Every Sunday, the Green Bay Packers' brawling right guard reads a message on a lighter... and morphs into something else. Good news for a team that finally wants to bludgeon opponents.
As usual, incomparably in-depth incredible reporting. Can someone please remind the NYG’s that no matter how much the rules evolve to tilt towards the offense, no matter how critical the QB is to success, at the end of the day this game is won (and lost) on the lines!
Good energy from first word to the last, Tyler. Very creative and lively feature story.
I grew up in Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay. Never heard him or read about him make noise about how tough or physical his team’s were. He labeled his teams as having “character” and “dedication” and said that when games were teetering, his teams had to “arrive” at those critical moments to win. They often did, especially after that first (and only) playoff loss to Philadelphia in the 1960 NFL championship game. Lombardi told his players after that game that they would never lose another playoff game, and they didn’t, winning nine in a row, culminating by beating the Raiders in Super Bowl II. There’s a reason Lombardi’s years are known as the glory years. Little Green Bay, population of 62,500 when my family arrived a year before Lombardi, were soaked in glory during Lombardi’s time. All the kids who grew up in Green Bay during Lombardi’s reign were lucky to live there. It was magical when Lombardi was general manager, head coach, mayor, bishop, head of the Green Bay city council and superintendent of schools. He was omnipotent, omnipresent, the master motivator and he knew his profession.
I find the current Packers head coach’s pontificating about this year’s Packers team being tough and physical a little amusing. How long has Matt LaFleur been in charge? Five or six years and he’s just figuring this out? Unfortunately for Packers fans (and Vikings fans and Bears fans), the generational heir to Lombardi-style blocking and tackling toughness is coaching in Detroit. The kneecap-biting coach has the best rushing game in the division, the best offensive line in the division, and the best practice-squad/street mutts playing defense in the division. As Campbell told his team after they beat the Packers 34-31 a week ago, “We don’t have to talk about how tough we are.”
Fortunately for the rest of the NFC North—and the rest of the NFC—the Lions’ head coach is dogmatic in his belief that fourth down is just like first down, but with more juice. Campbell’s head-strong we-don’t-give-a-shit-what-the-down-and-distance-is-we’re-going-for-it philosophy sank his team in the NFC title game last year in San Francisco, and there’s a good chance that it will cost his team in the playoffs again this year.
Matt LaFleur has a middling Playoff (3-4, .429) career record, and has lost 2 NFC Championship Games as well.
The Packers will not only have to deal in the NFC Playoffs with a team like the Detroit Lions, but also teams like Minnesota, the LA Rams-- [if they win the NFC West-- or the Seattle Seahawks], Tampa Bay, and Philadelphia, at least 4 teams (Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia-- and a potential 5th if Seattle makes it into the Playoffs) that have very physical defenses and those teams are very capable of shutting down the Packers.
The NFC Playoffs start next month, and we'll see how far each team in the NFC North goes as far as the Playoffs are concerned.
Ty! Loved to read this one. Glad there’s some nuanced and thoughtful “edge” developing here on the O-Line. Long may it reign. The NFC North might be the toughest division in football over the next five years (the Bears will get better…). Brusing division battles between Thanksgiving and New Years are gonna decide things. And the whole place needs to be full of Sean’s … As always, your reporting and writing is like none other. Well done!
Man, I cannot thank you all enough for the kind words and — most of all — taking the time to read. Pleasure is all here. Fortunate we’ve got a community of folks who enjoy reading. Sean Rhyan was a delight.
As usual, incomparably in-depth incredible reporting. Can someone please remind the NYG’s that no matter how much the rules evolve to tilt towards the offense, no matter how critical the QB is to success, at the end of the day this game is won (and lost) on the lines!
Good energy from first word to the last, Tyler. Very creative and lively feature story.
I grew up in Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay. Never heard him or read about him make noise about how tough or physical his team’s were. He labeled his teams as having “character” and “dedication” and said that when games were teetering, his teams had to “arrive” at those critical moments to win. They often did, especially after that first (and only) playoff loss to Philadelphia in the 1960 NFL championship game. Lombardi told his players after that game that they would never lose another playoff game, and they didn’t, winning nine in a row, culminating by beating the Raiders in Super Bowl II. There’s a reason Lombardi’s years are known as the glory years. Little Green Bay, population of 62,500 when my family arrived a year before Lombardi, were soaked in glory during Lombardi’s time. All the kids who grew up in Green Bay during Lombardi’s reign were lucky to live there. It was magical when Lombardi was general manager, head coach, mayor, bishop, head of the Green Bay city council and superintendent of schools. He was omnipotent, omnipresent, the master motivator and he knew his profession.
I find the current Packers head coach’s pontificating about this year’s Packers team being tough and physical a little amusing. How long has Matt LaFleur been in charge? Five or six years and he’s just figuring this out? Unfortunately for Packers fans (and Vikings fans and Bears fans), the generational heir to Lombardi-style blocking and tackling toughness is coaching in Detroit. The kneecap-biting coach has the best rushing game in the division, the best offensive line in the division, and the best practice-squad/street mutts playing defense in the division. As Campbell told his team after they beat the Packers 34-31 a week ago, “We don’t have to talk about how tough we are.”
Fortunately for the rest of the NFC North—and the rest of the NFC—the Lions’ head coach is dogmatic in his belief that fourth down is just like first down, but with more juice. Campbell’s head-strong we-don’t-give-a-shit-what-the-down-and-distance-is-we’re-going-for-it philosophy sank his team in the NFC title game last year in San Francisco, and there’s a good chance that it will cost his team in the playoffs again this year.
Matt LaFleur has a middling Playoff (3-4, .429) career record, and has lost 2 NFC Championship Games as well.
The Packers will not only have to deal in the NFC Playoffs with a team like the Detroit Lions, but also teams like Minnesota, the LA Rams-- [if they win the NFC West-- or the Seattle Seahawks], Tampa Bay, and Philadelphia, at least 4 teams (Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia-- and a potential 5th if Seattle makes it into the Playoffs) that have very physical defenses and those teams are very capable of shutting down the Packers.
The NFC Playoffs start next month, and we'll see how far each team in the NFC North goes as far as the Playoffs are concerned.
Extremely interesting article. I love learning about the person underneath the uniform. Articles like this is exactly why I support your work!
Ty! Loved to read this one. Glad there’s some nuanced and thoughtful “edge” developing here on the O-Line. Long may it reign. The NFC North might be the toughest division in football over the next five years (the Bears will get better…). Brusing division battles between Thanksgiving and New Years are gonna decide things. And the whole place needs to be full of Sean’s … As always, your reporting and writing is like none other. Well done!
Great article, Ty! I love digging deep into how these guys think. Thank you!
Man, I cannot thank you all enough for the kind words and — most of all — taking the time to read. Pleasure is all here. Fortunate we’ve got a community of folks who enjoy reading. Sean Rhyan was a delight.
Have always wanted to know more about Sean. Learned a lot. Good to see more nasty on the oline!