By way of SportsRadioInterviews.com, Lauria talked about the role Lombardi had as a motivator:

“It’s actually a very important part of the play. His teams were so well-coached that by the time game-time came, he called very few plays. He didn’t even call the quarterback sneak in the Ice Bowl.”

Check out the audio about Lombardi here from ESPN Radio 980 in Washington D.C.

With an entire training camp as evidence, most observers of the Green Bay Packers know where the team could use some help. It doesn’t take a genius to see some potential pitfalls that could plague the 2010 version of the Packers.

Certainly, things may change over the course of the season given unexpectedly strong or weak performances and/or injuries. But let this only serve as a primer as to where the Packers may go in search of help in the draft or free agency (depending on the CBA) next offseason…

• Inside linebacker: With A.J. Hawk scheduled to make around $10 million next season, he figures to be let go prior to 2011. And even in the event that he may re-structure his deal, there’s no reason to think the Packers couldn’t use an upgrade at the position. Brandon Chillar and Desmond Bishop are also waiting their turn, but they have their weaknesses as well. Besides, Bishop is scheduled to be a free agent after this season, and there’s no guarantee he’s coming back. And even if he does, Bishop would be the youngest player at inside linebacker in his fifth year in 2011, and the Packers could use some new blood at the position.
• Outside linebacker: The performance of Brad Jones will go a long ways towards determining how much of a need outside linebacker will be by next season. But even if Jones exceeds expectations, the top backups remain Brady Poppinga and Frank Zombo who don’t exactly install fear in opponents. Because outside linebacker is such an important position in the 3-4 defense, the Packers need more depth and another playmaker at the position in case of injury.
• Cornerback: Much like outside linebacker, the performances of Brandon Underwood, Sam Shields and Pat Lee will determine how much emphasis the team places at cornerback this upcoming offseason. The early returns are dubious at best. While Shields has displayed a lot of potential, neither Underwood nor Lee did anything during the preseason to think that they can be positive contributors in 2010. By chance that one or more of them exceed expectations, cornerback will be further down the list of needs.
• Safety: The Packers are seemingly set with Nick Collins and Morgan Burnett as their starting duo. Beyond them, Charlie Peprah and Derrick Martin have only shown to have value on special teams. It would be nice to have draft a rookie to develop that could possibly turn into a starting caliber player down the road.
• Running back: At a position that takes as much abuse as running back, it’s always good to have another option in your back pocket. The Packers would beat the odds if they make it through the entire year with only Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson at halfback. Sixth-round draft choice James Starks remains an option, but he hasn’t had live contact in any game since the end of the 2008 season.
• Return specialist: The Packers are undertaking a risk with starting cornerback Tramon Williams on punt returns. Meanwhile, Jordy Nelson and Brandon Jackson have yet to show a spark on kick returns. With Will Blackmon gone, there’s a job available for a guy that can both be reliable catching the ball and provide a threat returning it.

“We’re thinking about it right now,” said Dillard.

At this point, no signing is imminent as Smith is mulling offers from other teams. However, Dillard indicated that the timeframe for a decision is today.

“Both sides are seeing where they’re at, at this point,” said Dillard.

Ironically, Smith was cut from the Buccaneers after Tampa Bay claimed former Green Bay running back Kregg Lumpkin. Smith and rookie offensive tackle Derek Hardman were released to make room for Lumpkin and fellow waiver pick-up center Ted Larson (from New England).

Since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2008, Smith has a career kick return average of 28.3 yards on 67 attempts and 12.1 yards on 46 punt returns.

But he also has a reputation as a fumbler. The Buccaneers have lost possession of the ball four times on Smith’s seven career fumbles coming on both offense and on returns.

His best season was his rookie year in 2008 when he was named to both the Associated Press All-Pro team and the NFC Pro Bowl squad after returning one kick and one punt each for a touchdown.

There are several medical concerns surrounding Smith. After an impressive rookie season, Smith had an injury-plagued second year that saw him suffer a concussion when he took a hit from Dante Wesley of the Carolina Panthers while awaiting a punt that led to Wesley’s ejection from the game. He was then placed on injured reserve later in the season following a second concussion.

Smith also missed the first two games of the 2010 exhibition season while battling knee pain resulting from complications with gout. Although he returned for the third and fourth preseason games.

The Buccaneers decided to let go Smith when they had other options available to them in the return game despite the potential of Smith.

“That was a touch call,” said Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris yesterday. “Obviously, one of the sentimental favorites. Obviously, one of those guys that you really have to negotiate with yourself and with what is going on, but with the emergence of a guy like Kareem Huggins, with the emergence of what a guy like Sammie [Stroughter] is able to do in the return game, with the emergence of a guy like [Micheal] Spurlock who is coming back, a guy like [Preston] Parker, and all those different type of returner guys that we have and all the guys that have played different positions, he really was one of the guys that we had to make one of those tough decisions on.

“There is no doubt in my head that he will definitely be one of those guys to go stick somewhere else and find a way to get back here and do something that I am going to regret,” said Morris. “I’m going to have to hug him at the end of the game–win, lose, or draw–because he is definitely one of those guys that you love and care about, and he’s definitely one of our favorite Buccaneers of all time.”

An opening for Smith conceivably came when the Packers decided to release former return specialist Will Blackmon who made it through four mostly injury-filled seasons with the exception of 2008 when he really put himself on the map.

Blackmon suffered a season-ending ACL tear last season and has continued to have flare-ups throughout the course of this season’s training camp.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy indicated yesterday that the team is considering Jordy Nelson and Brandon Jackson on kick returns and Tramon Williams and Greg Jennings on punt returns, but they may have to go another direction if and when they were to sign Smith.

The Packers are currently at the 53-man roster limit and would have to make room for Smith, should they sign him.

At 5-9 and 190 pounds, Smith also plays running back and could conceivably assume the third halfback role on the team unless the Packers decide to stick with John Kuhn. In his two years in Tampa Bay, Smith has done nothing to stand out on the offensive side of the ball tallying only 12 total carries for 47 yards and adding 6 receptions for 26 yards.

The Buccaneers also credit him for having 14 special teams tackles for his play on coverage units.

It’s been seven long months since we had a Packer football game that mattered to look forward to. The fanbase and, it would seem, Packer coaches and players are thinking Super Bowl. The national media has hoped on board with what seems like every significant national prognosticator picking the Packers to at least reach the big game in Dallas if not outright win the thing.

Now, of course, they have to start playing the games. And the second guessing will begin. “I TOLD you they should have picked up that linebacker”; “What the hell was Thompson thinking not drafting a cornerback?”; And, yes, even “They’re crazy if they think they can use Tramon Williams or Greg Jennings on punt returns.”

That last one obviously was all the talk yesterday on Twitter. I thought the idea was beyond absurd. Alex thought otherwise. After a long night spent dealing with various things and stepping away completely from the blog and Twitter I came to one conclusion:

Alex is right.

Damn the torpedoes. Full steam ahead. This team has a chance to do something special and it won’t do it by playing it safe or being tepid in the decisions it makes. If Tramon Williams or, heaven help us, Greg Jennings are the best options, then they are the best options and that’s how they’re gonna roll.

All the second guessing, all the “I told you so’s”, all that nonsense will surely follow us throughout the year – and I’m sure I’ll have more than my fair share along the way. But for this week – I’m on board, one thousand percent. Thompson has made all the right moves. McCarthy and his coaches have the lineup perfectly set. The coaches and players have, for the most part, been working and preparing since March.

That kind of commitment and effort deserves and demands your respect.

This is your team.

(Audio in this clip is very soft)

“He’s going to be playing,” said Woodson. “He’s going to coming in as our third corner. Things are going to be moving fast out there, and he’s going to have to be able to comprehend what’s going on out there and know what he’s doing. The important thing is really, go out there and be an athlete. That’s what he is.”

McCarthy was asked who the nickel cornerback would be, but his response–or lack thereof–wasn’t surprising.

For one, he doesn’t want to tip his hat to the Eagles. For another, he wants to be fair to all players. After all, Monday was only the first day of practice in preparation for a game that was still six days away.

“We’ll work through that this week,” said McCarthy. “I would like to take that as far as I need to as far as who is lining up where. I know you guys respect that.”

But with reports out of Green Bay indicating Brandon Underwood being the only player held out of practice yesterday, odds are Shields will be the nickel cornerback on Sunday at 3:15 Central time when the Packers travel to Philadelphia.

The rookie out of Miami has shown obvious speed having run a 40-yard dash in 4.2 seconds, according to Shields himself. He’s also shown the raw yet promising talent that has got helped him beat the odds to go from being undrafted to making the 53-man roster.

“It’s a blessing to me,” said Shields. “That’s something I’ve always dreamed of, getting to the NFL. Now making the roster just made it more exciting. I’m ready to play now, knowing that I’m on the team.”

A former wide receiver in college prior to his senior year, Shields also has shown more ball skills than the other young cornerbacks on the roster during both training camp and the preseason. Shields had two interceptions during exhibition play to help show for it.

Making the transition from receiver to cornerback during his senior year at the University of Miami, Shields is used to having a target on his back and having opposing teams pick on him.

“I’m prepared. There’s been a lot of things on my back from college on up,” said Shields. “There’s nothing new. I just got to keep working hard and moving forward.”

That could be exactly the case during the Eagles game when quarterback Kevin Kolb has to decide between throwing to receivers covered by veterans like Woodson or Tramon Williams and an untested rookie like Shields.

In a system where the nickel defense typically spends more than 50% of the time on the field during any given game, Shields is going to play a lot. And he’s probably going to see the kitchen sink thrown at him as well.

Woodson, the defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year, isn’t going to have a lot of advice for Shields.

“There ain’t a lot you can tell him,” said Woodson. “Just go out there and play ball. An important thing is going to be for him to not go out there and just get a mental block.”

Shields said he has been hitting the playbook as much as possible to get prepared for any eventuality. Seeing as he hasn’t officially been told he’s nailed down the nickel cornerback job, he’s not taking anything for granted.

“It’s going to be just like the first time in the preseason,” said Shields of Sunday’s game. “Strap it up and you just gotta play. In the regular season, there’s going to be a lot coming at you like more double moves, things like that. I just got to keep working.”

Monday was the first practice in which punter Tim Masthay had the job all to himself. And as Bill Huber of Packer Report points out, Masthay has his work cut out for him. “Masthay will face perhaps his biggest test of the season this weekend,” writes Huber. “The Eagles’ DeSean Jackson averaged 15.2 yards per punt return with two touchdowns last season. He also returned a punt for a touchdown as a rookie in 2008.” He and the special teams as a whole will be tested. Shawn Slocum will be under the microscope.

The dirt on new practice squad addition James Johnson was found by Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “Johnson played four games for the Bengals in 2008 and rushed nine times for 29 yards,” writes Copeland. “He spent 2009 on the practice squad before signing with Minnesota during the offseason. The Vikings released him before training camp began, but the Bengals brought him back for training camp.” Johnson is the only player with the team not to go through training camp with the Packers.

Cheesehead TV has the rest of the practice squad.

Linebackers Clay Matthews and Brad Jones returned to full-time participation at practice on Monday. “Before returning to practice Monday, it had been 29 days since Clay Matthews stood at his left outside linebacker position for the Green Bay Packers,” writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The same nearly goes for Jones on the right side. I wonder why the Packers didn’t give them any practice time at those positions during the OTAs and minicamp this past offseason if they had any inkling they might be moving them around.

Things aren’t looking good for cornerback Brandon Underwood and his availability for the regular season opener. “Underwood (shoulder) was the only player who did not take part in Monday’s practice, and while undrafted rookie Sam Shields is in line to be the No. 3 cornerback in the nickel and either Jarrett Bush or Pat Lee will be the No. 4 cornerback in the dime, Underwood figures to be the odd man out at least for this week,” writes Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin. Despite Underwood’s struggles in the preseason, I would still feel more comfortably with him ahead of both Bush and Lee in the secondary.

Jason Spitz acknowledged he’s behind in his preparation for the 2010 season after being the subject of trade talks the past month or so. “I missed that second week of camp there, and I think that was a critical week. We obviously had that funny schedule (after that) and obviously had a couple non-padded practices between the games – and there’s another week gone without hitting,” Spitz is quoted as saying by Wilde. “I’m still in that training-camp mode. I’m needed to play multiple positions, so to get back to playing and get my pad level down and getting my pop back.” Spitz will likely be the top backup at center, but whether he’s a top backup at either left or right guard remains to be seen.

The Packers led all teams with five players claimed on waivers reports Greg Bedard of the Journal Sentinel. Since that time, punter Chris Bryan was claimed by the Buccaneers pushing that number to six. “There’s no doubt having five players claimed shows how talented the Packers’ roster was/is,” writes Bedard. The question is, did the Packers release too many players that could have contributed this season?

Running back Quinn Porter has been released by the Packers, which came as a surprise. “At least at this point, Porter will not be developed by the Packers,” writes Bedard. “Porter did receive an injury settlement according to Saturday’s transactions. So he could return sometime down the road.” If I’m correct, Porter and any other player that has been waived injured, is eligible to be signed again after six weeks. Will Blackmon would also fall under that category.

The similarity of the career paths of Aaron Rodgers and Kevin Kolb are compared by Chris Lempesis of Ol’ Bag of Donuts. “The Philadelphia Eagles decided they had more than enough in place to copy what Green Bay did two years ago,” writes Lempesis. “As a result, they replaced aging quarterback Donovan McNabb with Kevin Kolb in an experiment that officially begins Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field against the Packers.”

Johnny Jolly is one of 14 NFL players suspended for the start of the season as noted by the Associated Press.

Railbird endorsed video: Get ready for two fences across from Lambeau Field this year…

In my mind, this is the key line from that post:

…when Mike McCarthy and Dom Capers sat down and went over the cut-ups on the defensive side of the ball, they saw a lot that Capers could do to improve with what they have on hand personnel wise.

I have no doubt we’ll see a bunch of non-scouted stuff a week from today in Philadelphia. And I have no doubt the defense will look better than most fans expect. That’s not to say there are not legitimate concerns: Brad Jones, who will be counted on opposite Clay Matthews, hardly played this preseason. Neither did Matthews, for that matter, though at least he has a track record of success when it comes to rushing the passer. The secondary is still young and actually got younger with the release of Will Blackmon and the addition of Sam Shields who, along with Brandon Underwood and Pat Lee, have got to be the biggest question marks on this team.

However, Capers is not completely bereft of talent on the defensive side of the ball. I know all the gnashing of teeth over the outside linebacker spot and the nickel and dime corners tends to obscure the fact that this is still a defense which features the reigning Defensive Player of the Year along with a two-time Pro Bowler in Nick Collins. And there is young talent emerging up front. If you haven’t figured it out yet – Mike Neal is a player, and will be a big part of the expected improvement on the defensive side of the ball. I completely agree with what Greg Bedard had to say about Neal when Greg appeared on Packer Transplants last week – Neal should replace B.J. Raji in the Nickel. Like, yesterday. The guy is already the second best pass rushing defensive linemen on the squad, after Cullen Jenkins, and he hasn’t even played his first regular season game yet.

Regardless of the positives or the negatives, Capers will be judged by one thing: results.

And those results will determine how real the Packers’ Super Bowl chances are.

“The offense will be fine”, while it sounds lazy, is actually correct. The offense WILL be fine. Aaron Rodgers and company will have their ups and downs as any NFL team does throughout the course of a 16 game season.  But for the most part they will be able to score on anyone, anywhere, at anytime.

Which brings us back to the defense. If there is going to be any marked improvement in the pass rush, it will come from an increase in the multiple places the blitz comes from and when it comes. I got rapped on the knuckles for daring to write “Capers needs to blitz more” – which isn’t actually what I wrote, but Donald’s Designated Driver makes the right point: It’s not as simple as that. It’s not a question of sending more guys more often. It’s a question of sending different guys at different times. Too often the Packers relied on one of three versions of pressure – the cross-dog from their middle linebackers, the slot blitz by Woodson, or the straight-up four man rush from the Nickel with two defensive linemen and two outside linebackers. By the end of the year even my oldest daughter could tell when the cross-dog was coming.

That isn’t to say Capers never got creative. He designed and called some creative stuff, especially against younger quarterbacks like Jay Cutler and Tony Romo. But, and stop me if you’ve heard this one before, the veteran QBs the Packers faced rarely saw much beyond the three types of pressure I just listed above. One trap I think Capers fell into last season was being so dedicated to stopping the run that he constantly put himself in bad positions when he came up against guys like Favre or Warner, quarterbacks who could easily recognize what the defense was trying to do on early downs. The veteran quarterbacks easily made the necessary adjustments.

Now, fans would no doubt welcome more pressure looks and calls from Capers, but they have to take the good with the bad. As DDD indicates in his post, the drunk at the bar is always calling for his team to “blitz more” – only to curse the team when it allows a big pass play. Bill Johnson is spot on when he says, as he has several times on Green and Gold Today, that fans would have to live with the occasional big play if they want to reap the benefits of some extra pressure.

The company line from the Packers has been that Capers has been playing “vanilla” this preseason, but if you take a closer look, I think we actually saw a small sneak peak during the Colts game of the small shift Capers will be making this year. After watching Manning move the ball pretty well for a few series, Capers started to dial up some pressure. Nothing exotic, but it was interesting to see him sending Nick Collins and Charles Woodson. Now, Woodson was a regular on the pass rush rotation last year, but we rarely saw Collins coming on a blitz. In fact, just three weeks ago Leroy Butler was talking on Packer Transplants about how the team would probably prefer to keep Collins back to play center-field. Yet there Collins was against the Colts, dropping down into the box:

Now, he doesn’t get to the passer, but notice how he occupies the running back who would have been there to help against Mike Neal had Collins not come flying in. The play encapsulates exactly what I feel the Packers need to do this season. Bring different guys from different places and let guys like Mike Neal, Cullen Jenkins and Clay Matthews take advantage of the confusion and the one-on-ones that are produced as a result.

Fans tend to overreact to the final roster as it is and this year, with expectations sky high, the rehtoric is especially ridiculous. We tend to latch on to the images from the playoff game and the games against the Vikings and Steelers and think that the league is set to roll over the Packers. In actuality, football games are won and lost by two things: Star players and one or two plays a game. The Packers have the star players in Rodgers, Woodson, Finley and Matthews. Now they need to stop the 3rd and 17 conversion by Favre. They need to stop letting down their guard on a Steelers pass play where Hines Ward gets behind Bush for a big gain after it looks like the defense has come up with a big 3rd down stop. The list goes on and on. Each game the Packers lost against “veteran quarterbacks” could have easily gone the other way had the defense come up with one play it didn’t, usually a 3rd down where the likes of Jarrett Bush or Brandon Underwood were caught looking in the backfield or where the pass rush was non-existent.

Look no further than the current Super Bowl champions. They didn’t have a lights-out defense. No one would confuse them with the 2008 Steelers. And they had their own issues in the secondary throughout last season. But they made the one or two plays necessary when they needed to be made, came up with one or two stops that helped swing games toward their direction. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ heavy pressure scheme, with multiple personnel blitz packages, played a big part in that. Sense a theme here? There’s no reason the Packers can’t take the step the Saints took last year. Football Outsiders‘ founder Aaron Schatz is fond of noting that offense tends to be much more consistent from year to year and that teams like the Colts and Saints simply keep trying to match a defense that will do just enough with an already potent offense. I think this is the path the Packers have set themselves on.

The Packers have all the tools they need to get to the Super Bowl. We know the offense is up to the challenge. The hopes and dreams of Packer fans everywhere rests with Dom Capers and the defense.

• QB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn
• RB: Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson
• FB: Korey Hall, John Kuhn, Quinn Johnson
• WR: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Brett Swain
• TE: Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, Andrew Quarless, Tom Crabtree
• OL: Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Daryn Colledge, Josh Sitton, Scott Wells, Bryan Bulaga, T.J. Lang, Jason Spitz, Nick McDonald, Marshall Newhouse
• DL: Cullen Jenkins, B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Mike Neal, Justin Harrell, C.J. Wilson
• ILB: Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brandon Chillar, Desmond Bishop
• OLB: Clay Matthews, Brad Jones, Brady Poppinga, Frank Zombo
• CB: Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Brandon Underwood, Jarrett Bush, Sam Shields, Pat Lee
• S: Nick Collins, Morgan Burnett, Derrick Martin, Charlie Peprah
• ST: Mason Crosby, Brett Goode, Tim Masthay

Will Blackmon and Allen Barbre are on Injured Reserve but will be released once their injury settlements are finalized.

S/KR Will Blackmon has been released. Imagine there’s an injury settlement

Along with this comes news from Tom Silverstein that Jason Chery, Charles Dillon, Anthony Toribio, and Ronald Talley have been released as well. The Packers have reportedly asked Talley to consider joining their practice squad.

And so it begins. Keep refreshing this page for updates.

UPDATE:

Some more.

The Packers turned down multiple offers for Jason Spitz. He will be on the Final 53.

The team will release Spencer Havner if they can not find a team interested in trading for him.

Same with Evan Dieteich-Smith.

Breno Giacomini to be released.

Jarius Wynn released.

Alex Joseph released.

Zombo is in & Obiozor is out.

Per Rob Demovsky the Packers have told Nick McDonald he has a “very good chance” to make the team.

Chris Campbell has been released.

Maurice Simpkins has been released.

The team has reached an injury settlement with Allen Barbre

Chris Bryan has been cut, which should mean Masthay is the punter.

So it’s refreshing – yes, refreshing – to read this from Bill Simmons:

…my affection for Rodgers increased exponentially at ESPN’s Sundance party during the conference championships, when Rodgers and his buddies unabashedly rooted against former nemesis Favre and the Vikings down the stretch and celebrated raucously when New Orleans pulled it out. Rodgers couldn’t have been more delighted; he did everything but climb on the bar and start a “F— YOU, FAVRE!” chant. I will always root for him after that. And yes, that story is 100 percent true.

I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.

Blue Chips

• Brett Swain: Swain’s biggest contribution to the Green Bay Packers may be on special teams, but he showed on Thursday night that he’s a pretty good wide receiver too. A favorite target of quarterback Matt Flynn, Swain had 6 catches for 130 yards including a 77-yard catch and run against the Chiefs. Flynn also looked for Swain in the endzone, but the pass fell incomplete. The wide receiver also showed some grit by shaking off obvious pain to come back into the game and perform at a high level.
• Jarrett Bush: Bush had the best performance on the defensive side of the ball, and there isn’t even another player in the discussion. His interception, while nice, wasn’t even the most impressive part of his game. The interception was mostly the result of an errant throw. It was his two tackles for a loss coming against the run that deserve praise. And the break-up of a deep pass from Matt Cassell in the first quarter was a nice addition. With the exception of his two penalties on the defensive side of the ball this preseason, he’s looked as good, if not better, in coverage as any of the reserve cornerbacks on the team.

Red Chips

• Matt Flynn: He couldn’t turn 307 yards passing into many points, but Flynn did an admirable job directing the Packers offense in the absence of Aaron Rodgers. Flynn completed 62% of his passes with a passer rating of 88.1. If he was surrounded by the first-team offense for the entire game, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think he could easily improve upon those numbers.
• Quinn Johnson: Known primarily as a punishing lead blocker, Johnson showed some wiggle for perhaps the first time while wearing a Green Bay Packers uniform when hauling in a pass from Flynn, making a tackler miss with a juke and turning it into a seven-yard completion. If Johnson is going to have a job in a pass-first offense like Green Bay’s, he’s going to have to do more of that in the future. His lead blocking and pass protection were also a positive.

Cow Chips

• Jason Chery: If Chery had any chance of making the team as a return specialist, he fumbled away that chance (literally and figuratively) on the first play of the game where he lost control of the ball, recovered and then fumbled after a short return, which was recovered by John Kuhn. Head coach Mike McCarthy said at halftime, “You can’t play in Green Bay if you don’t take care of the football.”
• Linebackers in pass coverage: The personnel may have been different, the no matter who seems to be at inside linebacker for the Packers, they seem to get exposed in zone coverage. Whether it was Maurice Simpkins trailing in coverage on a mismatch against a much faster Chiefs wide receiver, or it was Cyril Obiozor getting sucked in on a play action fake, the play by the linebackers was eerily reminiscent to last year’s playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals who took advantage of match-up issues.

In basically only three quarters of play, Flynn completed 23 out of 37 passes for 307 yards. He didn’t have any touchdowns, but he also didn’t throw any interceptions.

It wasn’t a great showing by any means. After all, the Packers only scored 13 points the whole game and only converted 4 of 19 combined third and fourth downs, but Flynn started to ease concerns that he could adequately fill in for Rodgers if necessary over a short amount of time.

Considering Flynn only played a series or two with other players considered starters, it would be hard to blame anyone for wondering what the backup quarterback could do if he was surrounded by the “ones.” At several times throughout the course of the game, Flynn was plagued by dropped passes and hit or miss protection.

Rodgers was one of three healthy scratches for the Packers in the fourth preseason game joining cornerback Charles Woodson and running back Ryan Grant. The Packers also kept several other players out of the game that have been dealing with injuries.

According to reports from other NFL games, holding starters out of the game was a common theme on this Thursday. The final preseason game has always been notorious for starters playing sparingly, but it seems to have gone a step further in 2010. Certainly this will be presented as evidence for the need of an “enhanced season” that would see the exhibition season trimmed to two games while the regular season is extended to 18.

QB

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Matt Flynn

HB

1. Ryan Grant
2. Brandon Jackson
3. Kregg Lumpkin

FB

1. Korey Hall
2. John Kuhn

TE

1. Jermichael Finley
2. Donald Lee
3. Spencer Havner
4. Andrew Quarless

WR

1. Greg Jennings
2. Donald Driver
3. James Jones
4. Jordy Nelson
5. Brett Swain

OL

1. Chad Clifton
2. Daryn Colledge
3. Scott Wells
4. Josh Sitton
5. Mark Tauscher
6. Jason Spitz
7. T.J. Lang
8. Bryan Bulaga
9. Evan Dietrich-Smith
10. Marshall Newhouse

DL

1. Ryan Pickett
2. BJ Raji
3. Cullen Jenkins
4. Mike Neal
5. Justin Harrell
6. Jarius Wynn

ILB

1. Nick Barnett
2. AJ Hawk
3. Desmond Bishop
4. Brandon Chillar

OLB

1. Clay Matthews
2. Brad Jones
3. Brady Poppinga
4. Frank Zombo

CB

1. Charles Woodson
2. Tramon Williams
3. Brandon Underwood
4. Pat Lee
5. Sam Shields
6. Jarret Bush

S

1. Nick Collins
2. Morgan Burnett
3. Derrick Martin
4. Charlie Peprah

Specialists:

1. Mason Crosby
2. Tim Masthay
3. Brett Goode

Practice Squad:

1. Graham Harrell
2. Tom Crabtree
3. Charles Dillon
4. C.J. Wilson
5. Anthony Levine
6. Robert Francois
7. Chastin West
8. D.J. Clark

Have at it.

Money quote:

Indy’s next drive started with a long pass to Garcon from the Colts’ 22-yard line, and here you got to see the range that made the Packers so interested in Burnett. He was near the middle of the field when Manning let the ball go, and by the time it came down in Garcon’s area at the Green Bay 36-yard line, Burnett was there to break on the throw and almost pick it off. On the play, the Colts went with an unusual (for them) two-tight end set left. As Reggie Wayne took Charles Woodson inside, Garcon ran the deep route with Brandon Underwood trailing along. This was another nickel defense (I’d be shocked if the Colts don’t face the most nickel in the NFL). Manning seemed both surprised that Burnett got over there and distressed that a flaw in his own internal mechanism had allowed a misfire.

• QB (2): Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn
• RB (2): Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson
• FB (3): John Kuhn, Korey Hall, Quinn Johnson
• WR (5): Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Brett Swain
• TE (4): Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, Spencer Havner, Andrew Quarless
• OL (10): Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Josh Sitton, Daryn Colledge, Scott Wells, Bryan Bulaga, T.J. Lang, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Marshall Newhouse, Jason Spitz
• DL (6): Cullen Jenkins, Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, Mike Neal, Justin Harrell, Jarius Wynn
• ILB (4): Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brandon Chillar, Desmond Bishop
• OLB (4): Clay Matthews, Brad Jones, Brady Poppinga, Frank Zombo
• CB (6): Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Brandon Underwood, Pat Lee, Jarrett Bush
• S (4): Nick Collins, Morgan Burnett, Derrick Martin, Charlie Peprah
• ST (3): Mason Crosby, Tim Masthay, Brett Goode

Trade candidates: Jason Spitz, Quinn Johnson, Breno Giacomini

Positions of possible need: Outside linebacker, safety, cornerback, running back

Last four in: Quinn Johnson, Jarrett Bush, Frank Zombo, Charlie Peprah

First four out: Will Blackmon, Cyril Obiozor, Tom Crabtree, Kregg Lumpkin

Practice squad: Graham Harrell, running back, Charles Dillon, offensive lineman, Tom Crabtree, C.J. Wilson, Cyril Obiozor, Anthony Levine

Notes:

• This was tough. The roster assumes no trades or waiver wire pickups. I expect there to be at least one or two of these, however.
• It was a tough call between Obiozor and Zombo. No matter who the Packers keep, I think either one of them are expendable should they acquire another linebacker via trade or the waiver wire.
• Depth at safety, while a concern, isn’t as dire as some may believe. I don’t think the Packers go out and acquire a safety just to ride the pine behind Collins and Burnett. Besides, Peprah has looked as good as he ever has in a Packers uniform and can fill the gap, at least until Atari Bigby comes off PUP.
• Because the reserve cornerbacks have looked underwhelming at best, I could see them pick up a player via the waiver wire or trade. Someone they think they can develop.
• If the Packers don’t trade Jason Spitz, they’ll keep 10 offensive linemen. All 10 are worthy of a roster spot and would give the Packers one of the deepest lines in the league.
• Going into the regular season with only two running backs is a risk. If they do, the Packers almost certainly will need one on their practice squad, and I don’t think it’s going to be Kregg Lumpkin.
• While Crabtree was a tough cut, I don’t think other teams are going to be clamoring to put him on their 53. The Packers can probably stash him on their practice squad.
• The decision on Will Blackmon is going to be among the toughest on the team. His injury situation complicates his situation.
• If the Packers can’t trade Quinn Johnson, I expect them to keep all three fullbacks again.

• Offense: Kregg Lumpkin – Lumpkin is one of the few players on the fence. Seeing as he doesn’t offer much special teams value, he has to make an impact on offense. The Packers can probably go into the season with John Kuhn as the No. 3 halfback, so Lumpkin must convince the Packers he’s too valuable to let go. It would help Lumpkin’s chances if he can break a couple long runs this evening. If not with the Packers, maybe another NFL team will notice.
• Defense: Charlie Peprah – With Atari Bigby on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list to begin the season, Peprah might be tough to keep off the 53-man roster, at least until Bigby comes back. However, he’s not a lock. Grabbing an interception tonight would really, really get the fanbase rallied around Peprah. He’s done a surprisingly solid job at safety throughout the preseason and one more solid showing could cement himself a job with the Packers.
• Special teams: Jason Chery – Did you expect anything else to watch on special teams tonight? The possibility of this happening isn’t likely, but just imagine if Chery can return another kick for a touchdown tonight. It would be near impossible to keep him off the roster. So much as a 50-yard kick return will give the Packers much to think about.

Offensive tackle Breno Giacomini is a trade candidate according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Giacomini has prototypical size and temperament for right tackle, won’t turn 25 until Sept. 27 and has two minimum-salary years remaining on his contract,” writes McGinn. “Those factors make him attractive to some of the teams looking for a tackle.” Giacomini probably won’t be making the Packers roster anyway, so they’ll be glad to entertain a trade for him. They can only hope two or more teams can get in a bidding war and can take the best offer.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and 10 other players showed up at the annual Welcome Packers luncheon yesterday wearing cowboy hats signifying their goal of making it to the Super Bowl being held in Dallas, Tex. this season. “If the Green Bay Packers and their fans are downplaying the team’s Super Bowl chances this season, it wasn’t evident Wednesday,” writes Tony Walter of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Talk of the Super Bowl has been a recurring theme for the Packers since training camp opened. Talk ends soon as the season is about to begin.

With the Packers traveling to Kansas City, Mike McCarthy and the team announced a $100,000 donation to nearby Baker University. “For the third straight year, McCarthy and the Packers’ organization have partnered to make a $100,000 donation to the school in Baldwin City, Kan.,” writes Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star. Baker University is McCarthy’s alma mater.

Depth at the safety position is touched upon by Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette, and it appears defensive coordinator Dom Capers may be more optimistic than both. “I think we’ve got better depth than we did last year,” Capers is quoted as saying. “I was concerned about our depth last year, and it proved itself out in those first four games when Atari went out in the opener, and we ended up making a roster move after the second game and next thing you know we’ve got a linebacker playing safety.” All eyes will be on Charlie Peprah tonight. A good performance will help his chances of making the team.

The Packers made it through the month of August without any big injuries, an underrated accomplishment, writes Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette. “The Packers have lost no starters for the season, and among their core of key playmakers, only one, outside linebacker Clay Matthews, sustained an injury of note, a pulled hamstring that has sidelined him since the end of the first week of practice, and even he’s expected back next week,” reports Dougherty. “So if the starters can get through the one series they’re expected to play Thursday night, the players that matter most will be on the field when the regular season opens Sept. 12.” The Packers, of course, have three players on the PUP list, but those injuries did not occur during training camp.

The “last chance” aspect of tonight’s game is written about by Kareem Copeland of the Press-Gazette. “It’s in my head,” running back Kregg Lumpkin is quoted as saying. “It’s the last week and coaches are making their final decisions. All I can do is just go out there and do what I can do and have faith that Green Bay keeps me or another team picks me up.” Lumpkin is one of those so-called players on the fence. He could really benefit from a good performance tonight whether the Packers notice it or another team.

Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal delivers an anecdote about the reality of the looming final cuts the team must make. “There have been times during training camp that Frank Zombo and Nick McDonald have discussed the possibility that, come this weekend, they’ll climb into Zombo’s 2006 Chevy Impala and make the 500-mile journey back to their hometown, the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights, Mich.,” writes Polzin. For a newcomer on the Packers beat, Polzin does some good storytelling.

The reality of Tramon Williams becoming a starting cornerback is examined by McGinn. “With youth all around, the last thing the Packers can afford is for Williams’ level of play to be a problem,” writes McGinn. “There are no guarantees Harris will be activated from the physically unable to perform list, and the organization can’t be sure how he will perform if he does reach the field.” Even if Harris comes back, Williams may hold onto the starting job if the Packers want to ease Harris back into action by keeping him on subpackages only.

Head coach Mike McCarthy will be visiting his oldest daughter during this road trip to Kansas City with her being a freshman at the University of Kansas this year. “I’m kind of excited to go down to Kansas and see her dorm room and things like that,” McCarthy is quoted as saying by Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “This is neat.”

The Packers will go 13-3 this year according to the 4th and 26 blog at the A.V. Club.

The Stadium View in Green Bay is being considered as one of America’s best sports bars.

The veteran offensive tackles are interviewed by Rob Reischel of Packer Plus on the Journal Sentinel’s Packer Insider section (subscription required).

Did you catch Cheesehead Radio with guest Kareem Copeland last evening?

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Vince Lombardi – actor Dan Lauria’s interview with Ben Allen and Joe Tordy.

Director Thomas Kail Interview with Chris Quagliata and Kyle Kesses
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