Doubters of Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy relegated to silence

By Rob Demovsky, Press-Gazette

~Those who doubted whether General Manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy had what it took to win it all — and there were plenty of them — have been relegated to silence.

McCarthy took a roster built by Thompson, overcame a slew of injuries and triumphed in two must-win games just to make the playoffs.

Then, instilled with a dose of confidence from |McCarthy, the wild-card Packers won three road playoff games to reach Super Bowl XLV, where Thompson’s hand-picked quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, and a playmaking defense led them to a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers for the team’s first title since Super Bowl XXXI.

So it should come as no surprise that in the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s annual postseason report card, the Packers earned high marks in both coaching and personnel. In fact, both |McCarthy and his coaching staff and Thompson and his personnel staff received straight As.

There were more high grades for the players, too. Six players received a grade in the “A” range — double the total from last season, when only cornerback Charles Woodson (A), safety Nick Collins (A-minus) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (A-minus) were in that category. This year, there were two straight As — Rodgers and outside linebacker Clay Matthews; and four A-minuses — Woodson, cornerback Tramon Williams, right guard Josh Sitton and receiver Greg Jennings.

Sustaining greatness in the NFL is just as hard as — if not harder than — achieving it. Ten teams have represented the NFC in the last 10 Super Bowls. But with Thompson and McCarthy at the helm, the Packers appear to be built for long-term success.

Coaching grades

Fifteen players, including six starters, went from the active roster to the injured|reserve list during the season.

Opening-day starters missed 86 regular-season games to injuries. Key reserves missed another 74 games because of injuries. Still, coach Mike McCarthy and his staff managed to find the right combinations and by season’s end had the best team in the NFL.

Although there were many bumps along the road, and it took a late December win by the Lions at Tampa Bay just to help get the Packers into the playoffs, Ted and Mike earn straight 'A's in 2010-11.

McCarthy, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements directed the league’s fifth-ranked passing game. Early-season struggles were erased after a meeting of the minds between McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers.

Adjusted to the loss of Jermichael Finley by going back to receiver Greg Jennings. Got just enough out of the running game in the playoffs to keep teams honest but exploited mismatches in the passing game, especially in the divisional playoff win at Atlanta and in the Super Bowl against the Steelers.

On defense, coordinator Dom Capers didn’t blink in the face of injuries and got enough out of the rotation at right outside linebacker to keep productivity up. Capers’ usual variety of packages and blitzes kept opposing offenses guessing.

Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt developed Sam Shields into one of the top nickel corners in the league, while Darren Perry dealt with the loss of two starting safeties (Atari Bigby and Morgan Burnett) and got Charlie Peprah to play well in their place.

On special teams, coach Shawn Slocum overhauled his schemes, turned Tim Masthay into one of the league’s more productive punters and helped cut penalties nearly in half.

Personnel moves

Six seasons into his tenure as general manager, Ted Thompson put together a Super Bowl champion while assembling a team that’s built for sustained success.

His latest draft class produced four players who started at various points this season (tackle Bryan Bulaga, safety Morgan Burnett, tight end Andrew Quarless and running back James Starks) plus a contributor in defensive end C.J. Wilson. Hit home runs with rookie free agents like Sam Shields and Frank Zombo.

In-season pickups of defensive end Howard Green (from waivers) and linebacker Erik Walden (off the street) held together a battered defensive front seven. Gambled by not trading for running back Marshawn Lynch but had the foresight to see that a running game wasn’t crucial.

Wisely extended the contracts of young, playmaking defensive starters Desmond Bishop and Tramon Williams during the season. Roster depth could be at all-time high when next season begins.

Like many teams, Packers face critical off-season

By Tom Silverstein, Journal-Sentinel

~Green Bay — Nothing will change for coach Mike McCarthy and the 2010 Green Bay Packers, yet everything will be different from now on.

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy smiles as he answers a question from the media during a press conference Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011, in Green Bay, Wis.

It’s what every Super Bowl champion faces after climbing to the top.

The plan, the schedule, the preparation and the prize are all the same. It’s the perception that changes, the way people look at you, the respect they give you, the determination they have to beat you.

After capturing Super Bowl XLV with a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Packers are the best team in football. They have the Vince Lombardi Trophy to prove it.

When training camp opens up for the 2011 season, they arguably will be the most talented team in the National Football League. The return of stalwarts such as tight end Jermichael Finley, linebacker Nick Barnett, running back Ryan Grant, safety Morgan Burnett, linebacker Brad Jones and end Mike Neal, all of whom finished the season on injured reserve, will boost the ranks.

Nothing will change for this team, will it?

“The most important thing is we need to be the best football team again next year,” McCarthy said during his season-ending news conference Wednesday. “We can be maybe the most talented and best football team.

“But sometimes the most talented team doesn’t win.”

Part of McCarthy’s task heading into next season will be developing the same chemistry he had with this team, which won its final six games despite 12 starters missing a total of 86 games over the course of the season.

The 2010 Packers will be remembered for overcoming those losses, gaining steam at the end of the year and winning four straight away from Lambeau Field on the way to a championship. Even McCarthy knows it’s going to be hard to recapture that magic.

The injured Nick Barnett might have a battle on his hands to be brought back in 2011 because he's been he's missed most of two of the past three seasons, and with Biship and Hawk at ILB, the team's defense was better than ever. And Hawk is younger than Barnett and quieter off the field.

“There is plenty to improve on,” he said. “We’re not perfect as a football team by no means just because we won the world championship. There are things that go on during the course of the year that you write down that are already on the board for discussion for next off-season.

“We have done that every year since I have been here. We’ll just stay true to our mantra on offense and defense and special teams, and that’s less volume, more creativity.”

The changes that will occur on the roster due to free agency losses and draft additions are something McCarthy worries little about because he thinks he and general manager Ted Thompson have a system that fits the players and not the other way around.

The talent dictates what direction the offense and defense go, but the model for success has already been built and will be followed no matter who wears the uniform.

“We’re going to go about it like we always do,” McCarthy said of the off-season. “We’re going to focus on our scheme, focus on our system, how we can make it better.”

The element of uncertainty McCarthy can’t control and threatens to affect his plans is the expiring collective bargaining agreement. If the owners and players union can’t agree on a new deal before March 4, there will be a lockout and all player-related off-season activities will come to a screeching halt.

The only thing that will remain a certainty is the draft.

“This year we’re going to fully concentrate on the draft immediately with our coaching staff and make it a higher priority as far as their interaction with the personnel department, the reports that need to get done, because that’s an absolute,” McCarthy said. “That’s going to happen.”

The other part of his off-season will be evaluating the scheme with his assistant coaches and be prepared if a deal gets the off-season back on track. If no deal is struck he’ll have to outline the off-season based on how long the lockout lasts.

“Typically, in the staff meeting after the season concludes, I pretty much have the whole season laid out for our coaching staff,” McCarthy said. “That’s not the case this year.”

McCarthy said he has given his staff vacation time until the week of the scouting combine and plans to give it more time after that. Even if there is a CBA, the off-season will start later than normal because the season went so long.

3rd down-specialist Brandon Jackson is another guy who might not be back, but I hope he is and I can see him blossoming into a 3rd down fixture like Kevin Faulk was for New England when they were appearing in frequent Super Bowls. Jackson is a great person as well as reliable 3rd down blocker and receiver. He belongs in Green Bay.

He wouldn’t say if he thought he would lose any of his assistant coaches to other teams, but the Arizona Cardinals, who were rumored to be interested in inside linebackers coach Winston Moss, hired Pittsburgh Steelers secondary coach Ray Horton. A league source said Moss did not interview for the job and was unaware of the Cardinals asking for permission to speak with him.

The Oakland Raiders are the only team still looking for a defensive coordinator and reportedly have interest in Moss.

“If we have anything to report from our end, we’ll do that,” McCarthy said. “But I have nothing to report about any of our coaches today.”

As he looks ahead to next season, McCarthy understands that the Packers will be kings of the mountain and all others will be looking to knock them off. He plans to speak to other coaches about how they handled the year after a Super Bowl victory to help him set the course.

But the one thing he does know is that things will be different, especially with his Super Bowl MVP, Aaron Rodgers.

“People are going to study him even more now that they have three years of information on him,” McCarthy said. “There is going to be a plan to play Aaron Rodgers, just like everybody feels they have a plan to play the top quarterbacks. So he is going to have to answer that call every week.”

McCarthy said Rodgers got a taste of that from the Steelers, and the goal will be to make sure less of the responsibility for the team’s fortunes fall directly on his shoulders. McCarthy said he would like to do that with other assets he has on offense, and while he didn’t identify them, it’s obvious he was referring to a running game.

Whatever the case, both Rodgers and the rest of the team will face new challenges next year.

“Aaron’s challenge is going to be like everybody else’s,” McCarthy said. “He is going to have to handle the success. His life has already changed. He has been to Disney World and David Letterman in one day. He’s going to have a lot on his plate.”

Full story here

Packers’ assistant coaches are in the know

By Tom Silverstein, Journal-Sentinel

Running backs coach Edgar Bennett, left, never has a problem getting the attention of his troops. All he has to do is show them the Super Bowl ring from his playing days with the Packers.

~Dallas — Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy never played a down of professional football.

The same is true of defensive coordinator Dom Capers.

But scroll down the list of names on the Packers’ offensive and defensive staffs and they’re filled with former NFL and CFL players.

There are nine total former pros, five on offense, three on defense and one on special teams. The only other team who competed during the 2010 season with as many ex-pros on the coaching staff was the San Francisco 49ers, who have since dismissed their staff.

On offense, the Packers have running backs coach Edgar Bennett, offensive line coaches James Campen and Jerry Fontenot, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and receivers coach Jimmy Robinson.

On defense, it’s linebacker coaches Winston Moss and Kevin Greene and safeties coach Darren Perry.

On special teams, it’s assistant Chad Morton.

There is no rule that says the best coaches are former NFL players. If there were, McCarthy and Capers – and Bill Belichick, for that matter – wouldn’t be where they are.

But McCarthy has tapped the pro ranks for vital position coaching jobs and it has produced results. It could be a reason why the Packers have been so good at incorporating young players into their regular rotation on the way to Super Bowl XLV.

“If you’re coaching the position you played, you know what it’s like, you knew what you had to do to be successful,” said Clements, who is in the CFL Hall of Fame. “You know tricks of the trade, you know what they’re going through, all those things factor in. I think it’s helpful. It’s not mandatory but it’s helpful.”

Most of the coaches think the No. 1 advantage of being a pro is the credibility factor. Often times, young players come in with their own ideas of how to do things and if the guy trying to get them to do it his way doesn’t have the respect, it can be an uphill battle.

Take Robinson, for instance.

If you looked at him, you would bet that he was a chemistry professor, not a former New York Giants wide receiver. He stands just 5-foot-9 and was listed at 170 pounds during his career, but he played five seasons, caught 85 passes and averaged 16.9 yards per reception.

His claim to fame is being the first player to catch a touchdown in old Giants Stadium.

When he stands among the likes of Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones and Jordy Nelson, he has to have their respect. Most of them didn’t know much about his past until they saw the pictures of him in a Giants uniform in his basement.

“I think it helps; from the outset it helps credibility-wise, you were good enough to have played on this level, so you kind of know what they’re going through a little bit,” Robinson said. “I think it helps.”

In the case of Bennett, the players can’t help but know he played the game because he did it with the Packers from 1992-’96 and has a Super Bowl ring that he flashes quite often. There’s a little bit of psychology involved in that; when Bennett tells his players they’ve got to work a little harder, they know it’s coming from a guy who did his entire career.

“He has a lot of knowledge of the game, he’s been in two Super Bowls and he’ll let you know that,” running back Brandon Jackson said. “It’s also hard when you’re out there on the field and do something wrong. He’s on you hard, but it’s for the good.

“He’s been there before. He’s always going to let you know that he’s been there before, that if you just take coaching everything will work out.”

In the case of Greene and Moss, there’s no mistaking the fact they played professional football. Greene ranks third all-time in sacks and is a regular on classic highlight tapes because of his flamboyant style.

Moss still looks like he could play linebacker for the Oakland Raiders or Seattle Seahawks or Tampa Bay Buccaneers and when a recent “30-for-30″ segment on ESPN highlighted the flamboyant 1980s Miami Hurricanes, for whom he played, his credibility rose another level.

“Doing this for 23 years, there’s a lot of things I can relate to from being a player,” Moss said. “It’s benefited me from a player’s standpoint where it’s, ‘Hey, this is how it’s going to happen.’ It’s not about that great player saying, ‘Hey listen, I did it this way and you need to do it this way because I did it that way.

“Usually when you try to beat down that message, sometimes it doesn’t connect. Sometimes it does.”

If there is an instance where telling a player how you did it can be beneficial, it’s probably Greene. Many 3-4 outside linebackers are similarly built and have one main goal in their career: sack the quarterback.

Greene became a coach because the passion of the game hadn’t left his system completely and he needed to fulfill that void. After a break from playing the game, he served several internships and then decided to jump in feet first with the Packers.

“You’re coaching your kids with the fundamentals and techniques that you played and were successful with for years,” Greene said. “That’s why I’m teaching my kids what I used to make me the player I was.

“When they learn it and implement it and they’re successful at it, they like it, because being successful is addictive, you want to do it more and more. And I think that’s the reward as coaches.”

On occasion, the coaches pull out a tape or two to show their players how they played the game, but most say it’s done for fun. Sometimes the players figure their coach played in the days of leather helmets.

“You get to the clips and the old Houston Astrodome is up there and they see the old Astroturf and they’re like, ‘Where are you guys playing that game,’” Perry said. “What are you guys playing on? That’s probably the most amusing thing about the whole deal.”

***

Professional grade

There are more than a few players who have benefited from the guidance of a former-NFL-player-turned-assistant-coach. Here are three examples that have yielded great results for the Green Bay Packers.

RBs coach Edgar Bennett and RB Brandon Jackson

The former Packers running back began working on Jackson the minute he arrived in town four years ago and turned a guy who was embarrassed during a training camp pass-rushing drill into the best blocking halfback on the team. Jackson stands only 5-10 and 216 pounds, but through the use of proper technique and intense classroom work, he’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ personal protector on third downs.

Jackson: “Oh, man, there was a lot of hard times, especially as a rookie. He used to tell me, ‘Whenever you’re ready to give up just say, ‘No mas.’ I always had it in the back of my head, and I’m just like, ‘No, I can’t say that, I can’t say that. I won’t quit, I won’t give up.’ Everyday I used to tell him, ‘I’m not a quitter, I’m not going to give up.’”

LBs coach Kevin Greene and LB Clay Matthews

When he came to the Packers as a first-round pick in ’09, Matthews had some natural ability that almost guaranteed he’d be successful. He plays to the whistle, uses his hands well and runs like the wind. It was up to Greene to harness all that talent and make him a great player. Matthews had 10 sacks as a rookie and 13.5 this year, missing out on 2010 defensive player of the year by two votes.

Matthews: “There’s the fact that he’s not just an Xs and Os guy. He’s been in this league for numerous years, and he excelled at the position in which I play, so he’s able to directly influence my game. I can pick up things from him with everything he teaches me. I’ve had some great coaches in my time and he’s only going to continue to help me in my development, so, yes, he’s helped me tremendously.”

Assistant special teams coach Chad Morton and CB Jarrett Bush

After last season, Bush needed a makeover. He committed too many penalties, made too many mental mistakes and didn’t play up to his abilities. Enter Morton, a former returner and position player on special teams. He recognized Bush’s talents and worked with him all off-season on improving his game. Bush had the best year of career this season.

Bush: “Man, he’s been a stickler on me all season. It’s helped me. Him and ‘Slo’ (special teams coach Shawn Slocum) have helped me tremendously. He’s stayed on me about penalties and do’s and don’ts. Chad has told me a lot of things about special teams, what the returner is looking for and things like that, how to play kickoffs and avoid blocks. I feel like I’ve had extreme success with him. Being a former player, I think it helps. He understands the game.”

Full story HERE

Coach McCarthy keeping Green Bay Packers focused

By Jan Hubbard, Star-Telegram

~IRVING — The man charged with returning the Lombardi Trophy to Lombardi Avenue in Green Bay was born in Pittsburgh, grew up a Steelers fan but spends the off-season at his home in Texas.

Mike McCarthy has all bases covered.

Despite criticisms from some of the Cheesehead Nation, McCarthy is without question one of the game's best offensive coordinators and playcallers.

But the Green Bay Packers coach, now in his fifth year, is not particularly comfortable reminiscing about his childhood football memories. When asked about growing up and watching the Steelers, McCarthy was guarded and described his feelings as, “Very personal.”

“Growing up in Pittsburgh is a big part of who I am,” McCarthy said at his first news conference after arriving in North Texas late Monday afternoon, “but I am a Green Bay Packer and we’ve come here to win the Lombardi Trophy.”

The Packers have had an impressive run to and through the playoffs. On Dec. 19, they lost at New England and were 8-6. Since then, they have won five straight, including playoff games in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago.

Their six losses obscured how good of a season they had. Four of their losses were by three points each. The other two were by four points each. So those six defeats were by a total of 27 points.

More impressively, they never trailed in a game by more than seven points. Only four teams have done that since 1940.

“We’re hot,” said receiver Donald Driver, who lives in Flower Mound in the off-season. “We’re playing well. You get to a point where your confidence level is high. And our confidence level is high.

Although there is no doubt the Packers are on a roll, the idea that the Super Bowl is just another game for them more than it is the Steelers ignores experience. The Steelers will be playing in their third Super Bowl in six years. Twenty-five of their players have Super Bowl experience.

Only two Packers — cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive end Ryan Pickett — have played in a Super Bowl.

But Driver was undeterred, and credited McCarthy.

“Mike has always stressed that you’ve got to be confident,” Driver said. “You’ve got to play tough and you’ve got to play sound. The biggest thing for us is playing disciplined.”

McCarthy said if the Steelers have an edge, it is in the hectic schedule in front of a gigantic mass of media. Today both teams face the media at Cowboys Stadium. The players have two more days of interviews after that, and McCarthy is required to meet the media every day until Saturday.

McCarthy said he has spoken to head coaches who have been in Super Bowls and the Packers had a thorough team meeting before leaving Green Bay on Monday, when McCarthy detailed the week, the practice and meeting schedules and the media requirements.

“Their Super Bowl advantage is today through Sunday,” McCarthy said. “That’s why we spend the extra time going through exactly what we will do as a football team — meeting every morning at 7:45 and making sure we’re crystal clear on what’s expected of us.”

McCarthy made it clear what his week will be like. During the off-season, he lives in Austin. His daughter, Alex, a freshman at Kansas, graduated from Austin Lake Travis High School. McCarthy has many friends in Texas, but he was no-nonsense on Monday — so much so that there was a humorous moment or two.

When asked if he planned to enjoy the craziness of the week ahead, McCarthy said, “Embracing it on a personal level is frankly not one of my priorities. I have a job here to do. I don’t really look forward to these type of moments [mass interviews] right now.

“I’m going to do as little as I possibly can to enjoy myself.”

Full story HERE

XLV: Yes, the Packers love playing indoors

By Kevin Seifert, ESPN.com

~The charts below provide the details of what Jennings and Rodgers, in particular, have done indoors since the start of 2008. Here is a snippet:

What follows is some unfiltered Super Bowl XLV truth. Go ahead, rub your eyes. Shed your historic stereotypes and recognize this unmistakable reality: The offense that plays in the NFL’s coldest outdoor stadium is at its best when locked up in the sterile conditions of a dome.

Yes, the Green Bay Packers have built the league’s Latest and Greatest Show on Turf.

To be sure, the Packers have produced big numbers in all venues since quarterback Aaron Rodgers took over as their starter in 2008. But even on that scale, their performance in 12 indoor games over that span has been unreal. It provides a substantial subtext for Super Bowl XLV, which will be played on the newest generation of artificial turf and with the roof closed at Cowboys Stadium.

“All I can do,” receiver Greg Jennings said, “is smile.”

Greg Jennings loves playing indoors.

• The Packers have averaged 31.8 points in those 12 games. That figure jumps to 33.7 if you discard a 3-point performance this season in Week 14 at Detroit’s Ford Field, where Rodgers departed in the second quarter after suffering a concussion.

• They have exceeded 40 points in both of their indoor postseason games, scoring 45 points last year against the Arizona Cardinals and 48 earlier this month against the Atlanta Falcons.
• Rodgers has thrown 26 touchdowns against five interceptions in those 12 games en route to a 111.1 passer rating.
• Jennings has at least 100 receiving yards in seven of the 12 games, including three of the four in 2010.

Overall, the Packers are 6-6 in those games, but it would be hard to blame the offense for many of the losses. It has produced at least 27 points in nine of the 12 games.

It’s only fair to point out the Packers will face one of the NFL’s top defenses in the Super Bowl; the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed the lowest point total in the NFL this season (232) and are holding opponents to an average of 207 yards per game in the playoffs. (In their only dome game of 2010, the Steelers gave up 305 passing yards to New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in a 20-10 loss to the Saints.)

Asked last week about his clear affinity for playing indoors, Jennings used the word “smile” two more times in what was a 100-word answer.

“I mean, you go from playing in Chicago in January, late January, to Dallas and they close you inside a dome,” Jennings said. “You can’t do anything but smile. Obviously the surface is going to be perfect. The atmosphere is going to be unmatched.

“You can just smile. It’s going to be exciting. Obviously we play well inside. But in a game like this, game of this magnitude, it [wouldn't] matter if we had to play in the park. Guys are going to bring their A-game and guys are going to come well prepared.”

Perhaps. But it’s clear the Packers are drawing a deep level of confidence from their recent performances in similar conditions. Of course, I would imagine that most offensive skill players would choose an indoor track over the unpredictability of weather and grass field conditions. But the Packers have demonstrated an obvious and special aptitude for it.

The explanation isn’t complicated, said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

“It’s just better conditions to let athletes and speed really come out,” Williamson said. “Considering that they play in Green Bay, it is a bit odd that they are constructed the way they are on offense. But they have been extremely fortunate at the quarterback position, so you build around that guy. There are obviously more variables in the pass game versus the run game, and if you can take weather out of that equation, I just think that helps the precision of it all.”

I’ve heard Rodgers asked twice about domes in the past few weeks. Both times he smiled and muttered something about perfect weather and the opportunity to wear his preferred turf shoes. I suppose it would have been uncouth for him to tell the raw truth: We have a timing-based passing offense that requires precision and rewards both speed and accuracy. Between my well-honed arm and Jennings’ near-perfect fundamentals, we have an ideal pairing in a game played on a solid footing.

Upon further investigation, however, Rodgers wasn’t joking about the shoe part. For his entire career, he has worn Nike “Destroyers” during practice and in all indoor games. (Rodgers broke his left foot in 2006.)

“They’re just real comfortable,” he said. “Anytime I can, I like to wear them.”

Long-range weather forecasts are calling for scattered showers and a high of 58 degrees in the Dallas area for next Sunday, but the NFL long ago decided to close the retractable roof at Cowboys Stadium to provide a “singular focus” on the game, said league spokesman Brian McCarthy. That decision brought smiles to the Packers’ faces. The team from the Frozen Tundra is getting its dream scenario: A Super Bowl on Pristine Turf.

As a starter, Rodgers has completed 285 of 415 passes (68.7%) for 3,642 yards, with 27 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has rushed for 269 yards and seven touchdowns. In four dome games this year, he has completed 86 of 113 (76.1%) for 1,057 yards, with eight touchdowns and one interception (the dropped TD by Jennings in Detroit). He threw for 366 yards in the playoff game in Atlanta, 344 in the first game in the Georgia Dome and 301 in the Metrodome.

Aaron Rodgers In Domes (2010)

Steelers boast decorated Super Bowl-experienced veterans

By Rob Reischel, Journal-Sentinel

~Green Bay — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster is dotted with Super Bowl heroes. From Ben Roethlisberger to James Harrison to Hines Ward, the Steelers have a “been there, done that” attitude about the world’s biggest sporting event.

In all, Pittsburgh has 14 current starters who have won a Super Bowl championship. The Steelers have 10 players with two rings and 25 players who have competed in a Super Bowl.

Hines Ward shows off his two championship rings. The receiver was MVP of Super Bowl XL.

The Green Bay Packers haven’t been in a Super Bowl since 1997. The only Packers to play in a Super Bowl are cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive end Ryan Pickett, and both played on losing teams.

When these teams meet for the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 6, the Steelers will have an enormous advantage in experience. The Packers are going to try convincing themselves over the next eight days that component doesn’t matter.

“I look at it like the hungry dog hunts harder than the fat dog,” Packers tight end Donald Lee said. “And we have a lot of hungry dogs in this locker room that are willing to do whatever it takes to win that game. I’m sure they’re willing to do what it takes, too, but if I was a betting man, I’d bet my money on the hungry dog.”

This is the Steelers’ third Super Bowl appearance in six years. Pittsburgh defeated Seattle and Arizona in Super Bowls XL and XLIII, respectively, and many of its key players from those teams remain.

Ward was the MVP of Super Bowl XL after catching five passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Harrison had one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII. And Roethlisberger was the winning quarterback in each of those games.

Others like Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, mammoth nose tackle Casey Hampton, steady tight end Heath Miller and splendid linebackers LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior and Larry Foote have all played a role in Pittsburgh’s recent dominance. Even 38-year-old head coach Mike Tomlin, now in his fourth year, has a Super Bowl win on his résumé.

Pittsburgh’s roster is packed with players who have enjoyed great success on Super Sunday.

“It’s meaningful,” Packers head coach Mike McCarthy admitted. “But we’re aware of it and understand that we haven’t been there before, and that’s something we’ll talk about and make sure expectations and responsibilities (are) clear for everybody.”

Packers running back John Kuhn was on the Steelers’ practice squad in 2006 and got a ring after Pittsburgh beat Seattle that year. Kuhn never played in that game, though.

Pickett was a rookie with St. Louis in 2001 when the Rams lost to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI. And Woodson was part of Oakland’s 2002 team that was routed by Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Beyond that, Green Bay’s roster is devoid of Super Bowl experience.

“I believe if we stay calm and stay cool and understand what’s going on, everything will work out,” Packers running back Brandon Jackson said. “We’ve been on the big stage before, not as big as this, but as far as playoffs and everything like that, we’ve been on that type of stage. We’re going to handle our business, stay calm and cool and everything will work out.”

On Friday, several Packers said they believed Pittsburgh’s experience might be more beneficial during the week leading up to the game than the actual game. Super Bowl week is packed with potential distractions, and that experience will be new to most of Green Bay’s players.

“I think the only advantage they have on us is getting through the week and dealing with the distractions,” Kuhn said. “They will have experienced that before and they know how to play that game. We are well aware of that and we know the advantage they might have in the distraction game.

“But when we get into the game, then it’s just the Super Bowl. Then it’s just a football game. We’ve all experienced plenty of football games, but it’s the event around the Super Bowl that nobody has experienced.”

Last season, a New Orleans team making its first trip to the Super Bowl upset a veteran Indianapolis team. In Super Bowl XLII, a New York Giants team with little Super Bowl experience stunned New England, which had won three Super Bowls earlier in the decade.

The inexperienced Packers believe they’ve earned their stripes with three straight postseason road wins. Now, a veteran Pittsburgh team stands in Green Bay’s way of greatness.

“When it comes down to it, it’s still about playing the game,” Packers rookie tight end Tom Crabtree said. “It’s not about what you’ve done in the past, or if we’ve been to Super Bowls before. When it comes down to it, it’s the same game we’ve played all year.”

Full story HERE

Super Bowl XLV, pitting Packers vs. Steelers, is one for history books

By Peter King, Monday Morning QB, Sports Illustrated

~CHICAGO — We’ll get to the Super Bowl matchup that Doris Kearns Goodwin would love (it’s historic, for those not familiar with Ms. Goodwin’s work), and to the volcanic Jay Cutler situation, and to one of the greatest predictions in sports history (sort of) soon enough. But I begin this morning with two things — the Super Bowl XLV Factoid That Will Interest Everyone, and something Packers GM Ted Thompson said, uncharacteristically, in the winning locker room 45 minutes after Green Bay 21, Chicago 14: “I think this game was good for America.”

He was speaking about the game just completed, but he may well have been speaking about the Pittsburgh-Green Bay matchup in 13 days. The Packers were born in 1921 and the Rooney family bought a franchise in Pittsburgh in 1933 (the Pirates then, and renamed the Steelers in 1940).

Clay Matthews will be big-game hunting all night long Super Bowl Sunday

In the 45-year history of Super Bowls, there’s never been one with such history. Never has there been a title game with two teams more than 75 years old. And never has there been a matchup of teams with as many Super Bowl titles — Pittsburgh six, Green Bay three.

Steelers-Packers. It’s just cool.

And Jerry Jones, you built the big Arlington ballyard, halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, for occasions just like this — a Super Bowl dripping with history, and with fans who would walk a thousand miles to see the game. I can just hear those voices that spoke to Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams. Kind of. You built it, Jerry, and they will come. Oh, they will most definitely come.

Now for a Paul Harveyish factoid:

In the summer of 1989, a small-college tight end from Baker (Kansas) University came home to Pittsburgh to begin a coaching career. He found his way onto the staff at the University of Pittsburgh as an unpaid grad assistant. To support himself, he worked the midnight-to-8 a.m. shift in the toll booth at Exit 5 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (the Allegheny Valley exit), 25 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. His dad, a firefighter, police officer and bar owner near a dying steel mill, raised him to be tough, respectful, hard-working and — a Steeler fan. Which he was, loving the Steelers as a teenager when they won their four Super Bowls in the ’70s.

The toll-taker, Mike McCarthy, will try to break the hearts of everyone back home. He’s the Green Bay coach.

And now you know the rest … of the story.

***

The matchup is a reward to two organizations that built teams.

Early this morning, Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Bruce Arians considered Green Bay-Pittsburgh, the matchup. He said from his home what a good chunk of the country’s going to be thinking when people get their arms around this one. “Wow! Pittsburgh-Green Bay. Steeler Nation against the Cheeseheads! I know there’re 100-some thousand seats in that stadium down there [in Texas], but there’s not going to be near enough tickets for everyone who’ll want to see this one.”

Part of the reason is history, part is big-time quarterbacks, part is that it’s the Super Bowl. But I contend part is what each team has gone through to get here. The depth that Steeler director of football operations Kevin Colbert built may be rivaled this year by the depth built by only one man — Green Bay GM Ted Thompson.

The Packers led all NFL teams this year with 15 players on injured reserve. “We’ve played four quarterbacks and seven tackles,” countered Arians. “It’s been unbelievable. And today, we lose a great-blocking center, Maurkice Pouncey, with an [ankle] injury early and play an inexperienced kid there, Doug Ligursky, and what happens? We have our biggest rushing day of the year. What sets this year apart, this team apart, is the next-man-standing thing we’ve got going on.”

Here in Chicago, Green Bay running back James Starks, a sixth-round rookie from a Mid-American Conference school (Buffalo) who rode the bench most of the year, scored a first-quarter touchdown and rushed for a game-high 74 yards. In Pittsburgh, Steeler wide receiver Antonio Brown, a sixth-round rookie from a Mid-American Conference school (Central Michigan), caught the clutch pass of the game … for the second week in a row.

Starks: draft pick number 193. Brown: 195.

With two minutes left and nursing a 24-19 lead, the Steelers had third-and-six at the Jet 40. No New York timeouts left. If Ben Roethlisberger converted the first down, the game was over. If not, the Jets would have one more chance at a miracle. “Antonio Brown was Ben’s fourth option,” said Arians. Hines Ward and Heath Miller, the vets, were 1 and 2, and Mike Wallace 3. Roethlisberger got flushed right. He rolled and rolled, and just before he was going to have to eat it, he threw it over the outstretched hands of the pursuers into Brown’s gut. Gain of 14. Ball game.

“What’s rewarding,” Arians said, “is that Ben saw what I saw in training camp. I saw Emmanuel Sanders [a third-round pick] and Antonio playing well, and I told Ben, ‘These kids are gonna help us in December.’ I coached him, rode ‘em really hard. I was unmerciful. But Ben saw it early, saw how good they could be. I said to Ben, ‘You hug ‘em, I’ll cuss ‘em,’ and it’s worked out. They’ve become good players for us.”

In Green Bay, you can say the same thing about Starks, who’s gotten some tough love from McCarthy, and free-agent cornerback Sam Shields, who has been terrific as the season’s gone on. Great story, this Shields.

An all-state receiver in high school in Sarasota, Fla., the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Shields went to Miami to play receiver, which he did for three years. Entering his senior season, the Hurricanes had a corner need and moved him to defense. “Never played corner in my life,” Shields said after the Pack survived and advanced. “But it’s what the team wanted, and I thought it might be better for my future.”

When the Pack scouted him after the season, regional scout Brian Gutekunst saw his raw speed and recommended him as a free agent. Sunday, in the biggest game of the year, he played about 70 percent of the snaps.

“Why? Because he’s gotten better in a hurry every week,” defensive coordinator Dom Capers told me afterward. “Plus, every practice he’s been in since he’s come here, he’s made a play. When you make plays like that, you get noticed.”

Maybe the Bears should have noticed him more. Late in the first half, driving at the Green Bay 41, Jay Cutler threw a deep ball up the left side for Johnny Knox; Shields leaped high and snagged it, sending Green Bay into the half with a 14-0 lead. Late in the fourth quarter, down 21-14, Caleb Hanie had the Bears at the Green Bay 29. On fourth-and-five, Hanie threw into double coverage and Shields stole his second ball of the day.

“I’m speechless,” Shields said meekly, grinning widely.

"It's like I tell my players,'' Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers told me in the Packers locker room Sunday. "In almost every game you play, it's going to come down to two, three, four plays. If we make 'em, we win. If we don't, we don't.' Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/peter_king/01/23/championships/index.html#ixzz1C9hgNGii

Shields reminded me of Brown the week before, when I saw him in the Steelers’ locker room in Pittsburgh after the win over the Ravens. Giddy, almost. Just happy to be there. Now these college football afterthoughts nearly a year earlier are headed to the Super Bowl as important players. It’s a crazy game.

MORE HERE

The House that Ted Thompson Built

By Kevin Seifert, ESPN

~CHICAGO — As he always does, the man with the white mane sat stoically in his press box seat. Believe me, I checked.

Every time the Green Bay Packers’ rookie nickel back made a play, I stole a glance down the aisle. Ted Thompson was unmoved. There was no hint of vengeance when rookie tailback James Starks scored a second-quarter touchdown, and I saw no reaction of note as punter Tim Masthay flipped the game’s field position all afternoon.

From Rodgers to Matthews, Woodson to Pickett in free agency, Jennings to Raji, Tramon Williams to Sam Shields as undrafted finds, Ted Thompson has built a great team.

The Packers’ general manager had every reason to feel wholly vindicated Sunday as his team advanced to Super Bowl XLV with a 21-14 victory over the Chicago Bears. On a day when quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ best play was a touchdown-saving tackle, Thompson’s brand of team building proved especially prescient. This was a Ted Thompson victory if there ever was one.

“Ted built this house,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “He is responsible for everything that goes on.”

We’ve all had our fun and taken our shots at the way Thompson constructed this team. Eschewing veteran free agency puts a premium on your own development program, leaving no margin for error in the draft and little patience in bringing along young players. You’ve got to hit nearly every time, and after watching Sunday’s game at Soldier Field, I think we can agree that Thompson batted 1.000 in a year when the Packers lost more starting players to injuries than any NFL team.

Undrafted nickel back Sam Shields became one of 11 rookies in NFL history to intercept at least two passes in a playoff game, including the game-clinching play with 37 seconds remaining.

"We saw him and said, 'Why didn't this guy get drafted?" Pickett said. "This guy has been making plays since the moment he got here. He might be the best rookie cornerback in the league."

Starks continued his postseason surge with 74 yards and his first touchdown since he was a junior at Buffalo in 2008. Masthay, plucked off the street last winter, pinned the Bears inside their 20-yard line on five of his eight punts. Nose tackle B.J. Raji, Thompson’s first pick in the 2009 draft, returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown that served as the final margin of victory.

The Packers have their share of elite players in Rodgers, receiver Greg Jennings, linebacker Clay Matthews and cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. But without Shields, Starks and Masthay, the Packers might not have a ticket for Arlington, Texas in two weeks.

“I think this really to me showed all of Ted’s work over the last two or three years,” team president Mark Murphy said. “You look at the depth of the roster, the players he’s been able to identify. We have starting players playing key roles for us who were undrafted free agents this year. It’s a tribute to Ted and his staff that he’s able to find these players.”

I missed Thompson after the game. I’m guessing he wouldn’t have been in a gloating mood. It’s not his style, and it’s what I like best about him. He doesn’t need to tell us I told you so. We saw it ourselves Sunday, and it was a development not lost in the Packers’ locker room.

“It starts up top with Ted and players and the personnel department,” veteran defensive lineman Ryan Pickett said. “They do a good job of bringing in players. Somebody gets hurt, and they bring in a guy where there’s almost no drop-off. We have a lot of talent on this team. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this much, as long as I have been playing. There are players all over this team that were overlooked by other teams.”

On the day the Packers advanced to their first Super Bowl in 13 years, you might not be up for patting their shy general manager on the back. Sorry folks. If Rodgers had pulled another of his postseason gems, I would be telling you all about it. If Matthews had put together another of his three-sack games, this post would have been easy to write.

The assumption has been that the Packers would ride Rodgers as far as he could take them. But Sunday, the Bears defense limited him to 17 completions in 30 attempts. He threw two interceptions, including one to linebacker Brian Urlacher on what he called a “terrible throw” in the third quarter. Rodgers managed to trip up Urlacher at the Bears’ 45-yard line, preventing what almost certainly would have been a touchdown, but he was unable to take the Packers to a second-half touchdown that would have put the game out of reach.

On this championship day, that task fell to players like Shields, Starks and Masthay. We’ve had plenty of discussions about Starks, who has vindicated Thompson’s decision not to seek a veteran replacement (albeit a little late.) Shields, meanwhile, was Thompson’s version of an answer to the Packers’ thin depth at cornerback last season.

Signed as an undrafted free agent after the draft, Shields initially was a candidate to be the Packers’ kickoff and punt returner. But as soon as he arrived at training camp, he had defensive players and coaches turning their heads.

“We saw him and said, ‘Why didn’t this guy get drafted?” Pickett said. “This guy has been making plays since the moment he got here. He might be the best rookie cornerback in the league.”

It would be hard to argue based on Sunday’s game. Shields ended two consecutive Bears series in the second quarter. The first was a sack of quarterback Jay Cutler on third down. Less than two minutes later, his athletic interception prevented what would have been a long 42-yard touchdown pass to receiver Johnny Knox.

According to the database at pro-football-reference.com, Shields is the first rookie in NFL history to collect two interceptions and a sack in a playoff game.

“He is going to be a great player for the Green Bay Packers for a long time,” McCarthy said.

The Packers have more than their share of similar stories.

Ted Thompson is their ghost writer.

He won’t tell you.

He doesn’t need to.

You saw it yourself.

Full story here

Friday, Jan 7, Mike McCarthy Press Conference

Mike McCarthy’s Friday Press Conference Transcript

McCarthy is saying all the right things. Now he aims to beat the Eagles, which would bring his career playoff record to 2-2 as Packer head coach.

~(Where does Cullen Jenkins stand?)
Cullen Jenkins I feel has had two good days of practice. We rested him today. I’m hopeful that he’ll go. Just want to give him a chance to recover. The doctors and the medical staff felt it was best to back off him today. Everything has been very positive, and if he’s ready to go, he will go on Sunday.

(How would you characterize the week of practice?)
It’s been excellent I think. It seems to go a little long sometimes because I think everybody is just excited to go play the game. We had the opportunity to get outside yesterday in the single digits, and the padded work yesterday was very spirited. Today we were able to get the temperature to 28, 29 degrees in the Hutson Center. That’s the beauty of living in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Practice indoors at 28 degrees, so that’s important. I thought both sides were sharp. Today, I’ll watch the film, but I feel good about the quality of work we’ve had this week.

(Did Charles do more this week than he has?)
Charles Woodson’s been on the same schedule he’s been on at least the last month.

(What would you say the pulse or the vibe of the team is right now? Do you sense the extra adrenaline?)
Definitely. There’s a lot of energy. It’s playoff football. So many people that were here last year and prior years, the importance of the intensity and how fast the game improves in playoff football. They’re ready to go.

(Any superstitions?)
None. None. I’m not a very superstitious person. We stay on the same schedule. That’s about as superstitious as I get. I believe in regularity. I believe in being consistent, and being smart with your time and just keeping everybody aware of that.

(Did you get close at all with Zombo?)
He’s not quite ready. If I was going to project out on Frank, I think next week he has a chance. That’s what came out of the medical meeting today.

(What does it say about Kevin Greene that no matter who you’ve had at the outside linebacker position, there’s been basically no drop-off?)
I think Kevin Greene has done an excellent job. It’s been exciting to watch him grow as a coach. He brings tremendous passion to his profession, no different than when he played. Kevin’s done a great job. The production of his players reflects that. He always has the same energy. I enjoy working with him. He’s done a great job.

(Did the guys take your ‘don’t believe the hype’ thing to heart, and does what guys like Peter King and ESPN think factor in if you don’t nip it in the bud?)
If I addressed it, it’s obviously important. It was really stemmed off the message of more. There’s going to be more things going on this week than during the regular season. I’m stating the obvious. You’re going to be asked to do more interviews. There’s going to be more people that want to talk to you. You’re going to hear more about the Packers. There’s only 12 teams left playing. I just think it’s important to stay on the reality of where we are. We like who we are as a football team. We love the way we compete. We’re proud of the body of work that we’ve put together over these 16 games, and that’s what we’re taking to Philadelphia. It’s not going to make a lick of difference, anything outside of that pro or con that should affect our mindset. I just wanted to make sure everybody was on the same page.

(You’ve talked before about how the biggest challenge is handling success …)
I believe in that. We’ve talked about that in here and one-on-one. I think the biggest challenge in professional sports is handling success, and that’s at every level. You win one game, how do you handle that? You go on a four-game win streak, how do you handle that? I think that’s the biggest challenge. Because when you do encounter defeat, in my experience working with professional athletes, they’re individuals that have tremendous pride, their nature of survival to overcome is such a big part of who they are, because they wouldn’t even be in a locker room in the National Football League if they didn’t have that as part of their being. So overcoming odds and fighting back and being backed in the corner, that’s something that’s very natural to everybody in this industry. Success is the challenge, and it comes at different levels, it comes at different times, and it’s no different this time of year. It’s something we stay focused on.

(Would you agree you’ve handled success pretty well this year?)
Well, I think everybody views success differently. We’re proud of the way we’ve performed and some of the challenges we overcame, but we’re not reflecting yet. The level of success that we want to handle, we’re not there yet. After winning in Philadelphia, how do you handle that? That will be a challenge. Playing on a short week going into Atlanta I think is something that definitely helps you. I think it’s just something that as a leader of your team you have to keep focused on.

(The way the league policed illegal hits this year, do you expect that to be ramped up in the playoffs and have you talked to the players about that?)
Great question, because I haven’t thought about that. I don’t really give a lot of thought to officiating unless an emphasis is communicated to me, whether it’s from the league office or prior to the game. So I have no reason to believe that. I know Pete Morelli and his crew, we had those guys in Atlanta, so we have a breakdown of what to expect from them, their tendencies. We present that to our football team every Thursday, and that’s no different this week compared to what we’ve done in the past. That’s about as far as our focus on officiating goes.

(Have you named your captains yet and will one of them be giving the pre-game speech?)
Yes, we elected our playoff captains. It’s a tradition here in Green Bay. On offense, Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings were elected. This is clearly from the other players in the locker room. On defense, it’s Charles Woodson and A.J. Hawk, and on special teams Mason Crosby and Jarrett Bush. I think it’s a tremendous honor. I know for A.J. and Greg Jennings and Jarrett Bush, this is their first time. They will wear the ‘C’ in the Philadelphia Eagles game, and they will also participate in the coin toss. We have the tradition of having weekly captains, but this is something that’s voted on by the team, and it shows a lot of respect and I know every individual is proud of it.

(Will you select one of them to give the pre-game talk?)
Our pre-game talk happens on Fridays, and that already occurred. Darren Perry was the pre-game talk coach today. He gave the same talk in Philadelphia in Week 1, and with us playing them a second time, I felt that he did a great job in Week 1, so I told him to do it again.

(I thought you weren’t superstitious?)
Well, there’s a difference between being consistent and superstitious. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

(How do you think the rookies and first-year players will respond to their first playoff game? Do you have to do anything extra?)
You just rely on your preparation. I feel the message and the approach has been ‘be yourself.’ I made a big point of it Wednesday. I do not want to see anybody act different, I don’t want to see anyone look different. I don’t want to see anyone try to do anything differently outside of their responsibility, and that’s what the younger players need to focus on. I always draw back to the NFC Championship Game. I know leading up to that week there was a lot of conversation about how young we were going into that game. In hindsight, I was very proud of our younger players because I thought the young players handled that game very well. That’s something you can use as an experience to point to. So I’m not concerned about our young players.

(In a game like this, penalties and little things can be such a big deal. Do you have preach being extra cautious?)
We’re not going to be cautious. I think that would be the wrong message to give to your football team. We believe in our team identity. Discipline is the first characteristic of our team identity. I think we have done a very good job of that over these 16 weeks. It’s part of our brand of football, and that’s what we’re sticking to. We like who we are, we’re proud of what we stand for, the way we approach our style of football and that’s what we’re taking into this game.