Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy officially signed off on a five-year contract today that had been rumored for several weeks and reportedly will pay him about $4 million per season.
That means McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson, who inked a new pact early in January, are scheduled to remain the Packers' dynamic duo on the football side of the operation through 2012.
McCarthy, in Honolulu coaching the NFC team in the Pro Bowl, was making about $2 million annually under the original three-year contract he signed before the 2006 campaign.
Both men deserved the extensions and raises after Thompson dug the Packers out of a salary cap mess upon taking over from Mike Sherman in 2005, while McCarthy and his staff have worked wonders with the youngest team in the NFL.
Green Bay rebounded for an 8-8 finish last year and were one of the league's surprise teams this past season, finishing 13-3 and claiming the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, where the Packers lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants, 23-20 in overtime despite a subpar performance in the championship showdown at frigid Lambeau Field.
McCarthy has shown the propensity for offensive flexibility, although his squad has been inconsistent at best in mastering the zone block running scheme. Defensively, he's handed the reins to Bob Sanders and the Packers have steadily made progress, although they need to improve a couple of notches to become one of the elite units. Their special teams also have gotten better.
“We have accomplished some of our goals over the past two seasons, but there remains much left to be done," McCarthy said in a statement. "I am excited by the opportunity to meet those challenges and someday return another Lombardi Trophy home to Green Bay.”
McCarthy and Vince Lombardi are the only two Green Bay coaches to lead the Packers as far as the NFL/NFC title contest in just their second season. McCarthy has earned accolades from his players for being tough but approachable.
Those traits will serve him well as expectations, inside and outside of 1265 Lombardi Ave., naturally will rise after their wonderful 2007 campaign. McCarthy is a guy who can deal with that burden.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
Pack 15-1 odds to win Super Bowl XLIII
It didn't take but a few hours for the dust to settle on the New York Giants shocking upset of New England to get Vegas excited about next year's Super Bowl.
The Patriots, who'll be eating humble pie until September, are again the favorite to take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy in January 2009. New England, if they don't leave early, is pegged as a 4-to-1 favorite to claim their fourth title in eight years, according to Bodog.
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers are among the top three teams in the NFC, sitting at 15/1 odds, thus making them the likely repeat champion of the North. The Giants and Dallas are tabbed as 10/1 favorites.
San Diego (6/1) and Indianapolis (8/1) are the other leading contenders in the AFC.
As for the Packers' divisional challengers, Chicago and Minnesota are given 35/1 odds, while Detroit is at 50/1.
Green Bay, unless quarterback Brett Favre retires or something catastrophic occurs, will no doubt enter next season as the top dog in the North. But throwing out odds and predictions already is like finding fool's gold, what with free agency, the draft and injuries from training camp and the preseason still major hurdles.
The Patriots, who'll be eating humble pie until September, are again the favorite to take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy in January 2009. New England, if they don't leave early, is pegged as a 4-to-1 favorite to claim their fourth title in eight years, according to Bodog.
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers are among the top three teams in the NFC, sitting at 15/1 odds, thus making them the likely repeat champion of the North. The Giants and Dallas are tabbed as 10/1 favorites.
San Diego (6/1) and Indianapolis (8/1) are the other leading contenders in the AFC.
As for the Packers' divisional challengers, Chicago and Minnesota are given 35/1 odds, while Detroit is at 50/1.
Green Bay, unless quarterback Brett Favre retires or something catastrophic occurs, will no doubt enter next season as the top dog in the North. But throwing out odds and predictions already is like finding fool's gold, what with free agency, the draft and injuries from training camp and the preseason still major hurdles.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Unlikely heroes, defense lead Giants
History was made in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday night, except it was the New York Giants who made it and not the previously unbeaten New England Patriots, who saw their winning streak snapped at 18.
Offensive leaders and stars Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress teamed up on a 13-yard scoring pass with 35 seconds left to help lift the Cinderella Giants to a 17-14 victory, one of the biggest upsets in the battle for the Lombardi Trophy.
Manning pulled a Tom Brady, rallying his team from 7-3 and 10-7 deficits in the fourth quarter to give his family a second straight Most Valuable Player award after completing 19 of 34 attempts for 255 yards. Burress, he of the guarantee, had caught only one pass before latching onto Manning's toss into the corner of the end zone to complete a 12-play, 83-yard march.
However, they wouldn't have enjoyed the spotlight had it not been for guys like Kevin Boss, Steve Smith and David Tyree, who hauled in gains of 45, 17 and 5 yards, respectively, the last a score, on New York's first TD drive in the final quarter. Tyree then leaped to pull down a 32-yarder after Manning's scramble to set the underdogs up at the Pats 24 with a minute left on the deciding possession.
New York's defense also played a huge role, putting relentless pressure on Brady and the explosive New England unit that had set several NFL records during the regular season. Justin Tuck had two sacks and a forced fumble in the first half, while long snapper and reserve lineman Jay Alford added a sack in the closing seconds. The Giants' unsung offensive line also outperformed the Patriots more heralded front seven, which helped New York keep the Pats offense off the field.
New England's one bright spot on offense was slot receiver Wes Welker, who tied a Super Bowl mark with 11 catches.
The outcome prevented New England from claiming its fourth championship in seven seasons and kept Brady from joining Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw and San Francisco's Joe Montana as a four-time winner.
This writer still isn't convinced that the Giants are the better team, but they outplayed and outcoached the Patriots in Arizona and walked away as NFL champions, so they deserve all the credit.
Offensive leaders and stars Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress teamed up on a 13-yard scoring pass with 35 seconds left to help lift the Cinderella Giants to a 17-14 victory, one of the biggest upsets in the battle for the Lombardi Trophy.
Manning pulled a Tom Brady, rallying his team from 7-3 and 10-7 deficits in the fourth quarter to give his family a second straight Most Valuable Player award after completing 19 of 34 attempts for 255 yards. Burress, he of the guarantee, had caught only one pass before latching onto Manning's toss into the corner of the end zone to complete a 12-play, 83-yard march.
However, they wouldn't have enjoyed the spotlight had it not been for guys like Kevin Boss, Steve Smith and David Tyree, who hauled in gains of 45, 17 and 5 yards, respectively, the last a score, on New York's first TD drive in the final quarter. Tyree then leaped to pull down a 32-yarder after Manning's scramble to set the underdogs up at the Pats 24 with a minute left on the deciding possession.
New York's defense also played a huge role, putting relentless pressure on Brady and the explosive New England unit that had set several NFL records during the regular season. Justin Tuck had two sacks and a forced fumble in the first half, while long snapper and reserve lineman Jay Alford added a sack in the closing seconds. The Giants' unsung offensive line also outperformed the Patriots more heralded front seven, which helped New York keep the Pats offense off the field.
New England's one bright spot on offense was slot receiver Wes Welker, who tied a Super Bowl mark with 11 catches.
The outcome prevented New England from claiming its fourth championship in seven seasons and kept Brady from joining Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw and San Francisco's Joe Montana as a four-time winner.
This writer still isn't convinced that the Giants are the better team, but they outplayed and outcoached the Patriots in Arizona and walked away as NFL champions, so they deserve all the credit.
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