Week 3: New Orleans at Green Bay

[Just one last thing about last week's game: the most damning exhibit against the replacement refs is that one if them - Lance "We Did a Damn Good Job" Easley - called the most controversial calls that cost the Packers the game (Sam Shields PI and the “touchdown”) and no one is even suggesting a conspiracy theory. No one is suggesting the game was fixed because EVERYONE knows it was just sheer incompetence.]

I actually have many, many more things to say about the Inaccurate Reception, but I'm working on letting things go.

Besides, there's nothing to do about it now and the Packers have to move on. 

• When the league made the schedule, I doubt anyone thought this week’s Green Bay-New Orleans match-up would feature a 1-2 team against a 0-3 team.

• After three weeks, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, and Peyton Manning are a combined 4-11.

Huh. Can't say I saw that coming.

• Now, I’m really scared of the Saints. They’re 0-3 and -- well, they’re 0-3! They must be embarrassed, furious, and wanting to prove themselves to everyone. I don’t care what their record is. I don’t care how lost and disjointed they’ve looked. I don't care that Drew Brees has always been a bit overrated. He's still one of the best in the league, and he's still working with guys like Jimmy Graham, Darren Sproles, Marques Colston, and Pierre Thomas.

"How dare you question my deified status? Kneel before me like the media does!"

• Here’s the good news, though: the Packers are playing at home, they’re also furious, and their defense has looked very strong in the first three games.

I was able to wait a whole 3 weeks before using the Charles-bowing picture.

• Here’s the even better news: New Orleans’ defense is woefully bad. Just terrible. They’ve given up 1,432 yards in the first three games. And now they’re dealing with some injuries, too. This is the perfect opportunity for Green Bay to get the offense going. I think once the Packers get into an offensive rhythm, things will shape up, and this game is the perfect springboard to finding that offensive rhythm. It’s no secret that Green Bay has been puzzlingly stagnant on offense, but they have played three very good defenses in San Francisco, Chicago, and Seattle.  

• The Packers have to move on from Monday and bring the pain on Sunday. The Packers can totally dominate this game, if they:
• maintain their first-ranked pass defense,

• play decent run defense (it doesn’t have to be spectacular),

• be patient enough to give Cedric Benson some carries to allow the passing game to open up,

• and, when it does, exploit the Saints’ secondary like a reality TV mom exploits her child.

• I think the Packers can do all of the above!