adambr2

Best reliever on the free agent market, but will turn 32 next month. It’s reportedly a three-year deal with a fourth year club option. Deal is worth $54 million. I continue to be flabbergasted that not one team put a waiver claim in on Brad Hand. Hendricks can get 3/54 on the open market but every team in baseball gets a shot at a 1/10 contract for Hand and not one single team wants to bite on that?! I know its not my money, but sheesh it feels like we should have jumped on that.

To be clear, I wasn't implying that the Packers had an easy schedule. We have our share of quality wins, too. Would have been nice to pick one up in Tampa or Indy, but New Orleans was a very quality road win. I was only disagreeing that the Rams had an easy road and compared our schedule for context. I feel like weak schedule arguments get really overused in the NFL. It's not like college football where some teams clearly don't belong on the same field as others. These are all professional teams and even the bad teams can compete relative to the good teams on their better days and the better teams can play down to the worst teams on their bad days. Unless you play in an absolute albatross of a division, you're going to play some good teams and some bad teams and most teams will fall somewhere in the middle. No one struts into the playoffs with 10 quality wins. I still remember arguing with people last year who insisted the 49ers weren't going anywhere even at 8-0 because they "hadn't played anybody". You'll learn a lot more by looking at the team itself rather than their competition.

They lost to the jets. I'll rephrase then -- they haven't been blown out this season. I am not sure why anyone believes they've played a cupcake schedule because that just isn't true at all. Buffalo is a solid team. Miami is a solid team. The AFC North is quite similar to our schedule against the South. Probably slightly better. Their division is quite clearly better than the NFC North despite the 49ers being down this year. To downplay beating Seattle twice and Tampa once is just...silly (not by you.) Those are 3 real quality wins. We don't have 3 wins against 11-5/12-4 teams on our resume. The Rams have played a tough schedule. Anyone suggesting otherwise isn't really doing any research. No one gets 16 games against playoff teams -- everyone is going to have a few daisies along the way.

The Rams literally had the toughest strength of schedule of any NFC playoff team and the best strength of victory of any team in the NFC and 3rd best in the entire NFL.

Surprised at the lack of respect for the Rams. I do think we'll win but they have the exact kind of team that usually gives us fits. They can bring pressure on the QB, and with one of the best corners in the game on Adams we'll need contributions from guys like Tonyan and MVS. I wouldn't go into this game counting on Donald to be totally neutralized by his injury -- he's a competitor and adrenaline will go a long ways toward overcoming pain. Their running game is better than the stats show. Forget the season stats, the last month or so they've completely committed to Akers and it's been an entirely different ground game than earlier in the season. They're a well-coached, battle tested team with 5 wins over playoff teams and a very close loss in Buffalo. They haven't embarrassed themselves in any game this season and I see no reason to believe they will on Saturday. 28-23 Packers

Neither Goff nor Woford played any major role in beating Seattle. When we lost to the 49ers in the NFC title game Jimmy G played almost zero role in it. If the Rams are in this game I expect it to be a lot more on the back of their running game and defense, not their QB.

I suppose the Steelers would have thought they'd be in good shape if Big Ben threw for 500+ yards and 4 TDs tonight. What the heck has happened to that defense?

Seriously, Tomlin has just coached an awful game today. That 4th and 1 near midfield should have been a no brainer go for it, the Steelers had all the momentum in this game and gave it all back.

Mike Tomlin's PAT decisions seem to come out of a hat. He went for 2 earlier when it probably made more sense to kick and then he kicks here when it 100% makes sense to go for 2.

This thing is a long, long ways from being over. I doubt there's a fan in Cleveland who doesn't expect to blow this. Pissing away a 28-0 lead and losing would be such a Browns way to return to the playoffs.

Ravens/Bills (unless Pittsburgh makes a miraculous comeback) is going to see must-see TV next week. Actually, Cleveland/Kansas City would be a great game too. Hope Cleveland puts this thing away. I'm sure Chiefs/Ravens was the juicy AFC matchup that the NFL would have liked, though. Still could get it in the AFC Championship.

I have no idea what the cap situation looks like for Pittsburgh next year, but an Aaron Jones would be a great fit for them. They're not usually in the business of paying top dollar for running backs, though.

I'm not afraid of the Rams, but I respect them as a worthy divisional round opponent. Cam Akers is the real deal. "Snacks" may be a more important piece than we anticipated for our run.

His career path reminds me a lot of Mike McCarthy. A ton of regular season success, but playoff success far in the rear view mirror. Sometimes things just get stale with one guy after so long.

Did Mike Tomlin just punt from his opponent's 38 yard line down 28? Good heavens, Mike.

Their defense was so good the first half of the season. They've completely gone off the rails on that side of the ball. The offense has always been pretty hit-and-miss. They don't have much of a running game, so if they don't hit on several big passes every game, they are in trouble. All very true. Still a high octane passing game when its on with 3 quarters to go and it's still the Cleveland Browns on the other side, so we'll see what happens.

I didn't think the Steelers were that good, but it's hard to believe they are this bad.

I'm not opposed to cashing in Tonyan for a 2nd round pick if that ends up being an option.

I'm serious. You have plenty of good posts but far too many that are simply stated to insult the actual fans that want to discuss Packer football. Racist undertones and Cardinal shaming to boot? Please do spare us. So you’re not even willing to admit that his “whiteness” didn’t play a role in the love he received while being a Packer? Just because maybe you don’t agree doesn’t mean it wasn’t true. Seriously, no one really gives a crap about Kumerow enough to care what color he is. He got love because Rodgers loved him and that was enough for the casuals. You're reading too much into the comments on Facebook/Twitter/online blogs. 99% of dedicated Packer fan's didn't give Kumerow being cut a second thought.

I work 6 am to 6 pm on Saturday then 10 pm to 6 am on Sunday night/Monday morning. Literally any other time slot would have worked for me to watch the game. Damnit.

Just as I say that, don't count out Cleveland. Pittsburgh isn't that good.

One way or another I think some team is going to have to play on 6 days rest. I expect Bucs/Saints to be a late prime time game as you say and if Chiefs/Ravens is a matchup I definitely expect that to be the other. So I do expect us to play earlier in the day on either particular day.

All you need to know about Mitchell Trubisky as a competitor can be summed up by the Bears' 4th down play in the first half when they were trailing 7-0 and desperately needed an answer. 4th and 5 around the Saints' 35 and Trubisky can't find anyone and takes off. Couple defenders bearing down near the sticks. If he pulls a Heinicke and dives head first for it, he's got a great shot of picking it up. Is his body going to pay for it, yes. But nope. Pulls up scared and flees out of bounds 2 yards short.

I do think we'd beat the Rams, but I don't love the matchup on paper. Assuming Donald plays they do have a fierce pass rush and probably one of the only corners in football that might be able to hold Adams in check. They also can run the ball. They didn't need Goff to do anything to beat Seattle handily. Again, I do think the HFA is enough to put it in our column but it's not a gimme.

No...I'm not going to google and seek out Packers fan fights. That's an infinitesimal pct of the fan base and a pretty ridiculous standard by which to judge the fan base. Green Bay games compared to games in Philly, Chicago, Detriot...etc...are exceptionally laid back. Going to a FB game in Packers gear in Chicago and you're treated much-MUCH worse than a Bears fan in GB. In fact, this is actually an area I wish the fans would get better. Get louder, get more into the games. But we have an older fan base, so our games aren't as loud as KC's or Seattle's. Not harassing other fans of course, but just the energy levels. I'd like to know which fan base doesn't have some idiots getting drunk and getting into fights. This started over the idea that there was this outrage when Kumerow was cut and the fans "whined" about it and now it's somehow morphed into how we're like the Cards of MLB(which I don't understand either) or it's about actively seeking out negative news stories about individual fans. You have to see how this is an AWFUL way to judge arguably the most popular team in the world, right? For the record, I've been to ~100 Packers games, I've literally never seen a single fight. I've seen some obnoxious drunk people obviously and I've usually seen them thrown out rather quickly and the section applauding that ejection. I've seen you use the Cards fans comparison several times(in fact, I THOUGHT you'd previously said you were not a Packers fan...a Brewers/Bears fan, but I may have you confused)...but it makes even less sense in the way you're now trying to use it. If you just said Packers fans have a sense of arrogance or entitlement due to their History, I'd be inclined to agree, but claiming they're "up there," inferring they're among the worst in cheering other players injuries and fights at the game....I don't think there's any truth to that beyond an anecdote or so. My brother went to a Washington game in D.C. back in '10. Was surrounded by a group of "fans" in the parking lot who harassed him and kicked his car on the way out just for having Packer gear on. And Washington WON that game. I was at Favre's first game against the Packers on MNF in '09. Was just absolutely viciously ridiculed on my way out. Nothing I could do but grit my teeth and keep walking. I'm not saying opposing fans at Lambeau don't have bad experiences from time to time but in all my times at Lambeau I've never seen opposing fans harassed beyond a little mutual teasing. I will say I've been to the new Busch stadium a couple times in Brewer gear and never once been treated disrespectfully by Cardinal fans.