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Chargers like what they see
Team has plenty of praise for Packers
By BOB McGINN
[email protected]
Posted: Sept. 23, 2007
Green Bay - Norv Turner was hesitant Sunday to say whether the Green Bay Packers were good enough to overtake the Chicago Bears in the NFC North Division.
"I have to be careful," the coach of the San Diego Chargers said after his team's 31-24 defeat at Lambeau Field. "My brother's with the Bears."
But Turner, whose younger brother, Ron, is offensive coordinator in Chicago, probably revealed his thoughts on the matter with almost the first words out of his during his post-game press briefing.
"We played a lot better this week than in the first two games," Turner said. "I give a lot of credit to Green Bay."
Remember that two weeks ago, the Chargers beat the Bears, 14-3. But Turner wasn't the only Charger to insinuate that it took more to come close to Green Bay than it did to dispatch Chicago on the West Coast.
"We fought harder today," said nose tackle Jamal Williams, comparing the two performances.
With the Bears getting crushed by Dallas on Sunday night at Soldier Field, the Packers own a two-game lead on the two-time defending divisional champions. They're one up on Detroit, a perennial doormat.
"We'll see when they play the Bears," Williams said. "That will be a nice clash of the titans. But they're going to give the Bears a run for their money. They have a lot of talent surrounding a great quarterback."
It was pointed out to the burly Pro Bowl run stopper that the Bears won the NFC North by five games over the Packers in 2006.
"That's living in the past," he said. "People grow. Youngsters develop. You're looking at a great team, man. They're way better than what you think."
Nick Hardwick, the Chargers' Pro Bowl center, forecast that the Packers would finish 10-6, maybe 11-5.
"It's all about momentum and Green Bay is playing good right now," Hardwick said. "Their defense was solid. They beat us without one (a running game). They look tough."
The Packers are off to a 3-0 start for only the 13th time in their 87 seasons of National Football League play. The others were in 1929, '30, '31, '44, '59, '62, '65, '66, '82, '96, '98 and 2001.
Of their 12 championships, eight followed 3-0 starts.
"Let me tell you this," Turner said. "The Packers have done an excellent job here. You watch them on tape and when you get here and go play them, you know that. They've got talented players on both sides of the ball.
"They're a good defensive football team. They're playing with energy and also playing with confidence. And if you have Brett Favre on your team you have a chance in every game."
According to Elias Sports Bureau, 76.1% of clubs that opened 3-0 made the playoffs since the NFL went to its present post-season format in 1990. Teams with 4-0 starts have advanced at an 83.7% rate.
"The way they're playing right now, the way Favre's playing, the way their offensive line is protecting, yes, they can win the NFC North," quarterback Billy Volek said. "They are playing great ball right now. I don't know if their defense or the Bears' is better but the better offense obviously is Green Bay's right now."
Volek, an eight-year veteran, called Favre the NFL's finest quarterback for the last 12 years.
"He just goes out there and slings it around," Volek said. "He doesn't care if it's complete or incomplete. I don't know how old the guy is but to run around the pocket like that and make things happen with his feet, it's really neat to see."
Williams was asked to consider the matchup at quarterback between Favre and Chicago's Rex Grossman.
"Are you serious?" he said. "Both of them are good quarterbacks but one man compared to the other, man, there's no comparison."
In the last 10 seasons, 12 of the 20 teams that made the Super Bowl started at least 3-0.
"Look at the way the Packers played today," defensive end Luis Castillo said. "As good as their defense is playing and as good as Brett Favre was and still is, they really can compete.
"In this league, as much as it's about talent and having the right people, it's about an attitude. Sometimes it's not about having the best players. Sometimes it's about having guys that respond the best in certain situations. And they did that today."
Team has plenty of praise for Packers
By BOB McGINN
[email protected]
Posted: Sept. 23, 2007
Green Bay - Norv Turner was hesitant Sunday to say whether the Green Bay Packers were good enough to overtake the Chicago Bears in the NFC North Division.
"I have to be careful," the coach of the San Diego Chargers said after his team's 31-24 defeat at Lambeau Field. "My brother's with the Bears."
But Turner, whose younger brother, Ron, is offensive coordinator in Chicago, probably revealed his thoughts on the matter with almost the first words out of his during his post-game press briefing.
"We played a lot better this week than in the first two games," Turner said. "I give a lot of credit to Green Bay."
Remember that two weeks ago, the Chargers beat the Bears, 14-3. But Turner wasn't the only Charger to insinuate that it took more to come close to Green Bay than it did to dispatch Chicago on the West Coast.
"We fought harder today," said nose tackle Jamal Williams, comparing the two performances.
With the Bears getting crushed by Dallas on Sunday night at Soldier Field, the Packers own a two-game lead on the two-time defending divisional champions. They're one up on Detroit, a perennial doormat.
"We'll see when they play the Bears," Williams said. "That will be a nice clash of the titans. But they're going to give the Bears a run for their money. They have a lot of talent surrounding a great quarterback."
It was pointed out to the burly Pro Bowl run stopper that the Bears won the NFC North by five games over the Packers in 2006.
"That's living in the past," he said. "People grow. Youngsters develop. You're looking at a great team, man. They're way better than what you think."
Nick Hardwick, the Chargers' Pro Bowl center, forecast that the Packers would finish 10-6, maybe 11-5.
"It's all about momentum and Green Bay is playing good right now," Hardwick said. "Their defense was solid. They beat us without one (a running game). They look tough."
The Packers are off to a 3-0 start for only the 13th time in their 87 seasons of National Football League play. The others were in 1929, '30, '31, '44, '59, '62, '65, '66, '82, '96, '98 and 2001.
Of their 12 championships, eight followed 3-0 starts.
"Let me tell you this," Turner said. "The Packers have done an excellent job here. You watch them on tape and when you get here and go play them, you know that. They've got talented players on both sides of the ball.
"They're a good defensive football team. They're playing with energy and also playing with confidence. And if you have Brett Favre on your team you have a chance in every game."
According to Elias Sports Bureau, 76.1% of clubs that opened 3-0 made the playoffs since the NFL went to its present post-season format in 1990. Teams with 4-0 starts have advanced at an 83.7% rate.
"The way they're playing right now, the way Favre's playing, the way their offensive line is protecting, yes, they can win the NFC North," quarterback Billy Volek said. "They are playing great ball right now. I don't know if their defense or the Bears' is better but the better offense obviously is Green Bay's right now."
Volek, an eight-year veteran, called Favre the NFL's finest quarterback for the last 12 years.
"He just goes out there and slings it around," Volek said. "He doesn't care if it's complete or incomplete. I don't know how old the guy is but to run around the pocket like that and make things happen with his feet, it's really neat to see."
Williams was asked to consider the matchup at quarterback between Favre and Chicago's Rex Grossman.
"Are you serious?" he said. "Both of them are good quarterbacks but one man compared to the other, man, there's no comparison."
In the last 10 seasons, 12 of the 20 teams that made the Super Bowl started at least 3-0.
"Look at the way the Packers played today," defensive end Luis Castillo said. "As good as their defense is playing and as good as Brett Favre was and still is, they really can compete.
"In this league, as much as it's about talent and having the right people, it's about an attitude. Sometimes it's not about having the best players. Sometimes it's about having guys that respond the best in certain situations. And they did that today."
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