From: martens@python.cis.ohio-state.edu (Jeff Martens)
Subject: Pondering the Packers
Summary: Sorry if this rambles...
Organization: Ohio State U. Dept. of Computer Science
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 05:14:46 GMT


This doesn't exactly seem like a winning season, but there are
bright spots.  A reasonable question is:  "How much worse are the
Packers than some of the winning teams in the league?"  My answer:
some days much worse, others not too much.

Coaching:  so far I'm relatively happy with Holmgren.  I'm most
impressed with the job the defense has done the past two weeks,
and I think Ray Rhodes deserves the most credit for stopping the
Lions and the Giants.

QB:  Favre looks like a keeper.  Optimistically, he's the best of
the new starters (O'Donnell, Stouffer, Nagle, etc.).  My gut
feeling is that he'll develop into a good QB.  Besides, Bradshaw
likes him.

The backups, Majkowski and Detmer, are probably adequate.

FB:  Sydney seems ok.  He's old, though, and not a big-play
threat.  I'd like to see Dexter McNabb win the starting job.

HB:  I like Workman.  He's good good hands, doesn't fumble too,
too often (wait, are you sure he's a Packer?), and picks holes
well.  He's again not a big play-threat, but he's more dangerous
than Harlan Huckleby or Eric Torkelson.  He also has a very good
attitude (kinda reminds me of Torkelson here):  whatever will help
the team.

Darrell Thompson is bigger, stronger, and (I think) faster than
Workman.  He's also less likely to be healthy on any given day,
doesn't do nearly as good a job of picking holes and changing
direction, isn't as good of a receiver, and seems to fumble more
often.  Certainly I'd love to see Thompson have a great season,
but I'm skeptical.

Next in line is Edgar Bennett.  The coaching staff always seems to
say he's about to get his big chance, and then he never really
does.  Except a couple weeks ago when he fumbled and was yanked
for the rest of the game.  Oh well.

WR:  Sterling Sharpe.  No WR in the NFL having a better season.
And Sharpe is always drawing double coverage because of:

Sanjay Beach:  a stiff.

Green Bay is getting no production out of any WR other than
Sharpe.  Robert Brooks, Cory Harris (recently picked up from
Houston), or Kitrick Taylor has to come forward and produce.  Has
to.  This weeks "Packer Report" talked a bit about Chris Holder
(on the practice squad) as a possibility.  Next year Orlando McKay
is a possibility.

TE:  Jackie Harris is developing into a top-flight receiver.  Ed
West is still solid as a backup.  Maybe they should bring West in
at TE and line Harris up as a WR.  The lumber-and-shoot offense?

OL:  surprisingly good.  They haven't given up too many sacks
since Favre got his bearings late in the Cincinnati game.  Part of
their problem in pass protection may have been how long
Majkowski/Tomczak/Kiel held the ball before floating it out to the
secondary (though Tomczak's doing ok now behind an OL that's
probably no better).  The run blocking seems adequate.  The Tootie
Robbins acquisition has been key, as has getting Winters.  Because
of Winters, losing Campen and Moran hasn't hurt that bad (but if
Campen gets hurt now, then what?).  The backups are young guys,
two of which were recently converted from DL.  Also Neville.

The coaching staff claims that Hallstrom is having possibly his
finest year, but I think we can take what they say to the press
with a grain of salt.

Next year's OL could go either up or down.  Why down?  Age.
Winters, Mandarich, and Campen will be the only experienced
starters under 30.  Mandarich's status is a tad cloudy.

OK, Mandarich.  He hasn't lived up to his hype, and few are openly
predicting he'll be a great player.  But a lot of people are
jumping down his throat and suggesting that GB unload him.  I
think this is a mistake.  If he doesn't make the team next summer,
then unload him.  If he does, GB needs all the help they can get.
Reasons to dump Tony:

1) He costs too much:  his contract is up.  Expect him to take a
pay cut to play anywhere in the NFL, let alone GB.  Or to sign for
one year at this year's salary, possibly with incentives.  Wolf
will sign him for what Wolf thinks he's worth, and we know
Mandarich wants to stay in GB and wants to prove he's a decent
player.

2) He sucked his rookie season:  he didn't have training camp.

3) He hasn't gotten that much better.  But he has gotten better
every year until '92.  Why condemn someone who's getting better?

4) He was too weak and slow this summer.  He had a viral
infection.

5) He's not playing.  He has a thyroid condition.  Let's give him
some time and see what he can do when he's healthy.


DL:  pretty weak.  I had high hopes for Noonan, and some hopes
for Millard.  Now they're both gone.  I thought Tuaolo would be
ok, and hoped Davey would be too.  Now they're both gone.  Having
high hopes for Sebastian Barrie seems a bit like betting on a long
shot.  Still, I think there's some potential for the future with
Brock, Archambeau, Patterson (any word on his rehab?), and maybe
Barrie.  And Robert Brown is still adequate.

LB:  Tony Bennett is racking up the sacks again this year.  I
think he's an improvement over Tim Harris.  Johnny Holland,
however, is having his best season and may be the Packer's best
linebacker.  Koonce has looked good, especially for a rookie.
Paup has been a disappointment, and Noble's been pretty quiet.
With D'Onofrio on IR, there's not a lot of depth besides Burnell
Dent.


Secondary:  Overall on the verge of ok.  They've got a lot of
youth and speed, and so in a year or two this could become a good
unit for several years to come.

Special teams:  Buckley has to stop fumbling.  At this point, I'd
be tempted to put Brooks back there as the PR.  He's not as
exciting as Buckley, but he was doing a pretty good job, and Green
Bay usually still had the ball after one of Brooks' returns.

Jacke's not having a hot season, but he'll be ok.  The KO return
team's not doing much, but KO coverage has been ok.

Wagner (I think) is now the punter.  The blocks weren't McJulien's
fault, but, regardless, GB can't afford a blocked punt every week.
Punt coverage has been pretty weak, as well.




Prognosis:  Green Bay's been in every game this season except the
Buc debacle.  And at this point, I think they'd beat the Bucs,
making GB the top Bay-area team (talking about real bays here, not
wimpy little ones).  Assuming Favre settles down and returns to
his relatively interception-free habits, and continues to develop,
Green Bay will win a couple more games this year.  If the backs
and Buckley stop fumbling, that could be worth a couple games as
well.  Finally, figure a game could go GB's way if just, per
chance, a DB would hang onto an easy interception, and we're up to
5 more wins and an 8-8 season.  Nah.

But I think the team has promise.  Stop the turnovers, get a
little experience, some young blood in the OL and DL, and someone
to play opposite Sharpe and this could be a good team.


This week against the Eagles?  If they get after Randall ("they"
being Bennett, Koonce, Paup, Brock), Green Bay has a chance,
especially if the Pack gets their running game going.  I think the
Eagles are a better team, but they haven't had much success on the
road this year, so it could be a good game.

-- 
     Go find something better to do than reading this stuff.

-- Jeff (martens@cis.ohio-state.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro