The Clay Maker, week 16

Clay had 5 tackles and 1 forced fumble in a crucial victory over the Giants that i was lucky enough to be at. More photos to come. 

The Clay Maker, week 15

yeah, this was pretty much the extent of Clay's contributions last night. The Pack lost another close one 31-27 against the Pats. Matt Flynn played really well in Rodgers absence but special teams and poor play calling by McCarthy lost it for us... As long as we win our last 2 games we can still make the playoffs. 

The Clay Maker, week 14

Clay had one sack, bringing his season total up to 12.5, in the most disgusting and embarrassing loss of the year... Probably worse than losing to Tampa last year. 

"The legend of Favre is dead, and Aaron Rodgers killed it."

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/The-legend-of-Brett-Favre-is-dead?urn=nfl-287826

The Clay Maker, week 11

Clay was credited with a sack today, even though Favre sacked himself... The Packers routed the Vikings 31-3 in the dome. Rodgers threw for 301 yards and 4 TD's, including 3 to Jennings. The defense forced 2 turnovers including a Tramon Williams INT. 

So Long, Al

The Packers officially released Al Harris yesterday. Read the full story here. I dont really understand why they chose to make this decision... they say hey want to develop the young guys... I'd rather win the superbowl this year. We'll miss you in Titletown, Al. Thanks for everything.

The Clay Maker, week 9

Clay Matthews had 4 tackles, a sack, and an interception for a touchdown in a dominating performance over the Cowboys. Packers won 45-7. MVP!!!

The Clay Maker, week 8

Another sack today, right when we needed it. Packers post the first shutout of the season as we upset the Jets in the meadowlands, 9-0!

Oh yeah, I was at the week 7 Pack/Vikes game.... best game ever!

The Clay Maker, week 7

After sitting out week 6 against Miami with a hamstring injury, Clay Matthews did not record a sack in week 7. However, the Packers got a solid win over the Vikings.

The Clay Maker, week 5

Clay had 1.5 sacks in a loss against Washington... he actually had like 5, but one was ruled an aborted play and a couple others were called back on penalties. Clay re-aggravated his hamstring in the third quarter, his status is questionable next week against Miami, but don't expect him or half the team to play.  

Great article about Clay Matthews

Read this. (click on the word "this")   :)

Ugly and Uglier (with a few bright spots)

The ugliest win of the season, in which the special teams fumbled twice, Rodgers gave away two interceptions, and the defense gave up 300+ yards TO THE LIONS, came with some even uglier news; Morgan Burnett is done for the season.

Packers.com reports that Burnett suffered a torn ACL sometime in the second quarter, and continued to play up to ten snaps before he came out of the game. What does this mean for Green Bay, who was already starting a rookie along side Nick Collins at safety? Well, it basically means we're screwed. It means that we're going to start an already injured Charlie Peprah, beacuse Dom Capers doesn't trust David Martin, and I don't think anyone else does either. Atari Bigby is eligible to start practice after the week 6 game against Miami, so thats a good sign, but who says he's going to be ready? Either way I'd take an injured Bigby over a healthy anyone else on our roster, besides Burnett, any day, especially against division rival Minnesota.

The only trouble is, we have to face Donovan McNabb in Washington and the wildcat offense against Miami before we get Bigby and Harris back. I'd rather not be 3-3 going into the Minnesota game, and I dont think the Packers want to be either, so it's time to get on the market. Teddy T has to let go of his pride and not wait for next years draft to pick up a running back and safety. In fact, he should dip into next years draft and give up a couple picks to nab Marshawn Lynch and search for a safety somewhere out there.

Some game highlights form week 4:


-Aaron Rodgers was on fire in the first half, throwing three beautiful touchdowns, most notably his second to Jermichael Finley on third and goal. He had to place it perfectly, in the smallest of windows, and nailed it. He also said in a press conference that covering Jermichael Finley is a relative term. Awesome.

- In Detroit's first possession of the second half, Charles Woodson picked off Shaun Hill and took it to the house for a pick-6. After that he finally woke up and played like the animal he should be.

- Speaking of animals, Clay Mathews finally got his 7th sack of the year, hopefully he racks up a few more on the aging Donovan McNabb.

- John Kuhn came alive and helped the Pack eat up the final 6 minutes to close out the game. It seemed as though our running game finally resurrected on that drive, and on 3rd and 7, Kuhn gained 8 yards to allow Rodgers to take a knee on the next play and close out the game.

SIDE NOTE:

ESPN just reported about an hour ago that Clinton Portis will not play this week against the Packers. No Portis, no problem.

Driver does the signature Lambeau Leap after "stealing" a touchdown from Jermichael Finley.

The Clay Maker, week 4

Another sack today against Detroit! MVP!

James Jones

I decided to go back and watch the Buffalo game this morning to get the bad taste of the Bears game out of my mouth. At 2:50 in the 3rd quarter, on first and goal, Rodgers throws a strike to Jones, who fumbles the ball. Luckily it was recovered by Brandon Jackson but since Jones fumbled again on Monday and it wasn't recovered by the Pack, it's got me a little worried. Is this going to be a re-occurring problem for Jones this season?

I would love to see Jordy Nelson get some more reps at third string receiver while Jones takes some time to figure out his little fumbling issue he's got going this season. Nelson is just as good a receiver as Jones is, and doesn't fumble. The coaching staff really needs to re-evaluate getting the ball to Jones in clutch situations, like goal to go and the 2-minute drill, because it seems like he can't handle the pressure.

Maybe it's just a fluke, or maybe I just like Jordy Nelson too much. Either way, it's something I think the Packers need to think about.

Photo taken by me at Packers training camp on August 3, 2010.

MM & TT for Pres.

According to a study released by the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District, the estimated annual economic impact in Brown County of the Green Bay Packers and the redeveloped Lambeau Field is $282 million. This $282 million includes 2,560 jobs, $124.3 million in earnings, and $15.2 million in tax revenues.

Mark Murphy and Ted Thompson have my vote for the 2012 Presidential election.... Maybe they can find a couple spots for Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews in the Cabinet, too. :) Count me in for a job at Lambeau!

Consider it Zombo'd...

In a recent article on the Packers website, Coach McCarthy made it clear that until Brad Jones is 100% ready to return from his knee injury, un-drafted free agent rookie, Frank Zombo is the starting outside linebacker opposite Clay Matthews.

Being a huge Zombo fan, I couldn't be more stoked about this. I watched what he did in training camp and the pre-season and loved his ability to read the quarterback and make big plays. His style bears a striking resemblance to Matthews' which is probably why I am so excited about this guy.

In his one opportunity to start in the preseason, he recorded 9 tackles and a huge sack/forced fumble on Peyton Manning, which Robert Francois returned 35 yards. In week one, the guy only played four snaps but recorded a sack on the ever so elusive Michael Vick, a feat thats never been easy to accomplish for anyone. Then again on Monday night he took down Jay Cutler, recording his second sack of the season. He is now tied with Detroit's Ndomakung Suh for the most sacks among rookies.

I hope he sees more opportunities in the coming weeks and proves that he is an every-down linebacker. I have nothing against Jones and I hope he makes a full recovery, but he has just never been the big play-maker I'd like to see him be. Having two outside linebackers with the ability to rush the quarterback like Matthews would be so deadly.

I love these quotes from Matthews:

“I saw it in the preseason,” Matthews said. “We brought in three rookie free agents (at outside linebacker), and I told him that I really thought he had a good chance of making this team if he kept at it and continued to know his stuff. He worked hard, and that’s the biggest thing you want to see from guys who are trying to make this team is their progression as a player and how hard they are willing to work. That’s what he has continued to do. It’s a fantastic story.”

“He is young and he is only going to continue to get better,” Matthews said. “I know with myself, I was watching Detroit film from last year and I wasn’t very good. I had a few moves here and there, but I think overall as a pass rusher and outside linebacker, my overall knowledge, I feel like I am light years ahead of where I was last year."

“I think the same goes for him. Being a young guy and making his first start onMonday Night Football, I thought he played well. He really got after it and was physical, made some plays, and he looked good. So I think we are happy with where he is at.”

I think anyone in the league who works so hard even after they have made the team and is really dedicated to making not only themselves, but the team better, deserves some recognition; and thats exactly what Zombo is doing. Here's to you, Frank. 

(note: recently a buddy of mine and myself turned "Zombo" into a verb, meaning any act of being awesome, hence the title.)

The Clay Maker, week 3

It's me again, Clay Matthews. I didnt really do a whole lot this week, but I just wouldnt feel right breaking the all-time sack record in only 3 weeks, so I just kinda took the night off. Here's a cool A-Rod belt strap pic for you to enjoy...

The Clay Maker, week 2

Hello, it's me again, Clay Matthews. I just feasted on Trent Edwards and I cant wait to demolish Jay Cutler next week! Everyone say it with me, MVP!

The Clay Maker, week 1

Each week I plan on posting a picture of Clay Matthews with a caption supporting his 2010 MVP campaign. The First two I just copied from my facebook page.

Hello, my name is Clay Matthews. I eat people. Pretty soon, you will call me MVP.

"And I support Nick 100 percent."

Milwaukee's WITI-TV recently aired video of Nick Collins getting into a heated argument with a Bears fan after the game on the way to the tunnel. Collins is seen yelling at the fan and throwing his mouthguard into the crowd. Later, he said that the fan had spit on him and used a racial slur, reportedly the n-word. McCarthy backed Nick but said the players should avoid such confrontations. I agree, it's the players jobs to go out and play football, while keeping a professional demeanor on and off the field. However, there's no reasons for fans to be doing that, even if it is the longest standing rivalry in football. The guy probably just wanted ESPN air time, but c'mon, don't be an idiot.
Click here for full coverage on ESPN.com

Week 4 Power rankings... the way they should be.

1. Green Bay Packers. 18 penalties will lose you a game, but they outplayed the Bears. They are still the best team in the NFC.

2. Indianapolis Colts. Peyton Manning has a new weapon named Austin Collie, just another one for the arsenal.

3. Atlanta Falcons. They went back and forth with the defending champs, and when it came down to the wire, they made the field goal.

4. New Orleans Saints. The Falcons were a tough opponent, looks like the saints have their work cut out for them to be able to repeat. They better pray for a quick recovery from Reggie Bush.

5. Philadelphia Eagles. It's always sunny in Vickadelphia.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers. Nobody thought they would be 3-0 without Big Ben, but their stellar D is the real reason for the success. Maybe they should think about a 4-way quarterback rotation for the rest of the season.

7. Houston Texans. Was the battle of the lone star state too much for the Texans or was it a fluke? Either way they have too many offensive weapons to not bounce back.

8. New England Patriots. Their defense is giving up way too many points, especially to Buffalo, but Brady to Moss is an unstoppable combo.

9. Baltimore Ravens. It's about time Flacco finally showed up.

10. Kansas City Chiefs. Dexter McCluster and the gang are proving that their young bunch really can work together and be successful.

11. New York Jets. Braylon who? Sanchez didnt miss a beat with Edwards being benched for the first quarter, connecting with Dustin Keller for two early scores. The Jets are finally adding some offense to go along with their defense.

12. Miami Dolphins. They were able to rack up a ton of yards on one of the leagues premier Defenses in a close loss.

13. Chicago Bears. The way they're playing and their record are on two completely different ends of the spectrum. They flat out lost to Detroit and got a ton of free yards from the Packers penalties. They are definitely not as good as they look on paper.

14. Cincinnati Bengals.  They were finally able to get Cedric Benson rolling this week, somethin they'll need to be successful with play action.

15. Denver Broncos. With heavy hearts they gave the colts a great fight, but ultimately just could not match up with Peytons' Pony's.

16. Dallas Cowboys. Roy Williams finally came out of his coma. The boys took down a solid Houston team. Is this a sign of things to come?

17. Washington Redskins. McNabb faces a tough test going back Philly right when Vick is getting hot. The result will tell where the Redskins season is heading.

18. Tennessee Titans. They were just good enough to beat the Giants, but can they contend for the division behind CJ2K?

19. Minnesota Vikings. You cant really count a victory over Detroit as a win. AP is the lone candle in a very dark cave. They have an early bye, so they'll have to stay healthy for the rest of the tough season if they plan on going anywhere, and with a 40-year-old quarterback and a mediocre o-line, that wont be easy.

20. Seattle Seahawks. Welcome back, Leon Washington.

21. San Diego Chargers. Its going to be a long season for the bolts. Their best chance is for Rivers to throw it up to Naanee or Floyd and let them go get it.

22. San Francisco 49ers. At least they realize they are failing miserably and are taking steps to correct it. I still like them to win the worst division in football.

23. New York Giants. Too many interceptions, Eli. They have a tough schedule and just arent good enough to win a lot of games.

24. Arizona Cardinals. They will be a lot more dynamic once Beanie Wells is full strength, but they are definitely feeling the effects of Warners absence.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Are Mike Wiliams and Josh Freeman just illusions or can the Bucs actually pull off a mediocre season this year. A loss to the Steelers was a given, but this could be an exciting team.

26. Oakland Raiders. Darren McFadden is making his presence known, but is it enough to make any noise around the league? Maybe if Gradkowski provides that needed spark in the coming weeks we could see them fight with Kansas City a little. I can't believe I just said that.

27. St. Louis Rams. The Rams are in serious trouble if Stephen Jackson's groin injury has any significance.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew just isnt living up to the hype this year and the team is following his lead.

29. Carolina Panthers. Giving the ball to a rookie quarterback is always a mistake.

30. Detroit Lions. Aside form a few key mistakes, the Lions kept the Vikings in check. It's too bad they wont get many wins this season to show the improvement they made to their team in the offseason.

31. Buffalo Bills. The Bills put up 30 points? On the Patriots? Wow. Looks like a qb change actually did this team some good.

32. Cleveland Browns. Sorry Mike Holmgren, but you got yourself into this mess.

Bears 20, Packers 17

A lot of things went wrong last night for the Pack Attack, but the biggest thing was obviously the penalties. The Packers set a franchise record for most penalties in a game with 18. Somehow that's not really surprising, especially on defense. We had three rookies starting on D, two of which were undrafted free agents. Frank Zombo, outside linebacker, had a helmet to helmet roughing the passer penalty on the same play that Cutler threw an INT to Nick Barnett. Later, safety Morgan Burnett was flagged for a pass interference on another Cutler INT to Nick Collins, both of these were game changing calls. The offense looked just as bad penalty wise. The biggest mistake was a a holding call Mark Taucher had on Peppers as Rodgers threw a TD to Finley. As ESPN analyst Keyshawn Johnson would cay, c'mon man! These three penalties stand out for obvious reasons but that was just the beginning of our problems. You cant have more penalties than points and really expect to win. If karma existed, it would be biting us in the backside right now.


Our defensive secondary needs to grow up, quickly. Luckily, Al Harris is looking good in his recovery and should be more than ready to go for the Minnesota game in week 7. Where has Charles Woodson been? Aside from three pass interference calls this season and just a couple nice tackles, he hasn't done a thing. Although no attention means he is doing his job and shutting down receivers, he's also not making any stand out plays. Let's get an interception pretty soon, Charles. Where's your keen sense of tracking the ball? Sam Shields has potential, but unfortunately he got pushed into a starting position way too quickly for an undrafted rookie on one of the leagues premier defenses.


Clay Matthews, or "The Clay Maker" as I like to call him, didnt have the game everyone was hoping for last night. He had 3 tackles and 0 sacks, and got shut down by backup tackle Kevin Shaffer on multiple occasions. His anticipation was still there and was swarming around the ball all night, but he just never quite got there. What happened? Did he stop juicing this week or something? I mean, the pass blocking for the Bears was ok, but Clay should have easily had 3 more sacks last night.


Special teams... wow... maybe someone should have warned Tim Masthay not to kick the ball to Hester. What has happened since week 1 when we finally looked like we fixed our special teams problems? We had more penalties and our return blocking was very below average. Jordy Nelson was returning kicks to the 40 and 50 in Vickadelphia, and nothing against the Bears last night? I dont get it. Maybe McCarthy should spend an extra half hour on special teams at the end of practice instead of ten minutes. Oh, and maybe someone (Bulaga) should have blocked Peppers on Crosby's late 37-yard field goal attempt... I think that is the only negative thing I have had to say about Bulaga yet this season, for the limited time he's seen, he's been pretty solid.


ESPN NFL analyst Trent Dilfer says the Packers are "panicking"  because of a lack of a running game and Aaron Rodgers is "under an immense amount of pressure now." Maybe Dilfer got knocked around a few too many times in his career, because he clearly has no idea what he's talking about. So we had 63 yards rushing rushing last night, who cares? Only two teams in the league focus mostly on rushing, Tennessee and Minnesota, and thats only because their QB's can't figure it out and connect with their receivers. I guess CJ2K and AP are pretty good, too. But seriously, this is a passing league now. There's no way so many teams would be scrambling for quarterbacks if they were just handing the ball off all the time (no pun intended). I would have liked to see us go after Marshawn Lynch, but its not entirely necessary. Rodgers look phenomenal last night, and even got the Bears to bite on play action. When our qb can throw for over 300 yards and rush in a touchdown himself, Kuhn and Jackson will do just fine. 


I stole this from Kevin Seiferts' blog over on espn.com, but thought it was appropriate to throw on here: [Nick] Barnett acknowledged that the Bears "were the better team today" but not "a better team than us period." He added: "Honestly, I feel we have a better team. I feel we have better players. But they played better today. That's my personal opinion, and I feel we can play a lot better than we played today."  


No doubt the Pack are the best team in the NFC, but we have a lot of work to do before we can start bragging about it and planning for the playoffs. Most importantly, we need to fix the penalties and put even more emphasis on special teams. Given we wont see Peppers again until week 17, but we still have to play the likes of Jared Allen, DeMarcus Ware, and Jason Taylor...  The league is just so upside down right now, but its only going into week 4. How are the Bears, Chiefs, and Big Ben-less Steelers the only 3-0 teams left? Ridiculous...