Obviously it was disappointing to see the Green Bay Packers drop a home game in December and one that could have helped their confidence heading into next week’s showdown with the Chicago Bears. The frustrations were high during the game (see my Twitter timeline) among many fans and were directed at coaches, the Packers front office and players.
One player who always seems to draw the ire of Packers fans is offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse. The burning question with Newhouse is how and why is he still on the team?
Being a somewhat new Dad, I find myself up at odd hours of the night with these questions and thoughts swirling in my head. So who better to help me tackle this question than another new(er) Dad than our own Adam Czech? I caught up with Adam for a quick Q & A and to get his thoughts on Newhouse.
JP: Newhouse has extensive experience with this offense and was a big part of the offensive line during the 15-1 season in 2011. This year, Newhouse was beaten out by David Bakhtiari at left tackle and Don Barclay at right tackle. In the few snaps Newhouse has seen, why has he been so ineffective?
AC: He probably figures it’s not Aaron Rodgers back there, so why bother blocking anybody? Perhaps Newhouse is actually trying to speed up Rodgers’ return. If he whiffs on enough blocks and every single backup QB the Packers sign gets injured, Dr. McKenzie will have no choice but to activate Rodgers and the Packers will march to the Super Bowl.
JP: When Mike McCarthy needs an extra body on the line, why is he still calling on Newhouse who can’t seemingly move anyone or hold a block? Does Newhouse have photos of McCarthy in a speedo during his summer vacation or what?!
AC: Remember Milton from the movie “Office Space?” He was the guy in the basement who loved his stapler. Everyone also forgot that he was still with the company. That’s Newhouse. McCarthy probably forgets that Newhouse is still on the team until he accidentally wanders on the field, screws something up, then tries to trot off without anybody noticing. McCarthy makes a mental note to cut Newhouse after every game, but then a bunch of other players get injured or something else goofy happens to the Packers and McCarthy just forgets.
JP: Would you agree with the idea that Newhouse was likely going to be a training camp casualty until the team lost both JC Tretter and Bryan Bulaga to major injuries?
AC: Because he has so few of them, Ted Thompson loves players who don’t get injured. If you can stay on the field for 10 consecutive games without breaking a bone or straining a hamstring, you have a job for life with the Green Bay Packers. Hell, A.J. Hawk has made millions of dollars just because he’s the only player on defense who never gets hurt. Newhouse’s agent likely sends Thompson daily emails (does Ted know how to use email?) to remind him that Newhouse hasn’t been on IR since late in the 2010 season.
JP: Why Newhouse over Lane Taylor? Can Taylor possibly be any worse than Newhouse on any given day?
AC: I have no freaking idea. No.
JP: I don’t know a ton about offensive line play in terms of scheme and mechanics, but besides Aaron Rodgers covering up many of the problems on this team, how did the Packers manage to hide Newhouse in this offense for two season and have so much success?
AC: Newhouse has good feet. The guy used to be able to move a little bit. If you have good feet and a 300-plus pound body, you have a shot to have some success in the NFL. Once teams figured out to go at Newhouse with power and take advantage of his lack of aggression, it was all over for him.
Jason Perone is an independent sports blogger writing about the Packers on AllGreenBayPackers.com
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Heres my article on Newhouse:
Poorest excuse for an O-lineman ever…
Why is this guy still on the Team? He is a terrible player. He needs to be handing out carts at Walmart or some other non essential job……Can’t we give the Vikings or Chicago some money to take him!!
Since he is still on the team it tells you how bad the OL is in general. Not to hard to figure out!!
The problem with our OL and coaching staff is they apparently do not watch film of the success others have against the team that we play next…point….what are the odds our OL come within an iota of what the Eagles did last night to the Bears.
According to PFF, the two worse Packer players since 2008 are Newhouse and then Hawk. Thompson, McCarthy and lackeys still give substantial playing time to both. No wonder we have problems!
Newhouse has been a disaster, but this article is piling on.
Barbre, Giacomeni, now Newhouse. OTs the Packers fail to develop only to watch them become starters for a Super Bowl team after leaving GB. Ass-clowns I tell ya!
That points to one thing and that’s coaching. I don’t know how you can keep swapping out the players, keep the coach as the one constant and then when you witness the same poor result wonder what the cause is.
Nothing like spewing lies is there arch? Giacomini has been a decent starter, but the Packers gave him every chance. He was terrible and needed to be released. Probably realized he was on his way out of the NFL and started paying attention or actually trying. He hasn’t played in or sniffed a SB!!
Barbre hasn’t started for an NFL team since he left the Packers and has bumped around from team to team for the past 4 years, never more than one team for more than one year. After 3 extremely uninspiring years w/ the Packers he was a complete waste of time. Probably why he never started a game for another team since leaving. He left GB went to Seattle, then Miami, then Seattle again and philly!
Newhouse and Giacomini were 5th rounders. Not like 5th rounders regularly turn into starters.
Come on archie your gonna have to do better than this crap. Owned again!!!
Mike McCarthy is now on record wanting Rodgers back and apparently blaming TT. Read it here. This could be frustration with this season, false info to the Bears as to AR’s condition or something else, but this is the first time I have seen MM air something out on public against TT.
This is a big deal between the two most important men in the organization and they are not on the same page.
I know nothing as to the extent of the injury or whether it is wise fro AR to play, but not having these two agreeing is a not good.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000303395/article/mccarthy-wants-quicker-decision-on-aaron-rodgers
Lame… Ask one guy w/ a poor regard for Newhouse asking another. What the hell do you think he’s going to answer?! I mean really what the point. To pat each other on the back that you both agree w/ each other! Stupid waste of time!
Some really grumpy asses around here lately with no sense of humor. Too bad, especially around the holidays.
And actually, Stroh, this whole thing took less than 10 minutes to put together so really no time was wasted at all. Thanks for your concern, you lame-o:)