You Decide!! What did Suh do?

During his post game press conference Lion DT Ndamukong Suh stated he did not intentionally step on Evan Dietrich Smith of the Packers. Suh said "I don't do bad things and I have no intention to hurt somebody. If I want to hurt him, I'm going to hit his quarterback, as I did throughout the game." Suh went on to further say
“I apologize to my teammates and my fans and my coaches for putting myself in a position to be misinterpreted and taken out of the game.” His greatest gem was saying he was in "...the process of gaining his balance..."

We respect our readers; YOU be the judge on Suh's actions.

It does look as if he is trying to get his balance, doesn't it????

Packers Make History in Ugly Win

The Green Bay Packers are the best team in football. They have broken from the gates at 11 - 0, and have set a franchise record for wins to open a season. They got there by defeating a rising team in Detroit 27 - 15. But that is not the story in this game. With all the Packers have accomplished, the record is secondary after the season's first meeting with the Lions as the play of the Lions and in particular Ndamukong Suh are the ugly headlines.

 

After the Thanksgiving Day extravaganza against the Lions in Detroit, there are two very obvious truths about Detroit.

The first is they are a very good team.

The second is they are a very dirty team.

There is no need to mince words here. The Lions have gained much in the way of talent but seriously lack in the maturity neccessary to  be a good team yet. That lack of maturity eminates from the top down, and Head Coach Jim Schwartz has as many whining moments as the backstage dressing rooms of the cast of Glee. The immaturity leads to an overzealousness that culminates in penalties, and when the penalties spiral out of control so does the Lions discipline and they become, in a word, dirty.

The number of penalties taken by the Lions is staggering. They simply do not know they are good enough to just play hard. The hands to the face, late hits and leading with the helmet calls drive Schwartz nuts, but the refs are correct by the rulebook. Ndamukong Suh is the embodiment of the thug mentality permeating Detroit. His helemt ripping, hands to the face number against Josh Sitton is the encapsulation of how the Lions approach the game and why they are earning frequent flyer miles to the principal's office.

 

Detroit played a good enough first half, even if going to the locker room behind can be considered 'good'. Matthew Stafford is nursing an injured finger and was missing his receivers badly at the outset. The Lions were piling up yards but came up woefully empty in points scored when K Jason Hansen had a "Noonan" moment and uncharacteristically shanked a filed goal at the end of the half.

The Packers offensive line had their hands full and the Pack had a much harder time than they have all year in moving the ball. The injuries for both sides of the ball began to mount, another indicator of the level of physicality of the game. In a game this close it comes down to ball security and not making mistakes, and Stafford made the biggest mistake of the first half. Ryan Pickett, who is as big as a moving van, somehow escaped Stafford's line of sight and Pickett deflected a pass that popped up and Clay Matthews grabbed, giving the Packers terrific field position. After a few more penalties Rodgers drilled one to Greg Jennings and GB broke the tie and took a 7 - 0 lead that they would hold on to at the break.

But the maturity level of the Lions, or stunning lack thereof, had already begun to emerge. Greg Jennings was grabbed at the 3 yard line and Schwartz continued arguing the call 3 plays later. When a coach is more focused on what happened he is no longer planning ahead, and Schwartz took himself and his team out of any shot of scoring in the first half. A mix up in personnel led to the Lions burning a valuable time out late and how did Schwartz react?

How else?

By over reacting. Loudly. it seems that Schwartz likes to yell an awful lot, but whatever effect he is shooting for is missing its mark. It neither leads nor inspires and instead becomes a self indulgent "We're always gettin' screwed here" tantrum, one that  trickles down to the players on the field. Football is a game played with emotion. When it is played with over emotion and the inability to adjust to the funny things that happen it blows up in ones face. It is worth pointing out that since Shcwartz' encounter with the 49ers Jim Harbaugh the Lions have gone 2 - 4 while the 49ers have gone undefeated. Coincidence?

When Kyle Vanden Bosch was flagged for a late hit, by the way the rules are written is was the right call. He led with the crown of his helemt and hit Rodgers in the helmet drawing the flag. Earlier Clay Matthews had completed his rush and hit Stafford just after the Lions QB had released the ball but drew no flag but a raft of complaints from the Detroit bench. The difference? Matthews finished with a  perfect form tackle in the process of a rush without his helemt making contact.

That is not how Schwartz and the Lions saw it. As long as Schwartz beats the drum of how he and his team are getting the short end of the stick it justifies the the Lions belief that they are entitled to play as dirty as they want.

We said it - dirty.

The mentality becomes "What the hell... we're gonna get flagged for it anyhow so we might as well get our nickel's worth." It suckers an opponent into playing the fool. As a result Pat Lee responds with his own boneheaded moment by throwing punches after being roughed up on a routine punt coverage and gets thrown from the game for his action. The Lions baited him. amd Lee took the bait. This would become the perfect opportunity for Mike McCarthy to remind his team at the half they would need more than their reputation and record to beat back the challenge of the Lions. Disclipline is a requisite to be a champion. Since we previously referenced hockey in this article we'll go back. There's an old adage in hockey that goes "If you can't take a punch in the mouth and skate away, you'll never win the Stanley Cup."

 

Touche. Restraint, disclipine, keeping cool under fire - McCarthy has mastered this aspect while Schwartz still struggles with the concept. The difference between these two teams could not be more obvious. As Lee made his way to the bench his head was down as the senior members of the team let the young CB know loudly that kind of nonsense does not win games, while the Lions bench was whooping it up as if they had just won a playoff game.

 

The epitome of the stunning lack of restraint was Suh's stomp on the arm of the Packers Evan Dietrich-Smith that earned Suh an early trip to the showers. Suh's stomp came right on the heels of them Lions stuffing the Packers attempt to break the game open on 3rd down and it not only got Suh the boot but it gave the Packers another shot in the red zone on the Pack's opening drive of the 3rd quarter. And if no one knows what happens when Rodgers and Co. are given a second shot then they haven't seen the NFL this season. Of course, the Packers scored.

 

On the ensuing drive Stafford threw up another balloon that was picked off by Robert Francois, and when Rodgers took the field it was one strike to a wide open James Jones on a simple crossing route over the middle that ended with Jones scampering 65 yards for the back breaker.

 

The lack of maturity on the Lions could literally be seen on the face of Schwartz who was reduced from screaming and hollering to sulking and pouting.  Stafford follows up Rodgers precision with his third ill advised toss, one that ended up in the hands of Charles Woodson. Stafford doesn't deserve all the blame; Woodson made a Woodson play by ripping the ball away from his man to come away with the pick. It can't be said that the Lions took their best shot. They tried to challenge the king of the hill, and got summarily knocked on their duff at every turn. No longer able to get  by on bluster, trash talk and uncontrolled aggression the Lions became more toothless on every possesion. What remains so troubling about Suh is how unneccesary his antics are. After flying in to league offices to meet privately with Roger Goddell earlier this season - at his own request, no less - Suh will not only be facing a hefty fine this time but in all liklihood a significant suspension. It is one thing to rip off a players helmet during the heat of the moment; it is another thing altogether to stomp on a defenseless opponent. Credit the Packers on the field for doing the smart thing as Suh was booted and not retaliating. The Lions are less intimidating when Suh isn't on the field.

 

Suh's incredulously disingenuous post game explanation of his actions during this game underscores the fact that he isn't getting any message the league is sending. During his post game explanation Suh said he was "...trying to regain (my) balance. I know what the intent of my actions were, and so does the Man upstairs." It can be assumed that the "Man upstairs" to whom Suh referred was not Goddell, who will undoubtedly oversee a lengthy suspension of the less than contrite Suh. Albert Haynesworth earned a 5 game ban when he stomped an opponent and he doesn't have the body of work Suh has accumulated at this early point of his career. The video speaks for itself; Suh's words are an affrontage to anyone with a brain larger than a Lesuer pea. Suh's continued blatant disregard for his opponents and rationalization of his dirty play are nothing but the denial of a dirty player who refuses to acknowlegdge his play has crossed the line from "hard" and "aggressive" into dirty. Whatever suspension the league doles out is not enough. Schwartz has established an atmosphere of tolerance that allows Suh's play to flourish, and Detroit as a team needs to address this issue as well as the Lions are now targeted as the dirtiest team in the league. The league needs to step in and call Scwartz, Suh and Lions GM Martin Mayhew onto the carpet for a pointed meeting and deliver an unmistakable message. Suh and his cohorts have to be dealt with in such a manner that even they finally get the message that this type of play has no room in the NFL.

The thug culture being cultured in Detroit is counter to positive results on the field. Even when the Lions forced a fumble from the hand of Rodgers the ball bounced the way of then Packers, and Rodgers responded by setting up the Pack for an easy chip shot for Mason Crosby, who gave the Pack an impressive lead of 24 -0. While it seemed that there was pushing and shoving at the end of evey play as the Packers salted away the lead the Lions became less ferocious. The whipped look of a defeated team took over, and the Packers reinforced the notion that something staggeringly monumental will be needed to knock the reignging Super Bowl champs from their lofty perch.

The Lions posted a couple of scores when it was too late to mount a counter offensive. They did lay out a blue print for how some team could dent the Packers now record streak. The Lions played a tough first half. And the Packers were still better. A 30 minute effort will not get the job done. For the Packers this is the greatest start in their history. Playing smarter and not dirtier is another element. Out-adjusting to the Packers at the half is going to be even harder.

 

Mike McCarthy has so greatly improved at adjusting at halftime it may be an area at which he now shines. The Packers can make changes large and small to turn a game around. When the Lions make the transition from immature, noisy thugs to a football team they will be taken more seriously.

 

The Lions were trying to earn a seat at the big people's table. The seat they were seeking at the big people's table on Thanksgiving Day was, in fact, a stool in the corner with a dunce cap on it.

Holiday Double Issue

It was less than perfect. While the Packers are still technically perfect, their performance was anything but over Tampa Bay.

This is the conundrum that faces the Packers every week. No matter what it is becoming a no-win situation. If they win, they were supposed to win. Lose? Well, that’s altogether out of the question.

And as the final chunk of the season shapes up the schedule is one that certainly favors the Pack as they chase perfection. They can be excused a bit if they were looking ahead to a short week and the big Thanksgiving Day showdown with Detroit. Detroit was doing the same thing and almost gave one away to Carolina in the process.

Aaron Rodgers had yet another big day but looked off. But comparing Rodgers against his contemporaries is not always accurate. Rodgers can be compared in a sense to hockey’s Wayne Gretzky in that the only measurable barometer that means anything is against himself. In his heyday Gretzky was so far in front of his closest competitors that season in and season out he could only gauge his performance by how he had done in seasons past.

Rodgers is entering that lofty stratosphere himself. A few of Arod’s tosses were off target, at the feet of or even behind his receivers. His interception toss looked bad until it is measured against Rodgers and only Rodgers. It’s not like Arod threw the worst pass in history. It was behind James Jones, off target, and hit a Buc right in the breadbasket. The Packers have come to depend on one thing - Aaron Rodgers just doesn’t make that kind of boo boo. So when he does, it is big news. Even Jones seemed stunned, unable to react immediately to bring his man down. But with Rodgers’ freakish accuracy this year the pick was not of the norm. We’re no longer talking Brett Favre where the inevitable pick is expected. Rodgers expects more from himself and we have come to do so as well. It is worth mentioning that while Rodgers had, by his standard, an off day (for him), he still finished with a slew of TD passes and another QB rating of 114.1.

Give the Bucs some credit. They’re young and hungry and knew they would need everything they had plus a little more if they were to have any hope of taking down Green Bay. Josh Freeman had a good day, not counting his back breaking interceptions. Pretty good. Kinda good. Okay… just good, maybe not quite so good. After all, he only made a couple mistakes.

Therein is the essential problem teams have in playing the Packers. They come in knowing they will give up points to Green Bay. They come in knowing the Packer D will give some points right back. They come in knowing if they are to have any chance they will have to roll the dice and gamble. The onside kick that failed not once but twice speaks volumes of the Bucs and Head Coach Raheem Morris’ mindset. It won’t be enough to just play the Packers – we’re going to have to somehow try to steal some points somewhere. Just don’t screw it up, the Packers will make you pay through the nose for it. And they made the young Bucs pay.

Mike McCarthy, Dom Capers and every Packer knows this too. Watching other teams play the Packers is some days like watching a cat play with a mouse. The mouse ALWAYS thinks it has a chance.

Until the cat gets tired or bored or annoyed, and then WHAP! With the swipe of a paw it is instantly over. So it was with the Buccaneers.

Freeman brought the Bucs to within 2 points and the Bucs, like the mouse, thought they had a chance. In a certain respect, they did. But it was a fat chance and a slim chance, and Slim had already left to go start the car. Then the cat’s paw came down. WHAP!

Watching this version of the Packers there is a point where anyone tuning in can almost feel when the team as a whole punches the clock and gets serious. A 21 – 19 squeaker suddenly gets blown as wide open as Jordy Nelson streaking down the sideline. Rodgers earlier errant tosses? Pish posh. A gem of a rainbow nestled in Nelson’s arms for the TD that broke the will of the stubborn Bucs. A final interception thrown by Freeman and what was once a close and entertaining game become yet another W for Green Bay.

So why the concern? LeGarrette Blount’s rumbling, stumbling, bumbling TD romp through no less than 6 Packers was reminiscent of Marshawn Lynch’s playoff gallop from a year ago. Vince Lombardi could be heard from the heavens yelling at the D after this one… “…WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN’ ON OUT HE-YAH?? GRAB! GRAB! GRAB! EVERBODY GRABBIN’ AND NOBODY TACKLIN’!!!!...”    This is a cause for some red faces and an area that will need to be addressed. Blount finished with over 100 yards rushing for the day. So what? The D rises when it needs to and grabs a few more picks or another fumble the kill the Bucs rally. While the Packers give up points and yards they also lead the league in interceptions, and points from turnovers by the D. They have that luxury.

Rodgers, Nelson and crew continue to make playing defense a bit easier for the Packers. Putting the Pack in front and staking the D to a lead and having that D know that the offense is capable of scoring at any and every turn makes the defensive responsibilities less urgent. The Packers have shown resilience and an ability to make a play when they need to and it is a formula that seems to work. One time tested measure of the truly great teams is the ability to come away with a W even when they haven’t played their best.

And that is exactly what the Pack did in this high wire act with the Bucs.

The high wire act will be tested when the testy Lions attempt to take a seat at the big people’s table.

As kids we all played the game what doesn’t belong. Remember? Apple, orange, peach, pear, motor oil… what doesn’t belong here. Now let’s try this on for size – Detroit Lions, Turkey, Thanksgiving, football, Green Bay, Meaningful Game….it almost boggles the mind.

We’re accustomed to seeing the Lions on the tube about the time the pants get loosened and the pumpkin pie is served. It’s just they have not had anything to play for in the past several decades or so on Thanksgiving Day.

The Lions are beat up and they were probably peeking ahead to Thursday in their shootout against the Carolina Fig Newtons. The Lions managed to overcome a shaky Matthew Stafford start to end up dropping 49 on the Panthers, and they needed them in break a late tie, a tie the Lions had to force by coming from behind.

When Calvin Johnson and Stafford are on they are unstoppable. But unlike Rodgers Stafford has a propensity for spraying the ball all over the field and badly missing his receivers. Yes, he can get it done. He has yet to do it in a big game, and this one would certainly qualify.

No need to trumpet the defense of the Lions. Led by Ndamukong Suh the Lions will bring a ferocity into the trenches with a mission to get after Rodgers. The Packers line play has been uneven of late and will be tested in the Dome in Detroit. RG Josh Sitton has played well at times but will have his hands full against Suh in the middle. That one is the game within the game worth watching, and it will be nasty. Sitton is every bit as tough and as nasty as Suh is, and these two may suspend holiday cheer to see who is tougher, and it won’t be for the fainthearted.

Since the Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz had his famous meltdown with the 49ers Jim Harbaugh the Lions have more resembled the old Philadelphia Flyers Broad Street Bullies than a football team on the rise. Playing with emotion has not served the Lions well, and the fiery Schwartz has no one to blame but himself. His team has become a mirror of its coach: explosive, ill tempered, uncontrolled, and over aggressive. The Lions have hurt themselves more than they have helped themselves with penalties and emotion.

And now they get to face off against Green Bay, a divisional foe and obstacle in their path to the playoffs.

The Lions are hurting at running back with Jahvid Best still out and Jerome Harrison done for the year with injuries. If the Lions want to play a shootout it only helps the Packers cause for two reasons. 1- no team can match the Packers firepower. 2 – the Packers D has more of an advantage against the Lions offense than the Lions D will have against the Packers offense. RB James Starks came away from Tampa Bay with a strained knee and is questionable. But there is too much on the shelves in Green Bay. Ryan Grant is healthy and rookie Brandon Saine may be forced into spot duty, and of course burgeoning folk hero John Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhn has become a factor in the red zone again.

Look for the Lions to bring it in this game. This one has been circled on the schedule since the Kitties blew out of the gate at 5-0. Yes, Virginia, Detroit is for real. This time there aren’t a bunch of stiffs just hoping to get in the way. This game means a lot to both teams, and Detroit has a greater sense of urgency now with Chicago having caught them from behind. And with the 49ers at 8-1 they are breathing down Green Bay’s neck. The challenge will do the Packers well. It has been a while since they have had to face a good test, and now is as good a time as any. Both teams peaked ahead to this game last week and with good reason.

There will be points scored both ways. Can Rodgers keep up his superhuman streak? Will Green Bay’s offensive line be able to hold off the surging Suh? How accurate will Stafford be? Can Clay Matthews disrupt the Lions passing game? How will Detroit handle the Packers 5 wide set?

This is the biggest game of those that remain on the Packers schedule, and winning it will go a long way to running the table. A loss for the Packers is not a disaster, while a loss for Detroit seriously crimps their playoff plans. The Packers could use a little challenge. They have shown their ability to rise to meet their biggest ones and have, along the way put together the longest winning streak in franchise history. What we are witnessing is history in the making.

There will be points scored in this game. It is going to go back and forth. Much like Ali/ Frazier these two will stand toe-to-toe and slug it out.

And as has been the case all year in the end the Packers simply have too much for the Lions offensively to overcome. In a terrific battle the packers remain unbeaten while the Lions earn some respect, but not quite seat at the table. Suh and Co. will get to Rodgers, but look for GB’s ballhawks to change the game by snagging a couple wayward tosses by Stafford. Johnson has a big day, but Rodgers closes the case in his MVP campaign. The best players shine in the biggest game, and Rodgers knows how to do that. This one will go the whole 15 rounds.  The Lions are coming, but they are not quite there – yet.

Enjoy the slugfest with your pumpkin pie.

  GREEN BAY 34 

  Detroit  30 

The Fans Take Over

Packer fans are everywhere!

They are as widely diversified and unique as they are deep and strong. They come from every quarter of the globe and every Sunday they make the same pilgrimage. They are of one faith, and one belief, and in that singularity of purpose they stand united and tied at the hip to the same zealot either standing or sitting next to them. They come to praise and worship and to be healed at the same altar every Sunday and they know the man or woman next to them is there for the same healing experience.

No, we are not describing the next religious wave to hit the masses.

We are talking about the Green Bay Packers, and the fans that show up in droves to profess their undying devotion. The Packers themselves are so unique, so singular in the world of pro sports that it defies description. The Packers have no owner – they are a closed order society of individuals who have bought stock in them over the years and an elected board of directors to oversee the operation. Operating out of the miniscule hamlet of Green Bay, Wi. (Pop, 103,000 – not counting moose, geese and deer) the devotion and loyalty struck between this most unlikely of teams and their fans borders on fervent religious fanaticism.

St. Vince and Cheese Louise

The word “fan” itself is a derivative of the word “fanatic”, and those that proclaim themselves fans of the Packers, the Packer backers stretch literally across the nation and around the world. Perhaps no other team inspires such loyalty in sports, and the fans at Lambeau field are some of the most knowledgeable, informed, and devout in the NFL. Play well here and you can be set for life. Play poorly and you’ll hear about it. Even a traitor can be welcomed back if enough contrition is offered.

But when it comes to the fans themselves each diehard bleeds his or her own special blend of green and gold every weekend. They recognize it in another and are all too willing to share in their devotion. Witness the tailgate parties where literal strangers are welcomed to share communion. The only requirement is the same green and gold inspired zealotry.

St. Vince (John O'Neill) and the papal ring

Among the more colorful of the denizens that frequent the hallowed ground where Starr, Hornung, Lombardi and now Rodgers tread are a couple known simply as St. Vince and Cheese Louise. You’ve probably seen them at the various crowd shots taken from a Packers home game. St. Vince is the fellow that looks like the high priest of Lambeau bedecked in a very bright green cassock and collar, complete with a miter bearing the image of the legendary Vince Lombardi who comes adorned with a cheesehead scepter and a Super Bowl ring which he munificently allows his flock to worship and kiss. With his silvery beard he looks almost regal.

Cheese Louise aka Mary Beth Johnson

His wife is the equally fanatical and maybe even more enthusiastic Cheese Louise, who attends every game sporting – and we are NOT kidding here – her trademark cheese bra, a yellow denim handmade cowgirl skirt, yellow and green cowgirl boots and her latest prized acquisition, a handmade Championship belt a’ la Aaron Rodgers, yellow leggings, the requisite goofy glasses, a handmade Packer necklace created just for her by an Oneida tribe Native American and tam-o’-shanter. Cheese Louise and St. Vince are your typical next door folks from suburbia who are married to each other for some 28 years whose devotion to each other is only exceeded by their devotion to the Packers. Their true identities are John O’Neill and Mary Beth Johnson, and when not stirring the masses they are retired, John from the Dept. of Corrections and Mary Beth from her career as an occupational therapist. They now split time between their homes in Arizona and near Green Bay, particularly when the Pack is home.

Cheese Louise in her Packer Cave
complete with ride

Mary Beth, or Cheese Louise as she prefers to be known, is in fact the Packers representative as the most loyal of fans in a contest sponsored by Vicks Nyquil. Vicks Nyquil began a contest via the social networking sites of Facebook and Twitter to seek out each team’s most loyal fan. “We (John/ ST. Vince and Mary Beth/ Cheese Louise) entered on a whim on the Vicks Nyquil Most Dedicated Fan page and encouraged some of the other crazier Packer fans to do so” said Mary Beth. “I was just hoping to win tickets for John or myself, but I never win anything.” Not so fast. The good folks at Vicks thought enough of Cheese Louise to in fact select her as the Packers’ rep in their Most Dedicated Fan contest. All the reps from each team can be viewed at Facebook/ Nyquil where Cheese Louise also resides.

Now comes the fun part. Cheese Louise has to create a touchdown dance, a game day face shot and display her Packer Cave to be considered. To vote, one must have a Twitter account, and then tweet #VicksMDFGreenBayFan. Fans are also encouraged to follow Cheese Louise at @gbcheeselouise on Twitter. “This whole Twitter thing is all new to me” said the spritely 59 year old Johnson with an easy laugh. 

For O’Neill and Johnson this all started back in New Orleans at Super Bowl XXXI against the Patriots. As John O’Neill explains it “I wanted to represent the spirit of Lombardi as it was the first Super Bowl post Vince. I wasn’t really sure if people would ‘get it’, or if there would be some backlash.” So his wife Mary Beth concocted the first of John’s papal robes for the event. Both had their doubts if it was too over the top. John was concerned that some would be offended by the obvious religious overtones of the get up. Not only did people get it, they ate it up whole. A throng of fans queued up to have a picture taken with the patron saint of touchdowns. A friend suggested that John charge a nominal fee for the photo op, and he did and collected “…several hundred dollars…”. After contacting Bus Cook, Brett Favre’s agent, John and Mary Beth decided to donate the proceeds to the American Cancer Society. Back home in Green Bay St. Vince reappeared the following year and has been a staple ever since. “The experience as St. Vince was so positive we decided to try it again the following season and it just took off from there.”

St. Vince and Bart Starr

All of St. Vince’s frockery is stitched by hand by Mary Beth. “The hardest thing to make was the miter (the papal hat)” said Mary Beth. “The original miter was signed by so many of Lombardi’s former players- Starr, Hornung, Davis – that over the years it began to fade and become threadbare, so we wanted to keep that as part of our treasured collection.” St. Vince is working on his 5^th set of robes and 3^rd miter now. As John says “It’s a lot like being Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne. I take off the outfit and can slip back into complete anonymity!”

Cheese Louise (mary Beth Johnson)...
and she admits she's no 'Angel'

Cheese Louise was a bit tougher to develop for Mary Beth. “At first I was the ‘Guardian Angel’, but that really didn’t fit my personality.” It was a by chance visit to a cheese store in Denmark, Wi. some 5 years later where she caught a glimpse of a cheese bra, an item she immediately had to have. It wasn’t long until she accessorized the new look item and a new persona of Cheese Louise was born and has been in full voice ever since. “I’ve gone thru 3 cheese bras since I’ve become Cheese Louise, but the fellow that makes them doesn’t make them anymore. But the fellow that makes them, a farmer named Wayne, will still make one just for me and leave it for me on his porch when I need one” Johnson says, still marveling at the effect she and Louise and Vince have on other Packer faithful.

“Oh, it gets a little cold, especially in the winter.” By winter she of course means somewhere around the end of September in Green Bay. “I layer underneath when it gets colder but still have to take my over coat off to reveal Cheese Louise” said Johnson, an icon that has become as much a staple as St. Vince. Given the rather bulky fit Johnson has added one other element to the cheese bra. “Oh, I’ve had a couple near Janet Jackson moments” she said with a laugh, “so I added a ruffle to go across the top to prevent any mishaps.” She says “I still take the jackets off so people can appreciate the aged cheddar!”

John O'Neill and Mary Beth Johnson as their alter egos
St. Vince and Cheese Louise

Cheese Louise will be in attendance with St. Vince and about 70,000 of their closest friends when the Pack takes on Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Bucs are reeling. Any team importing Fat Albert Haynesworth, he of the bloated contract and waistline after flaming out famously in DC and the New England is a team in desperate trouble. Josh Freeman is all over the lot at QB and the outlook looks grim for the Bucs.

For the Packers settling a score from last year when the Bucs stole one out from under them will be this week’s challenge. The Bucs, as a team, have little else to offer by way of challenge for the Packers. Aaron Rodgers will continue his torrid streak, and don’t be surprised if new RB Brandon Saine doesn’t get a few looks as Ryan Grant falls further behind James Starks on the depth chart. With injured RB Alex Green in the fold now is as goes a time as any to start evaluating the future. Matt Flynn shined in the 4^th quarter against the Vikings and the defense is looking to put together back to back dominating performances.

WR Jordy Nelson caused a mini stir this week with his comments that he is underrated because he is white, but this is really clutching at straws to try to blow this out of proportion. A lot of smack is talked on an NFL field, and truth is most fans would not get it nor would they really want to hear what their idols are hurling at each other. And a second truth is he is probably accurate. Respect is earned in the NFL and Nelson is beginning to earn his. As his yards after the catch average now leads the NFL at just a tick above 9 YAC Nelson will now have DB’s have to play him a lot tighter.

St. Vince will call down the heavens while Cheese Louise offers the moral support. The Packers will take care of the rest.

  GREEN BAY 37 

  Tampa Bay 10  

The Defense Rises

They all showed up to play. Yes, Aaron Rodgers made the party, along with Jordy Nelson Greg Jennings, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver and the rest of the magnificent 11, but it was the defense’s appearance that has Cheesehead Nation glowing this week.

Charles Woodson started it by telling the media to start talking about perfection. Wood’s words were “Yeah, why not?” to be specific.

When anyone, even a future Hall of Famer renders such an utterance there are some eyes rolled in its’ wake. Remember Vince Young of the Eagles publicly declaring a holiday and the Eagles a “Dream Team”? It can backfire.

One thing about bold statements – the issuer had damn well better be able to back it up, because the quote will surely land on the opponent’s bulletin board, and that’s right were Woodson’s proclamation found a home in Minnesota. Head Coach Leslie Frazier scoffed at Woodson’s shot and used it as a motivational tool for this week’s matchup with the Pack.

As it turns out it was a cold shot then Packers needed. As has become the case the challenge is coming from within the dressing room because there sure is not much in the way of resistance yet. No doubt that when the weather turns and the playoffs start the stiffs will fall off and the challenge will be there for the duration. In the interim Woodson took his own defense to the woodshed. The defense had been not up to snuff lately. At 31 overall and in the same neighborhood against the pass there was more than enough humble pie to go around for every member of the D. This is the point of the season that urgency and a sense of purpose must take over or no matter how glowing the stats are in a stat happy, offensive friendly league if the D doesn’t show up it’ll be a quick trip home from a playoff bust.

The defense got the message and showed up with a vengeance.

''I felt as a defense we owed it to ourselves to play a game like that,'' said Woodson. ''Owed it to our fans, our team, especially our offense who's been playing out of their minds this year. We needed a game like that. It feels good, but it's still one game.''

Christian Ponder no longer has the element of surprise, unless you take into account the look on his face when been continually chased by Clay Matthews, Eric Walden and Charles Woodson. The sack is back in vogue as Matthews picked up 2, and Ponder was forced into running for his life and numerous throwaways against Green Bay. Ponder was held to 190 yards passing and 1 pick. All Day Adrian Peterson became a non-factor as the inside rushers of GB manned up to stanch the run and keep Peterson into a mere mortal category with but 51 yards and the single gift TD.

So good was the Packers defense that the only Viking threat was the result of yet another rookie mistake by Randall Cobb. Cobb electrified the home crowd with a dazzling 80 yard punt return and giving GB a lead it would never relinquish. But Cobb also took his eye off the ball and gave the Vikes terrific field position that even a Pop Warner team could have run in. Head Coach Mike McCarthy stayed with the rookie. Allowing him to run the ball back McCarthy showed patience with his retrain man and Cobb showed a renewed intensity and focus by ripping off a 50 yard return immediately thereafter.

What MM will do is to make sure the kid catches hell privately and away from the cameras, when MM will show the kid the tape of not what he did wrong, but what he did right. Look at the focus – that is the message MM will impart to Cobb. You do THAT and our D gets a well-earned shutout. ''I guess when the lights come on my tempo and my game speed goes up,'' Cobb said. ''But I've got to get to where I'm doing it every game.''

More to the point Cobb needs to get to where he doesn’t give the ball away and give the opponents offense a second bite at the apple.

And don’t think for a second there isn’t a player in Green Bay that doesn’t already know that. There will probably be some ragging from the defense to Cobb, but it will only serve to make his stronger and better for down the road.

Rodgers had another *yawn* typical day for himself *yawn again *.

250 yards, 4 TD’s, 23 of 30, a passer rating of 135,467.96, just another day at the office for Mr. Rodgers. The best thing Rodgers can do now is to start working on his MVP acceptance speech. RB James Starks’ ability to mow down defenders is becoming more evident with every carry. His plows into the once vaunted Viking line saw him pushing numerous would be tacklers back repeatedly. Ryan Grant’s tippy toe cut backs gained little, and Starks also proved an increasing threat as a receiver until he dropped a Rodgers flick late. FB John Kuhn got in on the action as Rodgers looked off all the defenders to nail Kuhn at the 9 where he danced into the end zone untouched until he did his Lambeau leap, and then felt more pounding he did by the passive Viking D.

Backup QB Matt Flynn saw almost a quarter of action and showed why he is the hottest property not currently starting in the NFL. His dart like throws on the slants and his run looked almost Rodgers-esque, and Flynn capped off his own drive with a 3 yard rollout that resulted in his first TD as a pro rushing, and Flynn’s Lambeau Leap is one he’ll truly remember.

What is not being said now speaks volumes. If the Packers D can simply maintain this level week in and week out, if they can step up their game, if they get it in gear, how good could this Packer team be?

Charles Woodson can let a sly grin unfold on his face. He already knows the answer.

The Challenge from Sir Charles

Offense wins games, defense wins championships.

The timed honored formula has not deviated over the course of history and it is the blueprint for every major sport. Last year’s Packers won the Super Bowl based on the strength of their, D and their offense not turning over the ball.

This year has been a shoot-‘em-up, light-‘em-up display of fireworks and offensive pyrotechnics not seen before in Green Bay. The Packers don’t just beat teams; they overwhelm, exhaust and outscore teams. This is clearly the finest collection of offensive talent in Green Bay’s expansive history, and we’re only halfway through the season.

However, there is a “but” in there.

Yes, the Pack is offensively gifted. Yes, they can score almost at will. Yes, they will make a serious run at some all time NFL offensive records.

BUT…

If the defense does not soon begin to tighten up and carry their end of the equation there may be some long faces down the road. The defense, led by All World CB Charles Woodson knows they have to step it up and have been forthright in saying so publicly. Woodson himself hung the yoke of a target around the Pack’s collective neck when he said “Yeah, 16-0 is a possibility, so why not talk about it”.

Part of Woodson’s statement is the challenge laid out at his defensive teammate’s feet. The challenge of boys, we gotta get this thing kick started now.

When an offense is hitting at the rate the Packers are hitting it provides a security blanket for the D that knows they don’t have to win games for the team. That word “BUT” pops up again. BUT… if the offense goes cold or the dropsies strike or some team magically invents a game plan to cover 5 wide outs simultaneously or someone gets injured, then what? What is Plan B when the offense tanks?

Down the stretch last year the Packers rode the D, especially Clay Matthews III, B.J. Raji, a bull up front, and the picks of CB Tramon Williams all the way home. There is an eerie similarity this year to last year in that the D is showing signs of getting started. The good news is the Packers, as a team, haven’t needed the D to step up and win a game for them. Aaron Rodgers shows no signs of cooling off. The running game has been consistently good, and the WR’s along with TE Jermichael Finley have performed at a high level all year.

It is time for the defense to step it up, get it in gear, and match the play of the offense.

Against the Vikings last time rookie QB Christian Ponder had the benefit of surprise as there was not a lot teams could study on him. He does not have that luxury this week. Donovan McNabb has been banished to the bench and will stay there until he is released in the offseason. While McNabb is a pro’s pro and continues to mentor Ponder look for him to land in Indy or Miami or Seattle next year as he attempts to shake off the stink of the past 3 ignominious seasons.

With Ponder at the helm the kid torched the Packers defense with a deep ball on his first ever NFL toss, catching everyone in the backfield flat footed. Ponder also tossed a couple to Woodson to balance out the scoring throws he had in his rookie debut. The Packers will be extensively scrutinizing the film on the kid and this is as good a time as any to show they can make a difference.

Pride has a lot to do with it. No player wants to think he’s the weak link on team, and this D has a lot of pride. Some of the things the Pack will attempt to do is to get better play from their safeties, especially ball hawking 2^nd year man Morgan Burnett. Burnett is a big hitter and helps stuff the run with the best of them. BUT… he also is highly susceptible to biting on a good play action fake and leaving little, if any, over the top coverage that has burnt the Packers CB’s recently. Burnett will be spending extra time to try to read the kid and timing his attacks better against Adrian Peterson, as formidable an opponent as the Packers will see all year.

As Matthews sees more and more double and triple teams the Packers are relying less on his ability to gets sacks as they are in him applying pressure. DC Dom Capers has gone to more of a pressure the QB and cover scheme than his exotic blitz packages and is adapting his D to how other teams are playing against them. Tramon Williams may finally be free from the nagging shoulder injury that has slowed him in recent weeks, and with DE Mike Neal looking to return things may finally turn the corner for the Packers defense.

Neal needed surgery in the preseason on a knee and his return has been delayed, BUT he was cleared to begin practicing this week. It is unrealistic at this point to expect to see him on the field, maybe even next week against Tampa Bay.

BUT – look for Neal to be ready to go by the Thanksgiving Day showdown with Detroit. Neal has tremendous strength and upside and will be considered an upgrade over Jarius Wynn and C.J. Wilson who have valiantly if not spectacularly manned the fort.

This week against the Vikings the Packers have a much better idea of what to expect from Ponder.  If the defense is going to rise to Woodson’s challenge, it will be as good a time as any to do so. While Capers will blitz less, there will be pressure, and with pressure there will be tighter coverage. With that the Packers will do something they are truly good at by taking a few more balls in Ponder’s ongoing education. The real proof in the pudding will be in keeping Peterson to less than 100 yards and playing a more complete game. Rodgers and the offense will do what has become the norm BUT it is now up to the defense to match the effort. It is a work in progress, but this game in Lambeau against a hated division rival will be a start. Ponder won’t have the early success he had and finds it tougher sledding than his first bite at the apple when the coverages he sees will be much, much tighter.

Right now the Packers ranked 31^st in total team defense, and Woodson has made it clear that’s just not good enough. Going public as he did is another way for the Packers for the Packers to challenge themselves. Will the defense be perfect? Not hardly.

BUT… it will be a better defensive performance.

GREEN BAY 31

   Minnesota 13