GM: Packers 'wary' of Eagles
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
GM: Packers 'wary' of Eagles
Daily News staff
Ted Thompson is not necessarily buying into the all buzz surrounding the Eagles' high-profile signings.
Thompson, the Packers' general manager, can do that, given that his team is the defending Super Bowl champions.
During a session with reporters today, Thompson was asked about the Eagles' moves.
"There's always a hectic time during the start of free agency," he said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This year's free agency was accelerated because of the circumstances surrounding it. But that happens. It just depends on where you are as a team, as an organization and what you feel like you need.
"As far as looking at another team and saying, 'this is a good thing and this is a bad thing,' it's not my place to do. Certainly they have some good people there in Philadelphia. Andy (Reid) is a good friend of mine and a good football guy so we're certainly wary of them."
That does not mean Thompson lacks confidence in his team, but wants the Packers to continue to strive to get better.
"We certainly feel confident with our guys," he said. "I don't know if you ever get satisfied. I don't want our team to think we're satisfied with where we are. We're always going to try to get better."
For reference, when Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie addressed the media, he used a question about whether the Eagles are a "dream team" to laud the Packers because, after all, they are the defending champions.
"The only dream team I know is the Green Bay Packers," Lurie said. "We dream to become as good as the Green Bay Packers and hold that trophy ... We’re consciously trying to play catch up in an aggressive way. I personally thought that, we won our division last year, and I thought we played the Packers very evenly in the playoff game and played them very well. But you have to understand the way I looked at it [and] I think most of us looked at it is Green Bay won in a year in which a lot of their best players were injured. So this is not an accurate assessment of Green Bay last year and they were holding the Lombardi Trophy. So when you add the Jermichael Finley’s and Ryan Grant’s and just a slew of great players all over, I think they’re the team we’re all trying to catch, I think they’re the team you dream about trying to surpass and so does the rest of the NFL."
UPDATED: Since the conversation below has turned into a debate about the merits of each team's schedule, the Eagles are tied for 15th in strength of schedule based on the composite last season records of this season's opponents at 129-127, for a .504 winning percentage. The Packers are tied for 13th at 130-126, a winning percentage of .508.
stop feeding the trolls... it only makes them hungrier.— Dan Callahan- All the teams in the NFL East are playing the teams in the AFL East this season, so the Eagles need to play the Patriots and Jets, however the NFL schedules WHERE they play, either home or away...So the Eagles get to play the Patriots and Jets at home..and the Giants get to play the Patriots and Jets AWAY, which is a big difference.
Also the Giants will play the champion Green Bay Packers...the Eagles do NOT play Green Bay....again the Eagles have the soft schedule.— frank105 - Say what you want about a "soft" schedule, that is your opinion. But you do realize that all but two games were scheduled years in advance and also WHERE they play. Four years from now the Giants will have the Jets and Patriots at home and the Eagles play them away. Also the NFL cannot help that the Packers, Saints, and Giants were all second in their divisions last year. Stop blaming the NFL and stop looking for conspiracies. — Throckmorton
- the eagles played the packers last year and the giants did not,quit your crying.the giants are mad among themselves.they dont like each other,and the fans are even worse,before we signed all the probowlers,we have owned the giants.this year will be worse.go eagles!!!!!! — ackid38
- The NFL makes the schedule based on a yearly rotation. The last time the Eagles played the Pats and Jets, they were both on the road in 2007...this go-round, they get to play them at home. NFC teams play different AFC divisions on a 3 year rotation compared to 2 years when it comes to in conference divisions. No conspiracy, just complete delusion and stupidity on your part. — Omorales510
- Frank105--the schedules were made when realignment happened before the 2002 season--if you check, the Skins and Eagles, with the exception of 1 team, play the exact same home and away schedule--Dallas and the Giants with the exception of 1 team also play the ame home and away schedule. The only difference is that they play 1 team in the conference that finished in the same place they did--Eagles play Chicago at home because both were division winners and both GB and the Gmen finshed 2nd in their divsions. The only anomoly in the schedules is that in 2008 when the Eagles played the NFCW, they played the Rams and Cards at home and the Hawks and 49ers away--they usually switch it around the 2nd time their divisions come up--but this year, they play the Cards at home again and the Hawks on the road again.— bobbyuk
- frank...what are you talking about?— phillyboy88
- Frank - my you are stupid. The Eagles play the AFC East, the NFC West and the teams from the other two NFC divisions that finish in the same place in their division that the Eagles did last year. That is the same as every other team in their division. Which divisions you play rotate each year. There are only two games taht have any chance to change year to year, those are the two against the teams in your conference's other two divisions that finish the same place you do.
In this case, the Eagles finished first, just like the Bears and Falcons(who they play). The Packers finished 2nd in their division last year, that is why the Eagles dont play them, not because Godell loves felons who play QB.— phight on - Bottom Line is....the Eagles play The Patriots and Jets at home...the Giants play the Patriots and Jets AWAY.
Also the Giants play the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay....and the Eagles do NOT play Green Bay.
The Eagles have a soft schedule.....period.— frank105 - The schedule is a known entity for the next 10 years, save for 2 teams (the winners of the "off divisions" in your conference) and the home/away specifics. Anyone who thinks there is any conspiracy is an idiot.— Mike in LA
- @— frank105. LEarn about the schedule before you start talking smack. It makes you really look dumb. The "schedule" is determine by the 2 divisions (1 AFC, and 1 NFC so AFC East and NFC West) you play against which rotates so you play every team at least once every 4 years (8 games), your division (6 games), and the last 2 teams are determined by your finish from the year before. The Eagles were 1st in the division so they get the Falcons AWAY and Bears BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY WON THE NFC NORTH last year, not the Packers. Your beloved "G-men" came is 2nd, so they play Green Bay (Wildcard) AT THE MEADOWLANDS, and you get to play the JETS IN NY WHICH IS THE SAME FIELD THE GIANTS PLAY AT SO THEY BOTH ARE AT HOME PUTZ. You do get the Saints in NO. Good luck.— SlinkTMP
- @ Frank105...... Spend some more time drawing with your crayons and wear your helmet.
"Also the Eagles get to play New England and Jets at home..the Giants must play those same top teams on the road" Correct me if I am wrong, but the GIANTS and JETS play in the same stadium, so the Giants actually get an extra home game.— SlinkTMP - @frank105 - It wouldn't matter if the schedules were reversed. The Eagles will still be the NFC East champs, and the Giants will be looking up at them.— dlscholt
- Slink: So you agree that the Eagles play the Patriots and Jets at home...and the Giants play both of those top teams away.
You also agree that the Giants will play the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay....and the Eagles do NOT play Green Bay.
Then surely even a dummy like you can see the Eagles have a softer schedule.— frank105 - Frank105 you are not a fan rememeber. Yet here you are again, why do you care you said you will never root for the Eagles as long as the black players are on this team. Why do you care? — Blessed8251
