Morning Buzz: A mini-bye for Packers
Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.
Mike McCarthy and his players won’t meet with the media until Tuesday after their mini-bye following their Thursday night victory over the Bears. In the meantime, Michael Cohen gives an overview of Mason Crosby’s strong season so far.
Yes, the two misses late Thursday were alarming, but as Cohen writes, Crosby has been very good to start the 2016 season, despite the many changes around him.
Crosby entered 2016 having made 97 of 111 field-goal attempts over the last three years and 141 of 143 extra points during that same span. His lowest field-goal percentage in any of those seasons was 81.8 percent, which was still above his career average of 79.7.
This year, Crosby made his first 12 field goals before having one blocked against the Chicago Bears. It was the second-best streak of his career in terms of consecutive field goals to begin a season. His career high came in 2011, when Crosby made his first 16 kicks.
Gary D’Amato has our review of the new Brett Favre biography, "Gunslinger," by Jeff Pearlman.
It is an unvarnished look at an icon, at times salacious, but it is also fair and balanced. Pearlman interviewed many of Favre’s relatives, including his mother, Bonita Favre, and told them up front that he was writing neither a fawning ode nor a hit piece. They talked, willingly and candidly.
“My wife said, ‘Why would they talk?’ ” Pearlman said. “Because they just do. I wasn’t duplicitous. I told them what I was doing. Bonita was unbelievable. So was Brandi (Favre, Brett’s sister). I developed a real affection for them.”
Pearlman said Favre politely declined to be interviewed for “Gunslinger.” In an odd way, the book is perhaps better without his voice dominating its pages.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky tries to figure out if the Packers’ style of offense against the Bears is sustainable.
Packers fans are everywhere.
The Minnesota Vikings came crashing back to Earth in Philadelphia on Sunday, and head coach Mike Zimmer didn’t pull any punches after the game.
Another entry in the anthology known as “Don’t Tweet like Skip Bayless”
Speaking of the Lions, Matthew Stafford has been a different quarterback since the team made the switch at offensive coordinator last season.
Every team in the NFC East has a winning record. Is it the best division in the NFL?
As for the NFC West and the late-night tie game we were treated to Sunday night, people’s opinions seem really split between “It was a great defensive struggle” and “It was an abomination that should never be repeated.”
Finally, let former Packers wide receiver James Lofton provide some Monday motivation.