John Madden must really be getting old. Sunday night, he actually called Terrell Owens a team player.
Next week, he’ll say Brett Favre is underexposed.
But from a Packers’ fan’s perspective, Madden’s overeager Owens praise was one of the game’s highlights. At least it got a chuckle. Beyond that, there wasn’t much to smile about.
Face it, Dallas taught Green Bay some humility Sunday night, reminding the Packers that even though they’ve come a long way in Brett Favre’s wake, they’ve still got far to go.
Green Bay’s run defense was troubling. Kinda like those Emmys hosts.
The Pack’s inability to run was equally bad. The lack of depth in the defensive secondary was exposed (Miles Austin should not be beating you deep, and definitely not twice). And still, there are the penalties…
About the only positives to come from the night were this:
First, it’s only Week 3, and Green Bay faced similar questions at this point last season before eventually overcoming them.
And second, in their toughest test of the young season, the Packers would’ve done no better with Favre at quarterback. In fact, you can argue that they may have done worse. The mobility of Aaron Rodgers made the Dallas pass rush merely tremendous. Against a statuesque Favre, it would’ve been overwhelming.
And even when behind, Rodgers didn’t fall into Brett’s old trap of forcing passes that made things worse. How impressive is it that Rodgers still hasn’t thrown an interception?
So maybe it’s time to admit what Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy already believed.
Aaron Rodgers really is better than Favre. Not two years down the road, but right now. The only question left is whether he’ll exhibit Favrian health throughout the season and shed that tag of being injury prone.
What else did we learn from Sunday’s showdown?
Well, Dallas is clearly the best team in the NFC, if not the entire league. The AFC looks startlingly weak this year, with Indianapolis at 1-2 and Miami’s ambush of New England. (Was Ronnie Brown on Bill Belichick’s fantasy team?)
And after Sunday night’s performance, it’s hard to say Green Bay is even a top-three team in the NFC. Philly looked much better against the Cowboys, and that was in Dallas, while the Giants are very quietly 3-0. At this point, just be happy the Packers don’t play in the NFC East.
Oh, the Packers are good. A solid playoff team. They’re just not great.
But that’s OK. A little humility can go a long way.
Unless you’re a “team player” like Terrell Owens.
Quote of Note
“Aaron Rodgers: Change We Can Believe In.”
– Fan sign spotted by NBC’s cameras at Sunday night’s game.
In Other News
Brew Crew Adieu? Not Quite.
Meet the Milwaukee Brewers, largely declared deader than disco, and with far more zeal.
But I subscribe to the Richard Pryor approach, colorful language aside.
Faced with a six-game season, Milwaukee’s two-part mission is quite simple.
Objective 1) Don’t lose. Not even once.
Objective 2) Root for the Cubs against the Mets.
I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right. The second part is harder.
Still, it’s a necessary evil. The only way Milwaukee gains the playoffs is if the Mets lose at least two more games than the Brewers. If that means a temporary alliance with the Chicago enemy, so be it.
But maybe this will ease the pain. Apparently, some in the Cubs camp are also rooting for the Brewers.
That’s fine. At this point, the Brewers need all the help they can get.
Concession Stand
I’d choose to watch televised golf over a lot of things. Like “The View.” Or the ShamWow commercial. (Seriously, $20 a month on paper towels? Somewhere, the Defense Department smiles.)
OK, so maybe not a whole lot of things.
But I make an exception for the big events, and the Ryder Cup certainly qualifies. I know because the commercials told me so for two weeks. And because the golf police didn’t arrest Boo Weekley for his Happy Gilmore horsey ride.
So I put the Ryder Cup in my crowded remote control rotation Sunday afternoon, wedging it between football and the Brewers. The announcers told me it was some of the best golf I’ll ever see, and who was I to argue, because my best involves not killing squirrels with a slice.
Then it got even better when the United States was on the verge of its first win since 1999. And I was ready for that championship moment. Jim Furyk. A two-foot putt for glory. One final, clinching stroke.
Only he never made it. Because his opponent conceded the two-footer, and with it, the Cup.
I get it. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do. But this is a competition, not a cotillion.
You don’t see NFL coaches conceding extra points. You don’t see baseball teams (much to the Brewers’ chagrin) conceding the 27th out. And no matter how big the longshot, you’ll never see a poker player concede the river card.
But in one of golf’s “biggest events,” players concede putts all the time.
Sorry. When the stakes are high, give me Anthony Kim’s approach. Make ’em earn it.
Waving Hello
In case you missed it, the Milwaukee Wave has its new indoor soccer home, the Xtreme Soccer League.
Don’t let the name fool you. Even if you’re over 30, you can still buy a ticket.
And finally…
Hate the New York Yankees all you want (and no doubt your reasons are valid), but give the Evil Empire this: The most storied franchise in baseball sure knows how to celebrate history.
Yankee Stadium has hosted its last game. And in the House That Ruth Built, the Babe’s daughter was there to say goodbye.
Tune in every Tuesday morning during the 6 o’clock hour when I join Doug Russell and Mike Wickett on SportsRadio 1250 AM for Tuesdays with Howie. And don’t forget to check out our new fitness column, Training with Tim.
