SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Pastimes : Green Bay Packers -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: C who wrote (639)9/28/1999 10:06:00 AM
From: SE  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 1150
 
From: Scott Crevier <scott@crevier.org>

West Coast Offensive
by Tom Freeman <TFreeman@brobeck.com>
Sunday, September 26, 1999

Bye Week Comes Just in Time

When I saw the schedule this spring, the thing that I was most unhappy
about was the early bye. Who needs a bye in week 4? Certainly it would be
a lot better to have a bye week in the middle of the season, or maybe
around 2/3 of the way through the year.

I'll tell you who needs a bye week. I do. And so do a lot of other Packer
fans. Not since the 1989 "Majik Man" year have the Packers managed to make
every came come down to the final two minutes. It is exhausting just to
watch Packer games this year, and all of us fans need some time to rest up
for the next game.

I have a feeling that the Packers could use the rest, too. Favre's thumb
did not seem to bother him today (in the Vikings game), but I am sure that
some time without getting sacked or abused would be welcome. And this
business of bringing back the team at the end on your shoulders is
obviously wearing on Favre emotionally and physically as well, as evidenced
by his reactions after the Raider and Vikings games.

So the Packers are 2-1 at the bye, and tied for first place in the NFC
Central. But for Brett Favre, they would probably be 0-3 and starting to
think about next year. There is some good and some bad in this, very
clearly. The good part is that we are witnessing the play of one of the
all time great quarterbacks. There is no doubt about it. He is a very
special player, who wants to win as much as we want him to win, and who has
the talent to be able to make that happen even in situations where they
probably ought to lose the games.

The bad part is that it looks like this team is going to have us on an
emotional roller coaster all year long. Or are they? The defense is still
adjusting to a lot of new starters, and to a new defensive coordinator, and
other assistant coaches. Yet they are playing, already, much better than
last year, and it is obvious that this year's "Anti-Moss" draft was a
success. The new players held Moss to 2 catches, less than 20 yards, and
what could have been the game-winning TD. I think that there is reason to
hope that the defense is just going to get better and better as the year
goes on.

What about the offense? Other than the 4th quarter comebacks, they have
not really been that sharp. But they have some things to get used to as
well. A new play-caller in Sherman Lewis. The absence of Robert
Brooks. And now, sadly, the absence of Mark Chmura for the year and, I'm
afraid, probably for his career. If the offense can continue to improve,
this whole team might just be a juggernaut by late in the season. At the
very least, they ought to be one of the contenders in the NFC. The Vikings
are not what they were last year, and the Falcons are all but eliminated
from playoff contention given their injury problems. The 49ers are, after
an incredible run, done in my view. Despite the Cowboys' 2-0 record, there
is no team in the NFC East that seems like a really good team, and in the
NFC Central, I refuse to believe that the Lions are for real. So the
Packers will be there in the end. With improvement and some good breaks,
they ought to be in contention for home field advantage in the playoffs.

Have a great week off!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get your sports gear today at Fogdog Sports!
+--------[ southendzone.com ]------------+

South End Zone Mailing List: <http://www.southendzone.com/list/>
Subscribe@southendzone.com or Unsubscribe@southendzone.com>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=*= Over 2,400 subscribers in 14 countries. Tell all your friends! =*=