When Mike McCarthy was hired as Head Coach of the Packers in 2006, I recall he and Ted Thompson quite pointedly saying they regarded building the lines - on both sides of the ball- as the foundation for the winning team they expected to construct in Green Bay.

Now that we are in the 4th year of the TT & MM partnership and considering the recurrent struggles of the Packers over the past season and a half - lack of pass protection, lack of pass rush, lack of running game - most of those problems stem from the failures or negligence in keeping their promises about the lines.

The Packers have drafted 17 linemen over the past 5 years; that’s about one-third of the club’s draft picks. They’ve netted only 4 starters out of that crop, none particularly outstanding and some more by default than merit.

They’ve used 2 of their last 3 first rounders for d-linemen and made one of the only 2 major ventures in free agency by TT for another. While they’ve gotten good performance from Ryan Pickett, Justin Harrell has been a complete bust and B.J. Raji has been way too slow to get on the field and show some impact for the 9th overall pick in the draft.

Beyond those the Packers haven’t done anything further in free agency or used any pick higher than a 4th rounder for any one else. That was for Jeremy Thompson as an end last year; but he’s been moved to lb in the switch to the 3-4. However the oft-injured Thompson has done nothing for the Packers at either position for a season and a half.

The Packers have trolled the 6th & 7th rounds for Mike Montgomery, Johnny Jolly, Dave Tollefson and Jarius Wynn.

And the Packers have allowed some subtraction on the d-line as well by moving their best Aaron Kampman to lb in the new 3-4 scheme and letting serviceable back-ups on the team’s effective 8 man rotation 2 years ago, Corey Williams & Colin Cole, leave during the past 2 offseasons.

TT has made 10 o-line draft selections since 2005. Four never made or are no longer with the team. An effort to do any upgrading here in free agency has been completely lacking; unless you want to count non-descript bargain basement FA’s such as Adrian Klemm and Duke Preston.

The Packers knew all last offseason that they could have serious problems at the tackles in view of the age/injury issues of Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton; holdover players from the previous regime. Yet all they did in response was assert that Allen Barbre & Breno Giacomini were ready and able to take over the right side and drafted 2 rookies to back up the left; one of whom didn’t make the roster and was plucked away from the practice squad.

As the flood of sacks on Aaron Rodgers mounts it should be noted that the Packers have used picks as high as the second or third round only twice during the TT/MM period for o-linemen. Every one else has been a fourth rounder (3) or later.

I think the Packers have the quarterback, receivers, linebackers and d’backs for a playoff team. But as has been exposed last season and again this year in the Minnesota and Cincinnati games the lines, the foundation of the team, is significantly faulty.

After this much time that shouldn’t be the case. Where does the accountability lie? If the players aren’t good enough for winning in the NFL maybe the fault lies in the scouting and personnel department of the club. That’s TT. If the players are good enough but not being developed that’s MM and the coaches.

When it comes time for Mark Murphy and the Packers’ board to do job evaluations at the end of this 4th year of their program the general manager and head coach had better have some answers.

Are the Packers a playoff caliber team this year and could they do anything respectable if they do make them?

We know the Pack can beat the Browns, the Lions, the Rams. But they haven’t won yet this season against a team with a winning record. And the “weak sisters” part of the schedule is done now.

If the Packers are going to return to postseason qualification in ‘09, they’ll need to be at least 7-3 going in to Thanksgiving Day at Detroit. A 10-6 record will be the minimum necessary to make the playoffs and the schedule after that looks unlikely to provide too many opportunities to try coming from further behind.

The Packers have to start winning against good teams and they’ll have 3 of those coming up, with a road game at down but still unpredictable and dangerous Tampa Bay in the next stretch.

At least the good teams on the schedule will all be coming in to Lambeau. If the Packers are going to reestablish their once vaunted “home field advantage” this will be the time to do it.

The game this Sunday with Minnesota is essentially for the division this season. Green Bay is only down 1 in the loss column but suffering their first sweep in this rivalry in 11 years could be fatal.

They can stay further in the wild card chase and will have to win vs. Dallas & San Fran. to secure their positioning in that.

Last year the Packers were 5-5 after 10 games and then fell out with that frustrating 5 game losing streak of close, late losses.

So in a sense the Packers’ playoffs are starting this month. The playoffs to make the playoffs.

McCarthy is getting a coach who utilizes a 3-4 system the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens used in their AFC Championship Game battle Sunday.  He also ran a 4-3 in Jacksonville under coach Tom Coughlin and a mix 3-4/4-3 under Miami coach Nick Saban and New England coach Bill Belichick.  Right now the Packers don’t currently field a team capable of running the 3-4 defense so it should be an interesting off season which could be very dependent from a personnel standpoint on which defense the Packers choose to use.

Capers has had some poor defensive units, but he has also had some impressive ones.  In three seasons in Pittsburgh, the defense ranked 13th, third and second. In Carolina, they ranked 10th, 15th and 30th. In Jacksonville, they ranked fourth and 12th and in Miami they ranked fourth and 23rd.

In our opinion it is a good hire.  In Capers the Packers get a battle tested co-ordinator who has seen it all.  If the Packers can get their offense playing to it top five potential and a top 15 defense, they could once again be in contention for the NFC title.

Haslett is certainly capable enough at coaching players, but his defensive reputation seems to be better than his actual record.  Haslett’s Ram defense was near the bottom of the league last year and his New Orleans defenses were always average.  Perhaps Thompson and McCarthy believe they have a team that could compete for a championship with just a solid, average defense and a dominating offense.  With the success the Cardinals are having in the playoffs right now it’s hard to argue with them. 

If the Packers don’t jump on a known commodity like Haslet then it may indicate they are waiting for an assistant with a current playoff team.  Since NFL rules don’t allow for teams to communicate with coaches during the season, they will have to wait until that coach’s team is eliminated.  A lot of chatter is being generated about Philadephia assistant Sean McDermott, a younger guy who has trained under legendary blitz happy coach Jim Johnson for the last decade.  Either way we should see something very soon.

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In a key divisional match-up, the Green Bay Packers went on the road and defeated the Minnesota Vikings 20-17 to remain within striking distance of the division-leading Chicago Bears. With time running out and the score tied at 17-17, Packers kicker Mason Crosby hit a 51-yard field goal to clinch the Packers victory.

The Packers and Vikings traded scores all day. In the first quarter, the Vikings got on the board first with a 9-yard touchdown run while the Packers answered with a 7-yard touchdown strike from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings. The quarterbacks traded touchdown throws with Rodgers finding wide receiver Donald Driver on a 7-yard pass in the third quarter and the Vikings Gus Frerotte hitting Bernard Berrian on an 11-yard pass.

The two quarterbacks were both picked off during the game. Frerotte threw two picks, one to Atari Bibby in the second quarter and another to Al Harris in the fourth. Rodgers was picked off by Madieu Williams in the third quarter.

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After the hot start to the season, the Packers now find themselves at 2-3 thanks to a startling loss to the upstart Falcons, 20-19.

The Packers lead the game 19-13 with only 1:05 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. But trying to convert a first down that would’ve iced the game for Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers threw an interception that was returned 57 yards for the winning score.

Matt Ryan continued his strong play under center, completing 21/31 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown as he leads his Falcons to an eye-opening 3-2 start.

photo/AP

Everything started according to plan.  A beautiful pass from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings, who juked his way into the endzone on the Packers first possession.  Then the defense forced a 3 and out.  Things seemed to be looking up.  And then, well, then it was melt down time.

Brandon Jackson bobbled a catchable pass into the waiting arms of the Bucs defense giving Rodgers his first INT.  After that the offense just plain stalled.  There was no running game, blitzes were not picked up and were savaging Rodgers, who was clearly rattled.

At the same time the defense decided it would most definitely not stop the run, and in the rare cases when they did force Tampa into third and long situations they would simply bail them out with costly penalties.

In the second half the Packers stood up again, but not for long.  For the crucial series of the game, Rodgers was unavailable due to injury.  It appeared Rodgers injured his shoulder diving for a first down.  The injury could be serious.  Matt Fynn stood little chance in his first game action, promptly orchestrating a 3 and out.

With 2:32 on the clock, the ball at the 40 and two timeouts the Packers looked like they had a pulse down by only two.  Rodgers made a brave attempt by coming back into the huddle.  Unfortunately what could have been an amazing comeback story, instead turned into disaster as a free blitzer destroyed Rodgers on the blindside as he threw, forcing a gut wrenching interception.

On a day when Favre threw for 6 TDs, this is certainly ammunition for those that are upset with the Packers for the offseason trade of #4.  In our opinion, the situation played out as well as it could have this summer under the circumstances.  Whatever your opinion is, if Rodger’s season is over due to injury, it will be the most devastating blow to the Franchise in over 20 years.

Photo/Mark Hoffman

In a stunning turn of events, Al Harris may be lost for the season.

After leaving the game Sunday night Harris had some of the symptoms of a ruptured spleen, including blood in his urine, following a collision with teammate A.J. Hawk.  Harris is seeking a second opinion today and until all of the teams physicians are satisfied with a correct diagnosis, the Packers are mum.  Tramon Williams would take over for Harris.  Williams is finally having the fine season the Packers have been looking for and may provide a decent fill in, but the situation creates a nightmarish lack of depth in the nickel and dime formations.