Saints were flagged for defensive pass interference, granting the Packers a first down. Rodgers and the Packers offense kneeled their way to a much needed victory.

Rodgers led the Packers offense, completing 31-of-41 passes for 319 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. This was Rodgers 24th, 300+ yard passing game in his career. Rodgers was able to connect with eight different targets against the Saints. Packers wideout Jordy Nelson led Green Bay with eight receptions for 93 yards and one touchdown. Greg Jennings also contributed with an early touchdown catch for his only catch of the game and James Jones caught five passes for 56 yards along with two touchdowns.

Green Bay was able to successfully keep the ball on the ground against the Saints. Cedric Benson led the Packers with 18 carries for 84 yards, a season high. Benson also contributed with four catches for 22 yards. This was Benson’s second game of the year compiling a total of 100+ all purpose yards. Green Bay continues to develop a run game to become less predictable offensively.

Drew Brees entered the record book, matching Johnny Unitas throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games. Brees passed for a season high 446 yards and three touchdowns. It was also Brees’ first 400+ passing game of the season. Marques Colston led the Saints with nine receptions for 153 yards and one touchdown. The Saints were unable to run the ball against Green Bay’s defense, only compiling a total of 45 rushing yards. The winless Saints are 0-4 for the first time since the 2007 season.

Green Bay (2-2) will be on the road next week against the Indianapolis Colts as they continue to play well and look to earn another victory. As for the Saints, they will look to earn their first victory of the season at home against the San Diego Chargers.

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Monday night’s showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers was a defensive gridlock, but the final score was dictated by the officials’ divisive decision to grant the Seahawks the 14-12 victory at CentruyLink Field.

Green Bay was able to drive down the field in the 4th quarter starting at their own 19, and Cedric Benson punched in a score from the one yard line to go up 12-7. They did not convert the two point conversion. On that drive, on 3rd and 2 from Seattle’s 47 yard line the officials called a pass interference on Kam Chancellor against Jermichael Finely, which extended the Packers drive, and did not seem to be a penalty.

The Packers were able to maintain the Seahawks on the ensuing drive. Green Bay regained possession after a failed 4th and 3rd conversion on Green Bay’s seven yard line. On the first play,  Cedric Benson was pushed backwards, and fumbled the ball. Packers center Jeff Saturday recovered the ball. Green Bay was only able to kill 57 seconds and punted the ball back to Seattle around midfield.

Russell Wilson drove the Seahawks to Green Bay’s 24 yard line. On 4th and 10, Wilson chucked the ball in the end-zone to Golden Tate, but cornerback M.D Jennings seemed to have intercepted the ball and had possession. However, the official ran over and called it a touchdown. The play was reviewed and stood, granting the Seahawks the victory. Beyond frustrated, the Packers left the field. However, 11 players needed to come back on the field to line up for the extra point conversion.

This catch has spurred a vast amount of controversy, especially because it was the obvious wrong call and the replacement officials are dictating the results of key games. According to the NFL rule book, Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 5: Simultaneous Catch states:

“ If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control.”

While looking at the review, its is clear that Jennings had possession of the ball and brought the ball to his chest, while Tate only had one hand on it. Furthermore before Tate made a play on the ball he blatantly pushed Sam Shields down to the ground, another missed call.

Several NFL, and sports analysts tweeted there reactions regarding the call. Steven A. Smith tweeted, “If the NFL wants to maintain any credibility whatsoever, it should OVERTURN this decision IMMEDIATELY. This game should be awarded to GB.” Prior to that Smith tweeted on the officiating saying, “That’s it! I’m done. CLEARLY AN INTERCEPTION. The NFL should be ashamed of itself for allowing this officiating to regress to this point.”

This has been the most controversial call of the season, and brings up the question, when will the NFL reach into their pockets and bring back the real officials?

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A highly anticipated offensive shoot-out at Lambeau Field turned into a  defensive gridlock on Thursday night. The Green Bay Packers defense had a huge target on their back following their weak performance in Week 1 against the 49ers. In Thursday nights rivalry game against the Chicago Bears, the Packers defense completely shut down the Bears explosive offense to earn an encouraging 23-10 victory.

The rampant defense of the Packers held the Bears to just 168 total yards. Jay Cutler was completely flustered by Green Bay’s aggressive defense, only throwing for 126 yards and one touchdown, whilst also giving up four interceptions. Cutler was also sacked seven times, and is now 0-3 at Lambeau Field. Green Bay also limited Chicago’s run game, especially after Matt Forte left the game in the 3rd quarter with an ankle injury.

Packers linebacker, Clay Matthews, had seven tackles, and 3.5 sacks. Matthews has already matched the amount of sacks he had last year in the first two games of the season, and should continue to harass quarterbacks all season. The secondary also shone with Tramon Williams picking up two interceptions, whilst Charles Woodson and rookie Jerron McMillian also both picked off Cutler. The Packers secondary was also able to lock-up Bears star wideout Brandon Marshall, and limited him to two receptions for 24 yards. Marshall had a touchdown opportunity in the 3rd quarter however, but was not able to hang onto the ball.

Interestingly enough, Green Bay’s punter, Tim Masthay, threw a touchdown pass before Aaron Rodgers. In the second quarter, on a fake field goal, Masthay pitched the ball to Tom Crabtree who followed his blockers all the way for seven. Rodgers finally threw his first and only touchdown pass of the game in the fourth quarter to veteran wideout Donald Driver. Rodgers finished the game completing 22 of 32 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception. In addition, the Packers run game proved to be far more effective than in Week 1, as they rushed for a total of 106 yards, and Cedric Benson lead the team with 20 carries for 81 yards. Benson also had four receptions for 35 yards.

Green Bay has now extended their winning streak against the Bears to five games. The Packers handled the pressure of an expectant home crowd extremely well to earn their first win of the season. Green Bay will be on the road for their next game, a tough clash with the Seattle Seahawks on September 24th. The Bears will be back at Soldier Field, September 23rd, against the St.Louis Rams.

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The NFL’s oldest rivalry will meet for the 185th time Thursday night at Lambeau Field. The Packers will try to bounce back from a Week One, 30-22 defeat by the San Francisco 49ers, and the Bears look to make an early divisional statement and improve to 2-0 on the season.

Green Bay had an extremely difficult time stopping the 49ers’ offense this past Sunday. Green Bay gave up a total of 377 yards: 191 via pass, and 186 on the ground. In addition, the Packers struggled running the ball, compiling a total of 45 rushing yards. Packers’ newly acquired running back, Cedric Benson, only had nine carries for 18 yards- not exactly what the Packers wanted to see from their free agent signing. Unfortunately, the Packers also may be without wide receiver, Greg Jennings, who is ailing with a groin injury.

As for the Bears, their offense looked explosive. The Bears had a total of 428 yards, sixth best in the NFL, against the Indianapolis Colts. Jay Cutler and wide receiver Brandon Marshall did not miss a beat. In a Tuesday conference, when asked about the Packers’ defensive backs pressing and being physical with receivers Cutler said, “Good luck.” A very bold yet confident statement to make just a week into play.

Chicago’s running back duo could possibly be the best in the NFL. Matt Forte and Michael Bush were very effective Week One combining for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, the Bears were able to create turnovers, forcing three interceptions and two fumbles. Bears’ linebacker Brian Urlacher is expected to play even though he is still suffering knee problems. Also cornerback, Charles Tillman is expected to play. Tillman left Week One with an apparent shin injury.

Keys to Victory for the Packers:

Put pressure on Jay Cutler:

The Packers are going to have to be effective on the blitz and force Jay Cutler to make mistakes. They cannot allow him to settle in the pocket and find open receivers. Several times, Cutler threw questionable passes into double coverage in Week One against the Colts; Green Bay must capitalize on these mistakes, force turnovers and let their offense control the game.

Establish Some Type of Run Game:

The Packers had absolutely no run game Week One, which needs to change as the season progresses. By establishing a run game the Packers’ offense becomes more dangerous, and less predictable. This also gives Green Bay the ability to control the clock, and keep Cutler and his explosive offense off the field.

Keys to Victory for the Bears

Attack Green Bay’s weak Secondary:

The Bears have a talented offense and Cutler can definitely distribute and pass the ball. Cutler and the Bears should want to keep the ball in the air and see if the Packers are capable of stopping their receiving core revolved around Brandon Marshall.

Keep Aaron Rodgers off the Field:

Rodgers was not named MVP last year for nothing. He is extremely talented and executes very efficiently. The Bears must try and control the clock with Forte and Bush. The longer their offense is on the field the longer Rodgers is on the sideline. The Bears want to keep him off the field and put more pressure on the Packers’ defense to come up to make a big play.

The Packers will look to expand their current winning streak over the Bears to five games, but it definitely will not come easy. As coach Mike McCarthy said while addressing the press: “It’s a tough game every time we get together on the field, so we are expecting that, but yes we are focusing on winning the game.”

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Last season’s top two National Football Conference playoff seeds, the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, clashed to kick off their regular season at Lambeau Field on Sept. 9.

Green Bay was off to a slow start offensively, much of it caused by a tenacious defense from the 49ers. Towards the end of the first quarter, 49ers kicker David Akers nailed a 40-yard field goal to take the lead, forcing the Packers to punt. On their ensuing drive, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith connected with veteran wide receiver Randy Moss for a 14-yard touchdown, which brought their lead to 10-0.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers answered back on the following drive starting at their own 20 yard-line. Rodgers began to run the “no huddle shotgun” offense and slowly marched down the field. On first and 15 on the 49ers 16 yard-line Rodgers dropped back and went to connect with tight end Jermichael Finley, but was held up by 49ers safety back Dashon Goldson, which resulted in defensive pass interference. As a result, on the next play Rodgers snapped the ball quickly and zipped it right into the arms of tight end Finley to cut the lead 10-7.

The 49ers ended the half with two boots from Akers. His first field goal from 43 yards, his second field goal from 63 yards, which tied an NFL record and gave the 49ers a 16-7 lead at the half.

In the second half, the Niners capitalized once again after forcing the Packers to a three and out on their first possession. On third and four inside the Packers 5 yard-line, Smith connected with tight end Vernon Davis and brought the 49ers’ score to 23-7, while the Packers remained scoreless.

Packers wide receiver/explosive punt returner Randall Cobb found the outside hole during the fourth quarter and sprinted 75 yards into the end zone. An initial flag thrown for an illegal block in the back, however, was overruled by another official, one of many controversial and surprising calls of the game. Rodgers and wide out Jordy Nelson connected for a two-point conversion to make it one possession game.

The Niners defense came up big down in the stretch with about eight minutes left as Rodgers misread the defensive coverage, went to throw short over the middle to wide receiver Greg Jennings and was intercepted by linebacker NaVorro Bowman instead. Following the interception on their first play just outside of Green Bay’s 20 yard-line, running back Frank Gore bounced to the outside and scored to put his team up 30-15.

The Packers bounced back quickly and fiercely. Rodgers connected with James Jones to cut the deficit back to an eight-point game. The Packers defense on the following drive finally made an important stop, giving the ball back to their offensive with plenty of time. Unfortunately, last season’s MVP, Rodgers, and his Packer offense were unsuccessful and were stopped on four and 10 on the Niners 45 yard-line. Alex Smith brought his offense back onto the field, and with two consecutive kneels solidified the 30-22 victory. Smith finished the game completing 20 of 26 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns.

Rodgers completed 30 of 44 passes for 303 yards also for two touchdowns and one interception. The Packers will have a short rest, but will be back on the field Thursday, Sept. 13 against divisional rivals the Chicago Bears.

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After last seasons’ disappointing playoff exit, the Packers are ready for the upcoming season.

Offensively, the Packers are led by last seasons’ MVP, Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers threw for 4,643 yards, 45 touchdowns, and had a league leading passer rating of 122.5. Expect a similar type year this upcoming season especially since all of his core offensive weapons are back. Not to mention, the Packers also added running back Cedric Benson, this offseason. The addition of Benson definitely improves the Packers non-existent run game from last season, which should also pay dividends for Rodgers and the passing game.

Defensively, the Packers certainly have some concerns. Last season, Green Bay was ranked last in the NFL and allowed 411.6 yards per game. In addition, the Packers had a very difficult time getting pressure on the opposing teams’ quarterbacks and were ranked in the bottom five in the league. As a result of their defensive woes, Green Bay used six of their eight draft picks on defense. First round pick Nick Perry from USC and second round pick Jerel Worthy from Michigan State should help the Packers put some pressure on quarterbacks this upcoming year.

The secondary may be more of a concern in terms of defensive problems. The Packers parted ways with safety Nick Collins because of health concerns, and as a result, they moved cornerback Charles Woodson, to the safety position at the start of training camp. In addition, the Packers also released veteran safety Charlie Peprah. The departure of these veterans opens up a chance for the young members of the secondary, especially defensive backs Morgan Burnett and M.D Jennings to prove they are NFL ready. Expect Woodson to move back to corner if M.D Jennings or rookie Jerron McMillian impress defensive coordinator Dom Capers.

The Packers start off the season with some difficult tests, week one against San Francisco 49ers, week two Chicago Bears, three at Seattle, and four New Orleans Saints. It is not likely the Packers will go 15-1 like last season, but a record of 11-5 or 12-4 is a more realistic target for their 2012 campaign. In addition, they should win the NFC North, a much more competitive division this upcoming year thanks to big improvements to the Chicago Bears roster as well as much of the young talent of the Detroit Lions growing in experience.

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The Green Bay Packers traveled to the West Coast for their first preseason game of the year against the San Diego Chargers. Both teams were off to a sloppy preseason start, combining for 5 turnovers in the first quarter, however the Chargers seemed to have a bit more in them to hold off the Packers 21-13.

The Packers are coming off their best regular season year in franchise history, finishing with a record of 15-1. Unfortunately for Green Bay, their postseason ended early after defeat by Super Bowl Champions, New York Giants. Offensively the Packers were elite, averaging 35 points per game, the best in the NFL, 3rd in total offense, averaging 405.1 yards per game, and 3rd in passing yards per game, averaging 307.8.

Most of Green Bay’s offensive greatness was due to their leader under center, NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers finished last season with a passer rating of 122.5, threw for 4,643 yards, 45 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 68.3. Rodgers was a threat in and out of the pocket and continued to keep defenses guessing throughout the season.

Although the Packers pass game was top-notch, their run game was below mediocre. The Packers were ranked 27th in the NFL, averaging only 97.4 rush yards per game. The departure of Ryan Grant does not help the situation this upcoming season either, with the burden falling on James Starks and Alex Green to battle it out to see who will be the number one guy. With injury concerns surrounding both backs, the biggest question offensively is, can the Packers find someone to solidify the running back position consistently for 16 weeks and help them become less predictable?

Defensively Green Bay struggled all season and were last in the NFL in yard allowed per game, 411.6. Although they lead the NFL with 31 interceptions, they still allowed offense after offense to march down the field consistently. In their attempt to improve defensively, the Packers brought in some young talent via draft, USC defensive end/outside linebacker Nick Perry, and Michigan State defensive tackle, Jerel Worthy, were their first two picks. Both rookies are expected to have some type of impact in terms of applying pressure to opposing quarterbacks.

As for the San Diego Chargers, they finished last season with an 8-8 record, missing the playoffs for the 2nd straight year. Philip Rivers is coming off his 4th consecutive 4,000+ yard season, as well as his 4th consecutive 25+ touchdown season. However, Rivers’ biggest  flaw last season was his turnovers. Rivers threw a career high 20 interceptions and lost a career high 7 fumbles. Charger fans will be hoping Rivers can be a bit more patient and execute efficiently to lead the team back into the playoffs.

The Chargers’ biggest defensive flaw was their 3rd down defense. They were ranked last in the NFL, allowing opposing offenses to convert 49.2% of the time on 3rd down, and have consequently addressed this issue with free agent acquisitions and through the draft.

Rodgers only completed 2-of-8 passes for 16 yards and threw an interception in Thursday nights loss. Rodgers did not look as comfortable in the pocket last night because of the lack of protection he received from his offensive line.

As for Rivers, he completed 3-of-5 passes for 37 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. Rivers was able to connect with tight end, Antonio Gates, for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Gates has been battling an ongoing foot injury but looked in good form on the night, something the Chargers will be hoping is a positive sign going into the regular season.

The Packers continued to struggle running the ball as James Starks, the player most likely to start at running back come the beginning of the season, carried the ball five times for 16 yards and fumbled once. In addition, Alex Green and Marc Tyler did not help make a name for themselves, averaging less than three yards per carry.

The Chargers run game took a big hit after Ryan Mathews exited the game following his first carry, suffering from a broken clavicle which was reported later, leaving San Diego without Mathews for 4-6 weeks. Newly acquired Charger Ronnie Brown will likely get the nod for the starting role until Mathews return.

Green Bay rookie Perry finished the game with with three tackles and one sack, an optimistic sign for the Packers ahead of the regular season. Opposing defensive rookie Melvin Ingram finished the game with two tackles, and the pressure he exerted on Rodgers helped to force an interception.

The Packers are back in action, Thursday, August 16th against the Cleveland Browns, and will be looking for a more efficient offensive display. As for the Chargers, they will be back in action, Saturday, August 18th against the Dallas Cowboys. Luckily for both teams it was only preseason, and there is still plenty of time to assemble good chemistry as well as better execution on the field.

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The 2011 NFL season was one to remember for many reasons. Now dubbed the ‘year of the quarterback’ with passing records being broken on multiple fronts, the improvement in the passing game culminated in a higher desire for athletic and versatile tight ends, whilst slot receivers continued to grow in value, as did receivers with speed enough to stretch the field.

With the 2012 NFL Draft over and done with, fans excitement for the upcoming season is rapidly growing so we have made a list of players who set the standards for their positions last season, and whose performances players this year will be trying to better.

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers

Although there was some stiff competition at this spot, it is impossible not to name a man who was crowned NFL MVP for the season. He may have had the NFL’s best offense around him, but his statistics speak for themselves. He had a quarterback rating of 122.5, the highest in the league, whilst passing for 45 touchdowns and giving up just six interceptions. The fact his offensive line allowed him to be sacked 36 times, more than both Tom Brady and Drew Brees, makes his feats even more impressive and a worthy MVP selection.

Honorable Mentions – Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) Tom Brady (New England Patriots) Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions).

Running Back

Maurice Jones-Drew – Jacksonville Jaguars

Jones-Drew was the only player to rush for more than 100-yards a game on average last season, and whilst propelling his case for being the best running back in the NFL last season, highlights their declining importance in what has quickly become a passing league. His case is helped by the fact he was arguably Jacksonville’s only real offensive weapon and saw more of the ball then any other running back in the league.

Honorable Mentions – Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) Arian Foster (Houston Texans) LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles).

Fullback

Vonta Leach – Baltimore Ravens

Already one of the league’s top fullbacks when he joined the Ravens, Leach went on to have a stellar season up in Baltimore and earn the title of best fullback in the NFL. His powerful and astute blocking helped Ray Rice to a career-best season whilst also providing a limited target for quarterback Joe Flacco.

Honorable Mentions – Greg Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars) Marcell Reece (Oakland Raiders) Jed Collins (New Orleans Saints).

Wide Receiver

Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions

Similar to Jones-Drew, Johnson was the only receiver to average over 100-yards a game, and also had over 100 more receiving yards than his closest rival, Wes Welker, despite having significantly less receptions. Known as ‘Megatron’, Johnson is a huge threat down the field due to his height, speed, jumping ability and reach, and managed to finish the season with 16 touchdowns, more than any other wide receiver, despite having to put up with double coverage for much of the season.

Honorable Mentions – Wes Welker (New England Patriots) Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) Victor Cruz (New York Giants).

Tight End

Rob Gronkowski – New England Patriots

The term ‘breakout season’ was surely created to describe Gronkowski’s second season in New England. The University of Arizona product broke NFL records for most receiving touchdowns (17), most total touchdowns (18) and most receiving yards (1,327) by a tight end. With help from positional colleague Aaron Hernandez, and the pinpoint arm of Tom Brady, Gronkowski has spearheaded the current crop of athletic and versatile tight ends currently playing in the NFL and should do for many more years to come.

Honorable Mentions – Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints) Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys).

Tackle

Joe Thomas – Cleveland Browns

If you took a poll of all NFL coaches and asked them for one player they would want to build their offensive line around, you would get a very limited range of answers, and Thomas’s name would be repeated a lot. He is arguably the Browns greatest reason for optimism in the coming seasons as should they manage to find a franchise quarterback, they can rest assured that his blindside is well protected.

Honorable Mentions – Jake Long (Miami Dolphins) Tyrone Smith (Dallas Cowboys) Jason Peters (Philadelphia Eagles).

Guard

Marshal Yanda – Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens’ guard has long been underrated, and generally considered to not be quite at the level of the likes of Carl Nicks, Steve Hutchinson and former teammate Ben Grubbs. That was until last season. Yanda was equally impressive in both pass protection and run blocking, and his parity in these two skills are what earns him the pick over some of his contemporaries.

Honorable Mentions – Carl Nicks (formerly New Orleans Saints, now Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Steven Hutchinson (Minnesota Vikings) Josh Sitton (Green Bay Packers).

Center

Ryan Kalil – Carolina Panthers

Realising that Kalil will be a contentious decision given that he is not considered as ‘elite’ a center as some other centers in the league, but his play last season, with a rookie quarterback in Cam Newton, deserves some serious recognition. Other top players at the position such as Scott Wells and Chris Myers have the added security of being surrounded by a top quality offensive line, a luxury which Kalil does not enjoy in Carolina.

Honorable Mentions – Scott Wells (Green Bay Packers) Chris Myers (Houston Texans) Nick Mangold (New York Jets).

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To the typical NFL fan, Thanksgiving traditions, such as eating turkey and rejoicing in familial love, will always fall short of watching the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys host back-to-back games at their respective stadiums.

This year’s match-ups managed not to disappoint as the Lions and their undefeated division Packers rival remained scoreless throughout most of the first half before the Packers began to break the game open shortly after halftime Aaron Rodgers had no problem picking apart a depleted Lions secondary, which was missing one of its starting cornerbacks, as well as a very underrated safety in Louis Delmas.

Due to the relatively one-sided nature of this game, the main story line that came along with it mostly pertains to Ndamukong Suh’s ejection. As most people know by now, Suh’s ejection came after aggressively stomping Packers linemen Evan Dietrich-Smith shortly after the play had ended.

The first thing most people would think upon seeing this is that it certainly is not the first time that Suh has been involved in an incident with an opposing player, leading one to question if he can ever learn from his mistakes.

However, what makes the incident even more absurd is that it happened just days after Sports Center ran a segment reporting that he and Lions running back, Jahvid Best, donated equipment to a high school football team that had all of their equipment stolen.

This was certain to come off as an attempt to clean up Suh’s image after he had previously established himself as one of the NFL’s dirtiest players. However, after his ejection on Thanksgiving, he has clearly cemented himself into the the dreaded thug stereotype.

The odd thing about this is, disregarding Suh’s on-the-field shenanigans, he actually appears to be a well-spoken person in interviews and press conferences.  Yet, for whatever reason, the intensity that goes along with being a defensive tackle in the NFL seems to overcome him whenever he is on the field.

With this in mind, it now remains to be seen whether or not Ndamukong Suh can truly clean up his image or if his reputation is a product of some sort of compulsive behavior that he is incapable of controlling.

Moving on to the Cowboys-Dolphins game afterwards, the excitement came down to the last second of the game. Both offenses struggled early on with two early interceptions from Tony Romo, who was able to rebound significantly throughout the rest of the game, in addition to DeMarco Murray having yet another solid performance despite the poor run blocking from the offensive line.

Despite this rebound, the Cowboys secondary had a difficult time keeping Matt Moore in check throughout the second half of the game after holding them to just 6 points at halftime. The Dolphins’ first touchdown drive came after Terence Newman committed a pass interference penalty, which involved Newman practically strangling Brandon Marshall on a pass which placed the ball on the 1 yard line.

While Terence Newman certainly showed that his speed is not what it used to be on that particular play, he should take no blame for the decision to commit what appeared to be a deliberate penalty. Brandon Marshall clearly had Newman beat on the play with Abram Elam being fairly slow to provide help over the top.

This eventually proved to be a microcosm for the Cowboys’ second half struggles on the back end. Even after the Cowboys answered back with a touchdown of their own to take a 17-16 lead, Abram Elam managed to commit a penalty of his own to keep the Dolphins’ ensuing drive alive.

It obviously did not help that Orlando Scandrick and Alan Ball were both having some difficulty covering the Dolphins’ receivers, which led to a field goal that gave the Dolphins a late 4th quarter lead. After this happened, the outcome of the game became dependent on which Tony Romo would decide to show up, the mentally tough-clutch version or the reputed choker.

Luckily, for the Cowboys, Romo made some key throws in the face of pressure to put the Cowboys in field goal range before Dan Bailey made a last second field goal to give the Cowboys a relieving one point win over the Dolphins.

Although the win puts the Cowboys in first place of the NFC East, there is obviously some area of concern such as the aforementioned secondary woes. Terence Newman has not aged quite as well as anyone would have liked, while Scandrick and Ball are both average cornerbacks at best.

A game in which a quarterback such as Matt Moore was able to have a great statistical performance is, without question, something that should only highlight these issues, even in spite of the victory.

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The Green Bay Packers managed to stay unbeaten as they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a close one, 35-26. For the first time this year, the Packers did not look like the offensive juggernaut that teams around the NFL have become accustomed to. The Packers were pushed to the edge by the Buccaneers, but prevailed thanks to an Aaron Rodgers touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson late in the 4^th quarter.

The Packer offense didn’t necessarily struggle, but it lacked the familiar flow seen in previous games. After the game Rodgers was noticeably dejected with his performance he stated, “I didn’t throw the ball very well. I’m not trying to be ridiculously humble right now, I’m just frustrated. The ball wasn’t coming out the way I wanted it to today.”

Rogers lack of comfort with the ball showed itself when he was picked off by corner Elbert Mack. The Buccaneers offense took advantage of the rare gift, Rodgers has only thrown four picks this year, and Josh Freeman delivered a quick strike to Dezmon Briscoe for a touchdown to pull them within two points. Freeman carved up the Packer defense up on the drive completing five passes in a row.

A sight the defense could not have been accustomed to, because for most of the day Lagarette Blount ran wild on the field. Including an impressive 54 yard run where Blount bulldozed through the arms of seven Packer players.

However when the Packer defense needed to come through at the end of the game, they forced the Buccaneers to turn the ball over on downs and effectively sealed the victory. The Packers defense needs to make all the necessary adjustments if they want win next week, because their opponent is Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions who just threw for five touchdowns.

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Eight games later and the Green Bay Packers are still undefeated after they won in a shootout, 45-38, over the San Diego Chargers. The Packers, coming off their bye week, showed no signs of rustiness, as they scored three touchdowns in the first quarter taking a 21-7 lead. An early lead isn’t a new sensation for the Packers but how they managed it was definitely unique.

The Packers defense outscored Aaron Rodgers and the Packers high powered offense two touchdowns to one. Charlie Peprah and Tramon Williams both picked off Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers for 40 yard touchdown returns. The Chargers would not be deterred by the Packer defensive pressure.

Early in the second quarter Rivers and running back Mike Tolbert marched the offense down the field to score a Tolbert rushing touchdown, and closed the gap to 21-14. From there it was a showcase of offensive prowess by the Packers as they jumped out to a 45-24 lead with 10 minutes left in the 4^th quarter.

Rodgers further showed why he is currently regarded the best player in the NFL; he began to pick apart the Chargers secondary, throwing for three more touchdowns each to a different receiver. Rodgers had the Packers on their way to what seemed like an easy victory over the Chargers.

Even with the Chargers down 21, Rivers was determined to make up for those costly interceptions. He engineered a well executed drive that began on the Chargers 20 and culminated in touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. After the touchdown drive the Chargers were still down 14 points and with time running out vied to go for the onside kick.

The Chargers managed to recover the onside kick and with a short field Rivers led the offense to another touchdown to pull within seven. The Chargers defense managed to hold the Packers and give their offense one last shot at tying the game. Rivers once again had the offense marching down the field, but late in the drive, he was picked off for the 3^rd time, by Peprah — once again, effectively sealing the Packers victory.

The Packers are now 8-0 and there is talk of whether or not the Packers can finish the season a perfect 16-0. The last team to complete a perfect regular season was the 2007 New England Patriots who eventually loss in the Super Bowl and finish the season 18-1.

The Packer faithful are hoping their team can do one better than the Patriots, and be the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to finish the year unbeaten.

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It’s been four years since one of the best Super Bowl’s ever, when Eli Manning and the New York Giants put an end to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots undefeated season in a stunning upset. Ask Manning and he’ll tell you he plays at Tom Brady’s level and this season he’s put the Giants on his back. The Giants have been suffering from injuries all season, but still find themselves at 5-2 atop the NFC East.

“Well, the question was if I thought I was an elite quarterback and basically, I was just saying that I did,” Manning said. “I’m usually not into the business of ranking and rating quarterbacks and comparing myself to other guys. Looking back, I thought I gave an honest answer, and I don’t regret anything.”

Manning’s play this season has done nothing but back up those words. He’s ranked third with a 102.1 passer rating behind only Brady who’s at 104.4 and Aaron Rodgers who is number 1 at an astounding 125.7.

“He doesn’t get the recognition he deserves,” guard David Diehl said. “For us, it’s something that we see. It’s the way that he works, the way he prepares either out on the field or breaking down film or getting with the wide receivers or checking and making alerts and audibles at the line of scrimmage.”

Manning should be in for another big day as the Patriots have the worst pass defense in the league giving up 323.1 yards per game. The Patriots are looking to bounce back and keep pace with either the Bills or the Jets as they got whooped by the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. It was the worst offense performance the team has had all year.

“It just wasn’t a really good day for us in any phase of the game, in any area,” Coach Bill Belichick said. “We just didn’t do a good enough job. That’s really all there is to say.” The Steelers doubled New England’s yards 427-213 and Brady threw for a season low 198 yards with two TD’s. This week won’t be easier as the Giants front four have been playing good lately.

The Giants have the most sacks in the NFL with 26. The Giants are pretty banged up going into this game. Receiver Hakeem Nicks is nursing a hamstring, running back Ahmad Bradshaw has a foot injury, stud defensive end Osi Umenyioa has a shoulder issue and he alone has 6 sacks so far this season. Center David Bass is also suffering from a knee injury.

With Nicks potentially out the Giants may have to rely on WR Victor Cruz who has played well this season and is the second leading receiver on the team. ”Anytime you get an opportunity to go in there and play and have an opportunity to be the number one or two guy and make some big plays, you always want to be excited,” Cruz said.

“Myself and Mario (Manningham) and Devin Thomas and Michael Clayton are going to have to step in and fill that void.” Brady needs to see Wes Welker pick up his production. He leads the league in receptions at 57 and has racked up 824 yards and six trips to the end zone. However, the last two games he’s been virtually shut out only bringing in 12 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown.

The key to this game will be the offensive line of the Patriots against the defensive line of the Giants. If Matt Light and company can protect Brady he should have no problem picking apart the Giants banged up secondary though they have only been giving up 225.1 yards per game good for 13^th in the league.

If the Giants can get pressure on Brady they should be able to give Eli Manning ample opportunity to light up the league’s worst secondary. The Giants defense will give the Patriots problems at first, but Tom Brady should be able to figure things out and the Patriots will win a high scoring affair in Foxboro Stadium. Final Prediction: Giants 27 Patriots 34.

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It’s the team that nobody saw coming. For the past few years, the Bills have been the laughing stock of the AFC East. They were the one team bringing down a division with the power house Patriots and the better than average Jets and Dolphins.

Not anymore. The Bills have quietly been putting together a good team and this year, we are finally seeing just how good this team and Harvard graduate QB Ryan Fitzpatrick can be. The Bills realize this and recently gave him a big contract extension of 6 years $59 million, locking up their franchise man for years to come. That extension is bad news for the rest of the AFC East.

He’s been worth every penny of that, having a career year, and has the Bills sitting in a 1^st place tie atop the AFC East with the New England Patriots at 5-2. He’s ranked 6^th in the league in quarter back, rating at 97.8 for the season. The Bills are third in the league, scoring 30.1 points per game this year.

While only being ranked 13^th overall in passing at 239.6 yards a game, the running game has received a boost from their QB play ranking 5^th overall at 140.6 a game. Running back Fred Jackson, who is having an MVP type season, is fourth in the league in yards with 721 and is ranked fourth among running backs in receiving with just over 350 yards.

He’s tied for first with Matt Forte of runs over 20 yards ranks second in yards per game with 103.0 and is fourth in yards per carry at 5.5, but is second in running backs to LeSean McCoy. DeMarco Murray and Michael Vick are one and two, but have half the carries of McCoy and Jackson. Jackson also has zero fumbles this season so far.

While the Bills defense isn’t one of the better in the league, they still put fear into a team as they lead the league in interceptions with 18 and three touchdowns off interceptions. This defense has potential the potential to be real solid in the coming years if they can keep everyone healthy. They showed this last week shutting out the Washington Redskins 23-0 and racking up 9 sacks in the process.

To the Bills credit, they’ve also been doing this against quality opponents. They’ve beaten Kansas City and Oakland, both who are tied for first with San Diego for the AFC West all sitting at 4-3. They’ve beaten the Patriots once already and beat a good Philadelphia Eagles team who has recently been turning things around after a horrible start.

They took care of business against an obviously weaker Washington team, shutting them out last week. The Bills only losses come at the hands of the Bengals and the Giants. Both these teams are atop of their divisions and have a 5-2 record. The Bills should have more respect than they do.

Consider that the Patriots have a worse defense in football, giving up 424.1 yards a game compared to the Bills who are 385.9, the Patriots are considered playoff contenders and potential Super Bowl threats. The same could be said for the Packers who rank below the Bills in yards per game giving up 391.0 and currently hold the 31^st spot in opponents passing yards per game, yet they’re widely regarded as being the best team in football.

These teams are led by their quarterbacks and Fitzpatrick has proven he can do that. Add to that a more potent running attack than either Brady or Rodgers has and this is a team that can go deep into the playoffs.

If that’s not enough for you, think about the New Orleans Saints team that won the Super Bowl a few years ago. They are very much like this Bills team in that they have a strong quarterback, a high scoring offense, and a defense that isn’t that great, but forces turnovers and scores points.

This Bills team is as good as they’re record and play this season has been. In a quarterback driven league they’ve found their man in Ryan Fitzpatrick. They are proving they can score points with anyone in the league and if teams with good quarterbacks and bad defenses can be in the hunt for the Super Bowl the same should be said for the Bills.

The fan base has been waiting patiently for this time to come and it has come quicker than expected, but not as a shock at all. So the next time you go to dismiss the Bills as a top team in this league, think about what they’re doing and show them some respect.

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The Green Bay Packers stay perfect on the season as they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 33-27, spoiling rookie Christian Ponder’s hope for his first win as the starting quarterback.

Aaron Rodgers once again played like the leading candidate for NFL MVP should by throwing 300+ yards, making three touchdowns and no interceptions. There were some early offensive issues for the Packers as they were only able to muster two Mason Crosby field goals in the second quarter. This allowed the Vikings to jump out to a 17-13 lead behind the play of Ponder and star running back Adrian Peterson.

The Packer offense then came to life, scoring 20 points in the second half and quelling any notion that there may be issues in the offensive unit. Rodgers was never worried about being down at the half, stating, “There’s not a lot of panic in this team. We’ve been down a couple times at halftime, just a lot of focus.”

The Packers came out firing, scoring touchdown on their first two offensive possessions of the half.  A blown defensive coverage allowed Greg Jennings to jog into the end zone for a 79 yard reception from Rodgers. The second drive ended in a 2 yard touchdown reception to Jermichael Finley, and put the Packers up 27-17.

For as well as the Packers played, the Vikings would not go down with a fight, making a 4^th quarter comeback that eventually fell short. Peterson was a huge part of the Viking offense rushing for almost 200 yards on the day. Even with his big day Peterson was obviously upset stating, “It’s frustrating to come out against the defending champs and be that close and not to come up with the win.”

Peterson’s huge rushing numbers did help ease the scoring burden on rookie quarterback Ponder. Ponder played much better than expected against the defending champions, throwing for 200+ yards and two touchdowns.

However there were glaring flashes of his inexperience, throwing two interceptions in the second half that both resulted in Packer field goals, which ended up being the difference in the game. The Vikings may have lost the game but the future looks bright for them on the legs of Peterson and on the arm of Ponder.

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The Green Bay Packers are alone on top of the NFL Mountain after defeating the St. Louis Rams 24-3. The Packer victory pushes their record to 6-0 and makes them the only remaining unbeaten team after the Detroit Lions loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Packers made it look easy, getting the performance out of their quarterback Aaron Rodgers that they come to expect. Rodgers threw for 300 plus yards and three touchdowns, including a career best 93 yard bomb to Jordy Nelson. However the show was over just as quickly as it started; all points scored by both teams came in the first half.

While happy to get the win, the scoreless half bothered Packer head coach Mike McCarthy and in a statement he said “You have to be running on all cylinders, and we’re not there yet. So fortunately, we’re 6-0. We’ll continue to work to get there.” The same lack of offense bothered Rodgers as well, as he stated, “It’s a feeling of minor disappointment, I think, in that locker room.

We just, in the second half, offensively just struggled. The second quarter was great; we put up a lot of points. I think it’s encouraging at the same time. It’s tough to win in this league, we’re 6-0, and have a lot of room for improvement.”

While the Packers were looking for ways to continue their dominance, the Rams were just looking for ways to score and win. The Rams are currently 0-5 and sitting at the bottom of the NFC West, looking up at the division leading San Francisco 49ers. Frustrated Rams running back Steven Jackson tried to explain the slow start, “for whatever reason, we get into the red zone; we keep shooting ourselves in the foot.”

The Packers on both sides of the ball looked to be poised to make another deep playoff run. If there are any points of contention it would be the injury plagued offensive line and banged up secondary. Last week, the Packers lost left tackle Chad Clifton indefinitely and safety Sam Shields went down in the 3^rd quarter after sustaining a head injury. Even with the missing pieces, both performed well this Sunday, protecting Rodgers and shutting the Rams offense down.

However, when the second season comes around, they won’t be up against a struggling team like the Rams. For the Packers sake, let’s hope they fill those personnel holes and avoid becoming Swiss cheese.

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We all saw this coming. It wasn’t supposed to happen in week 5, 6 or even week 7 but here we are: the Tebow era has officially arrived. This entire situation was handled poorly by the Broncos from the off season. Fans are fickle so it makes sense that they would clamor for the backup quarterback after an 0-4 start. The problem is Tim Tebow was third on the depth chart.

This was not purely a coaching decision or even a front office decision. This sudden move was brought on by the Denver fans. Now we all will see what Tebow can do and what the coaches saw in practice that landed him third on the depth chart. It must be a first in the NFL to have a quarterback coming from third on the depth chart to starting without any injuries to the true backup. Only with Tebow is anything like this possible.

Best Team In NFL

Power rankings change from week to week in the NFL, so it is unlikely to find the same team leading that conversation from week 1 to week 6, but that is the case with the Green Bay Packers. It would not be surprising for this team to go 14-2 this season or even better, but of course injuries will play a large role in that.

They are by far the best team, but the way they are winning will have to change or expand if they are to win the whole thing again.  They are 22^nd in the league in rushing and 30^th in passing defense, meaning there is still room for improvement. Then again, maybe they don’t need anything but Aaron Rodgers -arguably the best quarterback in the NFL.

Michael Vick and the Eagles

Michael Vick and the Eagles are 1-4 right now after losing again this past weekend: a game where everything that could have gone wrong did in fact go wrong. There is a lot of blame to go around for this dismal start to the season, but at some point everyone assumes they will correct things.

There is too much talent for them not to. When watching the Eagles play, it is difficult to see where all the money went and what they got back in return.

They are second to last in rush defense and the huge holes they allow makes it impossible for their smaller and less experienced linebackers to make plays. Some of the blame has to go to the defensive coordinator, but more blame has to go to the head coach who hired a guy who has never coached on the pro level before.

Let’s not forget to blame Michael Vick for his inability to stop turning the ball over. Maybe they will turn things around, but they start next week against Washington, an improved division opponent who is 3-1 thus far.

Jets, Overrated?

The New York Jets have and will always be on the front pages and in every football conversation no matter what goes on in the game on Sundays.  Rex Ryan is a talker to say the least and his team usually responds, except for the last couple of games: games played against rivals New England and Baltimore.

They had horrible performances both resulting in loses. The Jets now stand at 2-3 early in the season and a must win game awaits them in Miami, a team without a quarterback and playing a major role in potentially winning the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes. The defense has been a letdown so far for the Jets but the offense has been worse, and after Miami the schedule only gets harder.

Andrew Luck Sweepstakes

It’s not every day you find a quarterback like Payton Manning who hasn’t played a down in the NFL. Yes, it’s true every year the talent evaluators become infatuated with a particular college player and proclaim him King, but this Andrew Luck thing is interesting and somewhat different.

Is Luck the next Manning or the next Favre or even Tom Brady? We won’t know for sure until he has gone through the pains of being a quarterback in the league. The pro football world has been all about Andrew Luck for a while and he would have been the top pick last year if he had chosen to leave and go pro.

But we must wait another year while the legend grows and he matures into what will hopefully be a great NFL Quarterback. Teams and professional athletes are not usually in the business of losing on purpose in hopes of landing a savior, but it sure would be nice for a team like the Miami dolphins or any other team looking for a quarterback.
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The super bowl champions will be given their hardware on Thursday night during a ceremony at Lambeau Field. We’ve had months to digest the fact that the packers won, since there is no plans to play football this upcoming season, we might as well look back; at least for a sentence or two.

It was unexpected and it was a great watch, as is every super bowl in my opinion…even if some might not be as competitive as others and the Giants unfortunately are not always on the field.

Now that we are done with that, let’s focus on the NFC North, the division of the champs and its many quarterback personalities; except for Minnesota of course.

We all know who the class of this division is and I don’t expect much to change.  Although, I would not be surprise if another team finishes on top of this division.  I expect a lot from the usual suspects; usual suspects being Chicago Bears and Green Bay.  Call me crazy but I do see a change coming in this division in the form of a game changing defensive tackle and an improving young offense.

Let’s get this out of the way now so we can move on.

The bears in my opinion will win this division because, they to me will be consistent while these  other teams in this division will struggle…mainly because they are young and not great on both sides of the ball as of yet.

With that said, a conversation about the quarterbacks in the NFC North is more interesting to me then a talk about the teams as a whole…this is not to take away from the teams themselves because I do think this will be the toughest division in the NFL aside from the NFC East- but these players are special or have the potential to be.

We all know what Rodgers has done in three years as a starter in the NFL; in fact, he is on pace to pass Dan Marino, Payton Manning, Favre and Brady in all major statistical categories.  Now I’m not saying the man will be a hall of famer, but let’s look at what he has done.  Before even doing that, it may be more important to think about who he replaced in Green Bay and the circumstances in which it happened.  How does one replace a legend in the manor which he did, with such grace and respectfulness? And then, winning a super bowl several years later. He is now top 3 or 4 in the league and will be MVP next year.

Matthew Stafford is 23 years old and hasn’t started a full NFL season as of yet, but the potential is still clearly there.  At some point it will have to stop being potential and we will have to see it in his play on the field, but it will have to start with staying healthy.

Will he continue to be injury prone is the question… the thing with Detroit is their draft picks haven’t always lived up to the hype of being high picks but things have taking a turn these last few drafts and they are building the right way.

Stafford is not there yet in terms of being a high tier signal caller in the league but his time will come, there’s little doubt about that.

Cutler on the other hand is a seasoned gun slinger in the mold of Brett Favre…and no, I’m not saying that he is or will be Favre; but he has some tendencies.

Cutler is 28 and has been widely inconsistent over his years in Denver and Chicago-Like Eli Manning, I don’t want to keep saying his picks will go down and he will learn not to make as many little mistakes. But his talent level is high and he is a winner with great confidence and will…he will break through in a major way and with some more weapons on offense; he will have a good year.

He threw for over 3,000 yards last season and over 20 touchdowns- that will continue to improve if given help on offense.

There’s not much to say about Christian Ponder and the Vikings…except for the fact that he might have been the surprise of the draft.   The 12^th pick of the draft has a long future ahead of him and although he doesn’t seem to possess the it factor that these other quarterbacks have, he is in a good position to have a good season if he plays and eventually a good career… last time I checked, he does have a top 2 or 3 running back to hand the ball to in Adrian Peterson.  Also, with a top tier defense, he and the Vikings should be in great shape.

When all is said and done, I won’t be shocked if Rodgers is a hall of famer with 2 to 3 rings, or if Cutler wins a super bowl, or even if Stafford and the rookie Ponder both enjoy long productive pro bowl careers.

Only time will tell if they all do… but as of right now, I have high expectations for all these teams and their respective signal callers.

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