3. Band of Misfits

Remember the 2004 Boston Red Sox? They titled themselves a 'bunch of idiots'. The Sox were a group of misfits that just really didn't belong. Some of them really didn't do anything after that championship season such as Kevin Millar and Bill Mueller.  The Green Bay Packers are starting to look like the NFL version of them.

I am willing to bet that there will be 3 or 4 guys that will play a key role in Sunday's game will probably not be a factor on the Packers' roster. The artful job by Ted Thompson to pick up guys who no one even heard of. I know a lot of people, but I couldn't tell you who Howard Green, Erik Walden, somewhat Sam Shields, and James Starks did before this season.

Who would win an eating contest between Howard Green
and B.J. Raji. How much would pay to see it? 

Green got picked up for the New York Jets game after the Jets waived him because he gained too much weight after the Jets' bye week. People including me thought that Green would just be a filler for one game, but he ended up playing  a key part in getting the Packers to the Super Bowl.  Green played very well when Cullen Jenkins was out with his calf injury, and now gets put in on run packages. Green ends up making one or two big plays every game.

Another guy was Erick Walden who got picked up to fill the linebacker void as everyone got hurt in a three week span. I hope Walden plays on Sunday because he played so well down the stretch and actually looked the best out of Frank Zombo and Brad Jones. Walden provided a solid pass rush opposite of Clay Matthews, and honestly, I think he might get a shot for next season. Walden is an agressive pass rusher, and showed some signs in the pass defense.

I jumped on the Shields' bandwagon early, but I never thought he would be a great starter for the Packers. I just thought he ends up being a great special teams player, which the Packers haven't had since Desmond Howard. Instead, Shields played nickel cornerback and went from a guy that everybody picks on to a guy that is becoming a problem. I will like to see the matchup between Steelers Wide Receiver Mike Wallace and him on Sunday.

Switching over to the offensive side of the ball, James Starks came out nowhere. I saw people bang the drum about how good Starks was when we were watching Michael uhh Brandon Jackson dance in the backfield. I thought it was just typical Packer fans always looking at the greener grass on the other side. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Starks played like a madman this postseason and will give the Packers a legit 1-2 punch in coming years.

These idiots aren't a bunch of wildy veterans who are finally getting their shot, they are just a bunch of young guys getting their first chance. Now that Green, Walden, Shields, and Starks all have that opportunity and they are not going to let it go with ease.

-Charlie.