Watching Giants and Eagles and thinking about Coach of the Year. The hype has been about Daboll, Pederson, Shanahan and Campbell. Have to admit I forgot about Nick Sirianni.
I think it’s between Daboll, Shanahan and Sirianni. I’d be fine with any of them, but my vote goes to Daboll. The Giants were 22-59 over the previous five years and then made the playoffs out of the most competitive division in the league.
Margeaux from Tallahassee, FL
Good Monday Mike, the Jags made a mess of how they handled Kelce. It made me wish for the Robert Tonyan before his injury and how he impacted the Packer offensive performance and red zone in particular. They had to see it coming especially with his playoff history. Did the Jags blanket everyone else knowing he was going to get his, thinking that it wouldn’t be enough to beat them?
I have no idea what the Jags’ defensive game plan was, but I don’t understand how the best offensive player on the other team has 10 catches and two TDs by halftime. The Chiefs were just feeding Kelce the ball at the line of scrimmage, which you can live with, but then at least take him away in the red zone. I didn’t get it.
I have read that the NFL is strongly thinking of always having the championship games at a neutral site. I think that is a terrible idea if they were to do this. The neutral site would always be either in a domed stadium or a city that has mild winters. No more Ice Bowl championships. I am curious how you guys feel about it.
In the immortal words of Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway (and echoed by Wes Hod), I strenuously object.
Well, if it wasn’t evident already, the offseason is officially upon us as the annual Schefter-click-bait-tour begins.
Schefter didn’t report anything I didn’t hear Rodgers basically say himself, to be honest. That aside, he will likely be the one breaking whatever news there is to break when the time comes.
Ryan from Sun Prairie, WI
Has Aaron Rodgers told Mike and Wes his decision and you are just not sharing?
Yup. He’s testing us to see if we can keep a secret.
I’m not surprised at this point about all the speculation of Rodgers’ future. It’s an annual point of emphasis for the media at this point. What is surprising to me is that no one has really mentioned if there is even a strong trade market not so much for him but for his contract. I realize the thumb and jelling with new receivers made him look mortal this year, but one of those two things is guaranteed on a new team and the other could be just one play away at any time. Is the contract limiting?
Not necessarily. With mutual interest between the QB and a new team, a contract could always be renegotiated.
Joshua from Milwaukee, WI
In 2008, there was confidence in Rodgers as he prepared to take over, but we still drafted Brohm (2nd) and Flynn (7th). If AR leaves, and Jordan Love is the starter next year, would you support drafting a QB or two, maybe even with a somewhat high pick?
I think the Packers would have to draft one and sign a veteran backup.
Mike, I heard a nationally broadcast show this week where the two hosts talked about the games that still haunt them. One of the hosts is a Wisconsin transplant and he mentioned the NFC title game vs. Seattle and the UW-Duke title game as his top two. I agree with those choices and would add the fourth-and-26 game and maybe Game 7 of the 1982 World Series to the list. I assume these games would rank highly on your list. Are there any others that still haunt you?
NLCS Game 6 in 2011 and Game 7 in 2018 will always be hard for me as well, along with the 2019 wild-card game since the Nationals won it all. The first UW-Kentucky game in the Final Four is up there, too. From a press box seat, nothing was as devastating as the game that shan’t be discussed, so it’s not worth ranking the long list of others.
My biggest disappointment in the last season was that we lost to the Detroit Lions twice. Both were games we coulda, shoulda won. When is the last time the Lions beat the Packers twice in a season?
2018 and 2017, with Rodgers not playing in either game in ’17. Before that, you have to go all the way back to 1991.
The 8-9 Buccaneers, with an aging QB, made the playoffs. After their loss they fired six coaches and three other coaches retired. They determined their season wasn’t good enough and want to change the trajectory of their future. The 8-9 Packers, with an aging QB, didn’t make the playoffs and they want everyone to return. Quite a difference in approaches, eh?
Sure, but also very different situations. Bowles just finished his first year in Tampa, having inherited Arians’ staff, and now wants his own guys. LaFleur is entering Year 5, having already changed defensive coordinators once and special teams twice, and having just lost his offensive coordinator and two other offensive assistants a year ago. Two fruits yes, but apples and oranges.
