Steven Helmer Publications

Here are my thoughts from today's 24-22 Green Bay Packers ' loss against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field: I usually am one of those fans who tries to remain positive but Green Bay does not look like a playoff team right now. Losing Jordan Love in the first half didn't help but the Packers just can't seem to stop beating themselves, whether it's nobody picking up a blitzer, not paying attention to where the ball is in punt coverage (how does the coverage team not know where the ball is being kicked?) or the defense letting the Bears get into field goal range at the last second. This game makes one-and-done against the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend seem very likely. As a fan I'm also a bit concerned about Green Bay being 1-5 against the NFC North. I hope that doesn't become a trend. Part of the solution, at least in my opinio n, might be to defer whenever they win the coin toss. I understand Matt LaFleur's reasons for wanting the ball first, espec...

 My thoughts from today's 20-19 Green Bay Packers ' win at the Chicago Bears : The Packers' special teams won a game! After seeing so many games over the past few years lost as the result of a missed field goal, missed extra point or blocked punt, seeing what looked to be a Bears' victory ended with a blocked field goal was big. I'm still catching my breath from that. Eleven victories in a row against Chicago for the Packers. Jordan Love's interceptions are becoming a real problem. The ugly throw in the first half changed the tone of this game. In addition to taking at least three points off the board, it was the last time they possessed the ball in the first half, not counting the kneel down at the end. You just can't waste opportunities like that. It was, however, great seeing Love healthy enough to use his legs. I don't think Green Bay will ever let him be a rushing quarterback (for good reason) but the man can make some plays on scrambles when nee...

 My thoughts from today's 17-9 Green Bay Packers' win over the Chicago Bears. Playoffs, baby! Let's just take a moment to reflect on what this team has accomplished, regardless of what happens in the post season. This was supposed to be a transition year with a first-year starter at quarterback and the youngest roster in the league. Plus, the guy they were counting on to help with that transition, veteran running back Aaron Jones, missed seven games. A six-or-seven-win season would have been a reasonable expectation. 9-8 and the playoffs is bonus and there's no reason to believe they don't have a chance of pulling an upset next weekend. The most amazing part of their accomplishment is the offense still isn't at full power. I've seen the difference Jones can make when he's healthy. I've also seen how wide receiver Christian Watson forces defenses to play the offense differently because of his speed and playmaking potential. We have yet to see both o...

After a long offseason with plenty of people talking about the Green Bay Packers and their transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, we finally got to see the latter in action, on the road against the division rival Chicago Bears, a team that has been owned by Green Bay quarterbacks for three decades. Here are some thoughts from that 38-20 Packers win. The jury is still out on Jordan Love, but I liked what I saw. It was just the quarterback's second career start and there's a lot of season left as well as a long career left. However, while not flawless, I think he showed what the Packers saw in him when they alienated Aaron Rodgers by trading up to draft him. The play that stood out for me in particular was the fumbled snap in the second half. Rather than falling on the ball, he picked it up, maintained his composure and completed a pass downfield. That is a quarterback who is ready to play in the NFL. I wonder when the rest of the league will pay attention to what the Pack...

I've had this thought before. But, as I watched the Green Bay Packers soundly defeat the Chicago Bears last night, I once again began to wonder if maybe the National Football League should give some serious consideration to it. A slaughter rule, for those who have never heard of it, is a rule that allows a game to end early if one of the teams has no chance of winning. It's mainly used in youth sports as a way of preventing one team from getting embarrassed. However, at the professional level, a rule like that would be more about preventing unnecessary injuries. While it's not something I would expect to see used a lot in the NFL, I do think it's a rule that has its place. Sure, there will be some critics, such as fantasy football players, who would be opposed to it. And, I'm sure advertising revenue would also come into play. But, with the league becoming more health conscious, I do think there are some circumstances where a rule like that would make a lot o...