TUESDAY TIDBITS: "Finish What You Start"

By TJ Troup 

Myles Garrett

Every week during the season, there are players that are valiant in their performance, though the team they play for loses. Myles Garrett's 5 sacks last Sunday sure will make him a key figure in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year, and of course, we know that there has never been a player from a losing team win that award. Right? Oh, there was a player? 

Many of you have probably watched film of Richard Marvin Butkus, and maybe even some footage from both 1969 and 1970, when the Bears won 7 and lost 21 over those two seasons. Dickie Boy (my nickname for him) was the Defensive Player of the Year, voted by NEA. 

Thus, Mr. Garrett has a chance. At this point in my life, there is not a player that would want me as his agent, yet would have advised Mr. Garrett to leave Cleveland and to either Detroit or San Francisco and be treated like royalty under a dedicated coaching staff, and thus have a chance to eventually play for the "Silver Trophy". 

Is there any doubt that so far this season, the surprise team is the Indianapolis Colts. This coming Sunday, the Colts journey to Pittsburgh for a key game (aren't they all key games at this point for contending teams?), and if the Colts achieve victory, they will join the Colts teams of the past that have also won on November 2nd. Bet all you folks can guess where I am going with this saga? So, let's journey back to earlier days in Colt history. 

We will start in 1958 when the BALTIMORE Colts are at home against a woeful Packers team led by Scooter McLean. Half-time and Colts are ahead 28-0, and with the motivated depth on this very special team, they also score 28 in the second half in the 56-0 whitewash. 

How strong was the depth on this Baltimore team, you ask? Johnny Hightops is injured and George Shaw has a strong game. Anytime Raymond Berry & Lenny Moore combine for only 4 catches and 90 yards, the thought would be the Colts struggled to move the ball and score? Not on this Sunday.

Possibly, Green Bay should look at new leadership for the Packers. There is an offensive coach in New York doing a super job; maybe he would be interested? November 2nd, 1969 the Colts are struggling at 3-4, but hammer the 'Skins under Lombardi 41-17 and finish with a winning record. 

November 2nd, 1975, will be the focal point of this saga, as to this day the Baltimore Colts of 1975 remain one of the best comeback stories ever in league history. Enter Ted Marchibroda as the new head coach, and though they start 1-4, this team of talent, camaraderie and outstanding creative leadership by Marchibroda will win the East and earn a playoff berth. I was in the Coliseum to watch this Colt team battle the Rams for four quarters before succumbing. It was one helluva game to watch. 

Over the years have been very fortunate to "talk" to former coaches and players, and at a Hall of Fame function had the honor to talk with coach Marchibroda. He was humble, yet he shared his vision of what that Colt team could do. We discussed his impressive background, and of course, his thoughts on defensive & offensive strategy, especially how Lydell Mitchell was his "weapon" in advancing the ball. The title of this saga is a quote from him during that season of destiny. 

One of the key improvements in the Baltimore defense was the play of middle linebacker Jim Cheyunski. During an in-depth phone conversation with Cheyunski, we discussed his role and of course, the performance of the "Sack Pack". 

How he stabilized the linebacking corps and helped with the coverage concepts utilized by a very improved pass defense. Ranking dead last in '74 with a defensive passer rating of 85.3(league average was 64.2) to 7th in 1975 with a mark of 56.9 (league average was 65.8). Was sure an enjoyable talk with Cheyunski, filled with fascinating stories. 

There have been so many excellent NFL Films season highlight films done by a talented group of producers, yet the '75 Colt film stands out since Steve Sabol did not hand the ball off to a producer, he directed the film (he was a life-time Baltimore Colt fan), and on one of my visits to "Films" we talked about those Colt teams from that era. 

November 2nd, 2003 the Colts defeated Miami 23-17 to improve to 7-1 and that team advanced to the AFC title game. November 2nd, 2008, the Colts defeated the Patriots 18-15 to even the slate at 4-4, and they proceeded to win out to finish 12-4 under Tony Dungy. So, will November 2nd, 2025, be another victory day for a Colt team that so far this year has demonstrated they can and will win games?

Aaron Rodgers Comes Up Short in Pittsburgh

 By Eric Goska

Sunday in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers became the 24th ex-Packer
to throw a pass against his former team.
(photo by Chip Manthey)

Aaron Rodgers matched wits with his previous employer in prime time and came away empty-handed. The league’s elder statesman – he’ll turn 42 in December – played every offensive snap as his Steelers succumbed to the visiting Packers 35-25 at Acrisure Stadium.

The game, an intriguing matchup when the schedule was released, took on an added dimension when Rodgers signed with Pittsburgh in June. Sunday night, the four-time NFL MVP who spent 18 seasons with the Packers added his name to the list of those who played both for and against the Green and Gold.

Suiting up against Green Bay after having played there occurs more often than one might think. Excluding 1939 and 1951, at least one ex-Packer has returned to play against his former team every season since 1922.

Emmett Keefe was the first. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder opened at left guard for the Packers against the Chicago Staleys on Nov. 27, 1921. Ten months later, he started at the same position for the Rock Island Independents when they hosted Green Bay on Oct. 1, 1922.

Keefe, a lineman in the early days of pro football, went largely unnoticed. Rodgers, a quarterback headed for Canton, cannot escape the spotlight.

Brett Favre warms up before facing the Vikings in 2007.
(photo by Eric Goska)

In Pittsburgh, Rodgers became the first Packers quarterback since Brett Favre in 2010 to compete against his old team. He is one of 24 players to have played for and then returned to throw a pass against the Green and Gold.

One small aside, before we continue. For this article, we are considering only those who played in at least one regular-season game for the Packers. So players such as Rick Mirer (active but did not play in 1998) or Aaron Brooks (active but did not play in 1999) do not qualify.

So, with that out of the way, how did Rodgers’ performance stack up? It was a tale of two halves, one in which he was forced to carry the offensive load in the final two quarters.

Rodgers compiled a passer rating of 101.5 by completing 24 of 36 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with nine different receivers with his favorite target, D.J. Metcalf, hauling in five for 55 yards.

In the first half, Rodgers could pick and choose when to throw as Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell churned out 81 yards rushing on 15 carries (5.4 average). The veteran quarterback completed 11 of 15 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown (113.8 rating).

But as Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense found their footing – Green Bay scored on five of its six second-half possessions – Rodgers was forced to pass more frequently. His ground game all but gone (3 carries for 12 yards), Rodgers fired 21 passes, completing 13 for 117 yards and a score (92.8 rating).

The bulk (70) of Rodgers’ second-half yardage came in the final four minutes after the Packers had gone up 35-19. Rodgers zipped a 21-yard scoring pass to Roman Wilson, but Green Bay drained the final two minutes, seven seconds to close out the game.

Rodgers and the Steelers converted only one of 10 third downs, missing their last nine in a row. On six of those occasions, Pittsburgh needed 10 or more yards to gain a fresh set of downs.

In launching 36 throws, Rodgers became the 13th former Packer to throw at least 15 passes in a game against his former team. In coming up short, the California native failed to join Mike Tomczak (1992), Ty Detmer (1997) and Brett Favre (twice in 2009) as quarterbacks who returned to defeat the Packers.

Extra Point
Red Smith was the first ex-Packer to throw a pass against his old team. On Nov. 22, 1931, Smith failed to connect with Hap Moran late in the third quarter of a 14-10 loss to Green Bay in the Polo Grounds.

Extra Point
Twenty-four ex-Packers returned to throw at least one pass against their former team: Red Smith (1), Bo Molenda (1), Cy Casper (4), Swede Johnston (1), Harry Mattos (3), Frank Balasz (1), Arnie Herber (6), Bobby Thomason (42), Babe Parilli (3), Tobin Rote (85), Lamar McHan (40), John Roach (10), Dennis Claridge (11), Don Horn (33), Scott Hunter (39), Mike Tomczak (21), Mark Brunell (118), Ty Detmer (43), Don Majkowski (32), Craig Hentrich (1), Matt Hasselbeck (120), Terry Glenn (1), Brett Favre (126) and Aaron Rodgers (36).

High-Yield Returns
Former Packers quarterbacks who compiled a passer rating of 100 or more points against the Packers in a regular-season game (minimum 20 pass attempts)

Date                   Quarterback     Rating   Team            Result
Oct. 5, 2009        Brett Favre            135.3       Vikings          GB lost, 23-30
Nov. 1, 2009       Brett Favre            128.6       Vikings          GB lost, 26-38
Oct. 5, 1958        Tobin Rote            102.5        Lions             GB tied, 13-13
Oct. 26, 2025     Aaron Rodgers     101.5        Steelers         GB won, 35-25

Thirty-four Seniors Players Survived the Cut from 52

By John Turney 

Today, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the names of 34 players eligible to advance to the finalist round of nine. These 34 semifinalists were selected from an initial list of 52 candidates that had already passed scrutiny by the screening committee. That committee started with a preliminary pool of 162 nominees and eliminated 110 of them—a challenging process to be sure.

Next, the Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee will choose nine players from this group of 34 to become finalists. The committee will then select three of those nine names to present to the full Board of Selectors for final approval in January.

Here are the 19 offense, 14 defensive, and one special teamer on the list of 34—

QUARTERBACKS (3): Ken Anderson, Charlie Conerly, Roman Gabriel.

Anderson will be the favorite, but there is a fair question about him and the two other signal callers:  Were they consistently great? Anderson had a slow patch in the years that should have been his peak. Gabriel took five seasons to secure a starting job. 

Conerly was part of a platoon system with the Giants, where he shared quarterback duties with his backup, Don Heinrich, starting many games to "probe: the defense with Conerly closing games after Heinrich had a series or two (or more).

Maybe none of those caveats are disqualifying, but when you have nine votes and others didn't have any question marks, it's hard to justify a quarterback just because it's the most important position on the field. 

RUNNING BACKS (4): Roger Craig, Chuck Foreman, Cecil Isbell, Paul “Tank” Younger.

Isbell was more of a passer than "running back" which is a misnomer. Isbell was an old-school tailback who made his bones throwing to Don Hutson.

Craig and Foreman are similar players, but excellent runners and elite receivers for their position. Craig was the first 1,000-1000 player, running for 1,000 and receiving for 1,000. It's notable. But was he as consistent as Foreman was from 1973-78? Craig was part of the championships; Foreman was not, but that's probably the biggest separator. 

Tank Younger was a fine fullback and an elite linebacker. In the first half of his career, he played more defense than offense, then the second half, it was the opposite. He was only a top-10 rusher twice in his career. He has to be looked at as a two-way player. The question is whether he was a Hall-of-Fame-level back/linebacker.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS (7): Isaac Curtis, Lavvie Dilweg, Henry Ellard, Harold Jackson, Stanley Morgan, Art Powell, Otis Taylor.

Lavvie Dilweg played in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He's one of the overlooked players in history. It's hard to know how the rest of the committee will vote, but he will be on my list of nine.

The six other wide receivers are hard to separate. They span eras, and therefore, you have to look at their numbers closely. Length of season and the level of league passing matter, meaning that post-1978 receiving numbers were more common, and the game was opening up. So, pre-1978 players have to be looked at as elite even if they may have had good seasons with 800 yards, for example.

Then, you have to look at early AFL tendencies. Unlike the NFL, the new league was pass-happy, and it is criticized that the defensive players were not up to snuff, compared to the NFL. They were casoffs. They were old, hurt, or just not that good, or so the claim goes. 

The six recent wide receivers ... you list them in the order of who you think is Hall-worthy. Would you list Art Powell first? Otis Taylor? The more recent Stanley Morgan? Do you ask where Del Shofner is?

You see the problem.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (5): Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, Bob Kuechenberg, Jim Tyrer, Al Wistert.

All are Hall-of-Famers in my book. The one who was All-Pro most and who was a two-way player is Al Wistert. He blocked for the runner who set the NFL career rushing record, he played on elite offenses and defenses. George Allen called Wistert one of the best early pass rushers. And he played on two championship teams. What more can a lineman do?

Jim Tyrer was advanced from the seniors committee to the full committee last year and was not inducted. His off-field actions prevented (a murder/suicide) his induction is the conventional wisdom. Even though Tyrer's wife's family has forgiven him, truly thinking he was suffering from what is now called C.T.E., the brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. Is it true? I don't know. The only thing certain is "Hall resume" is worthy of induction. It just may never happen because of the off-field issues that surround him. 

Mike Kenn is at or near all the leaderboards for tackles in terms of years played, games played and games started. His longevity is off the charts. He was an All-Pro in 1980 and also in 1991, eleven years apart. He played for elite running teams early in his career and for a Run-and-Shoot style late in his career and was good at both. He was a "blue" player most of the years in between as well. 

Then there is Joe Jacoby, a vital part of the Washington line, the "Hogs" that won three titles. Jacoby was an elite left tackle and then moved to right tackle for the betterment of the team. He also moved to play guard for the same reasons. 

The only guard of this group is Bob Kuechenberg, who got left behind when his interior linemates -- Larry Little and Jim Langer got their gold jackets. He was a prototype player that several Hall-of-Fame guards modeled their game after his. He may have been the best trap blocker of all time.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (2): L.C. Greenwood, Jim Marshall.

Greenwood was a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro and owns four Super Bowl rings. He played on what is accepted as one of the top few defenses of all time -- The Steel Curtain.

Then you have Jim Marshall, who had around 130 sacks, played 20 years and never missed a game. But he was never a first-team All-Pro and two Pro Bowls. So he lacks the "alls" if you will

LINEBACKERS (6): Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Larry Grantham, Lee Roy Jordan, Clay Matthews Jr., Tommy Nobis.

Larry Grantham and Maxie Baughan were similar, right outside linebackers in a 4-3 defense.

The middle linebackers are hard to separate. Neither was a first-team All-Pro all that often, but would often get Pro Bowl invites. Jordan was able to play for a great team; Nobis was not. Of the two, who would you put in the Hall, that is, if you could only put one of them in?

Like with the wide receivers, who do you think gets the nod in your mind -- if you could only pick one to advance? What if others went with the other guy? Who would be right?

Some recent-ish players are also interesting. Clay Matthews Jr. and Carl Banks. Their case largely hinges on the eye test. Their coaches and the writers who cover them say these players (who lacked a lot of "alls") lost out on some of those because maybe rushbackers. Sackmeisters at the outside linebacker position hogged the honors. 

Both played the run, played the pass, and could rush the passer when asked. 

DEFENSIVE BACKS (6): Dick Anderson, Bobby Boyd, Albert Lewis, Eddie Meador, Lemar Parrish, Everson Walls.

It is good to see Lemar Parrish advance this far; he was the best cornerbacks of the 1970s. He was elite at coverage and quarterbacks avoided him. Always felt underpaid in Cincinnati and that landed him in Washington, where he continued his Pro Bowl-level play.

Albert Lewis was a technical marvel. He did things other corners couldn't do. He was a film-freak watching (then) videotapes of everyone so he'd have the advantage come Sundays. He's also the best punt blocker of all time.

Rams safety Eddie Meador was a fine cornerback, then became an All-Pro safety. He was a good tackler, good at coverage and on special teams, he was one of the best holders of all time. He could take a snap for a first down or even a touchdown.

Bobby Boyd was an interception machine. He was in a perfect system (a mostly cover-3 scheme), and quarterbacks would challenge him, and he'd make them pay. 

In some ways, Everson Walls is similar to Boyd in that they were not physically imposing. Walls was thought to be slow for his position, so they'd challenge him and he'd pick the pass off. 

Strong safety Dick Anderson was a Defensive Player of the Year in 1973 and had a number of other honors, but was felled by an injury and didn't have a long career. The question for him is whether the "Gale Sayers exception" should apply to him. That exception basically goes, if a player was so great that Hall of Fame induction was a sure thing, then an injury should not count against him.

That has been used a lot lately, so players with 7- or 8-year careers are getting gold Jackets. Is Anderson on the same level as, say, Ken Easley, who got in under that theory?

SPECIAL TEAMS (1): Steve Tasker.

Can a guy who excelled only on special teams be Hall-worthy? Good question. Tasker was able to benefit because during his career PFWA/PFW added a special teamer to their All-Pro team. Earlier players didn't have an opportunity to make an All-Pro team because no one had one back in the day.

Denico Autry's Impactful Return Puts Him in Rare Air

 by Nick Webster

After months sidelined by a knee injury, Denico Autry made his 2025 season debut in Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks—and boy, did he deliver, even in limited play. In a game the Texans ultimately dropped 27-19, Autry stepped up as one of the league's most versatile and opportunistic players. 

Reactivated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list just hours before kickoff, he suited up as a reserve behind starters Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. But Autry brings a completely different style to the Texans’ D-line: a power-first, run-stuffing presence who outweighs Hunter by 20 pounds and Anderson by a whopping 40 pounds, giving Houston a heavy-hitting change-of-pace option in key situations.

In limited action—just 10 defensive snaps—Autry wasted no time making his mark: two tackles, including a sack on Seahawks QB Geno Smith that almost resulted in a Safety that would have brought the game back into reach.

That alone would have been a fantastic welcome-back party. But the real fireworks came on special teams. Late in the second quarter, with Seattle lining up for a 53-yard field goal attempt by kicker Jason Myers, Autry exploded up the middle. He timed his leap perfectly, deflecting the ball off course to keep the Texans' deficit from ballooning to two scores. 

This was no ordinary swat—it's the 12th blocked kick of Autry's career, catapulting him to a tie for 11th place on the unofficial all-time list. He's now knotted up with four players, two of them gridiron legends and a couple of underrated performers: Hall of Famer Dick "Night Train" Lane, 49ers icon and Hall of Famer Leo Nomellini, six-time Pro Bowler Erich Barnes, and an interior force for the Cardinals Bob Rowe—all at 12 apiece. 

That puts Autry three clear of the No. 2 active player, Arizona Cardinals DE Calais Campbell, who sits at nine. In an era where 50+ yard Field Goals are routine and protections are airtight, Autry's knack for disrupting kicks stands out.

Of course, on those historical rankings; for some of these older players, like Leo the Lion and The Night Train, the full statistical record isn't always clear. Pre-merger NFL Gamebooks didn't track blocks with today's precision - and aren't even available for every game of their careers, so there could be uncovered gems waiting in dusty archives or film reels. That said, Autry's tally is rock-solid in the modern era, and it underscores what makes him such an anomaly.

Think about it—since 2000, only two players have more kicks blocked than Autry's dozen: former Browns and Lions DT Shaun Rogers with 17 (a beast who used his 350-pound frame to bull-rush interiors) and Hall of Fame legend Julius Peppers with 13 (the freakish athlete who blocked basketballs in College before blocking kicks in the NFL). 

Everyone else? Crickets. 

Autry's special-teams acumen is a dying breed and it's the kind of blue-collar edge that can make a big difference in tight games.  Autry's return couldn't come at a better time for the Texans who need every edge they can get after a 2-4 start. 

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "There's Always a Will, and There's Always a Way"

By TJ Troup

The standings in the NFC West have three teams tied for first at 5-2; that said would relish hearing from any and all of you out there in "football land" to share which team will win the west, and why? Years ago, Paul Lionel Zimmerman and I would try to establish a player who was so much improved and playing so well, he might actually catch the eyes of all who watched the game. 

Many times, for me, it would be a linebacker, and this year is no different. As we approach the halfway point of the season, Nate Landman stands out with his pursuit and tackling skills with the Rams. All the pertinent questions can be asked: Why did Atlanta let him go? Did they not realize how to "use" his talents? 

Nate Landman

Landman is a player to watch, and since the Rams will be in so many key games the rest of the season; he figures to be a key figure in the success of the Rams defense, and a defensive coach that is making his "mark" in Chris Shula. 

The Colts this season have scored 232 points in seven games and this is the most for a Colts team since 1964, when the BALTIMORE Colts under the leadership of Johnny Hightops and Don Shula won the Western Conference Crown. 

Since there are many games yet to be played this season, would be folly to state that the NYG vs. Broncos game this past Sunday is the game of the year, yet what an incredible game to watch! The performances, the twists & turns in this compelling drama; especially the final six minutes of the game. 

Read online that there have been 1,062 teams that led by as much as 26-8 with under six minutes in the game left, and all of those teams won, TILL Sunday. Did NYG lose due to the failure of its defense or the Broncos' offense? Possibly a combination of both? Brian Burns of the Giants was apoplectic with the consistent decision by Coach Cohen to drop eight and rush just three. So many quarterbacks can find the open receiver with so much time to throw, knowing where the pass defenders are, and gain the necessary yards to have such a dramatic comeback! 

Bo Nix of Denver is the first quarterback to run for two touchdowns and throw for two touchdowns in the final quarter of a game. Will the Giants continue to find a way to lose games? Their opponent this coming Sunday are the Eagles in Philadelphia (who they upset earlier this year), and the law firm of Smith & Brown just might find room to maneuver through the Giants' secondary. 

Since I mentioned the Eagles will end this saga with my weekly journey back in history to October 26th, 1980 when Philadelphia defeated Chicago 17-14. Down the stretch in 1979 the Eagles won five of their final six regular-season games to earn a second consecutive wild-card berth in the playoffs. 

Their opponent in the wild-card game was the "red hot" Chicago Bears and in a stirring battle, the Eagles outlasted the Bears 27-17. Again fighting Dallas for the NFC East title in '80, the Eagles have started strong and with a victory at home in the rematch with the Bears can stay in first place with a 7-1 record. Even without standout running back Wilbert Montgomery, the Eagles were able to achieve victory on the late field goal by Tony Franklin.

Packers Force a Rare Turnover in Arizona

 By Eric Goska

Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
(photos by Eric Goska)

Sunday in Arizona, the Packers came away with a timely reminder of the game-changing potential of takeaways.

In beating the Cardinals 27-23 at State Farm Stadium, Green Bay forced a turnover for just the third time this season. The Packers’ offense then turned that recovery into a touchdown, getting seven crucial points in a game in which they did not take the lead until the final two minutes.

Pending the outcome of tonight’s games, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense leads the NFL in a number of categories. According to the league’s Game Statistic and Information System, Green Bay defenders ranks first in yards per play (4.48), rushing yards allowed per game (76.5) and passing yards per play (5.34).

One glaring weakness: the unit has been less than stellar in manufacturing turnovers.

The best teams are often those that can separate the ball from their opponents. The Bears (4-2) are again relevant because they have forced a league-leading 16 turnovers. The Jets (0-7) are again a doormat because they have but one takeaway through seven games.

In its first five games, Green Bay had but two. Safety Evan Williams picked off Detroit’s Jared Goff in the opener and Xavier McKinney intercepted the Browns’ Joe Flacco two weeks later.

Steal No.3 arrived courtesy of Rashan Gary and Williams early in the third quarter in Glendale. Gary knocked the ball from quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s hand and Williams, who had been flagged for pass interference the play previous, swallowed up the bouncing ball.

According to ESPN, the forced fumble was the seventh by Gary in his 96-game regular-season career. The recovery was a first for Williams, a fourth-round pick in 2024.

Evan Williams

The collaboration by Gary and Williams gave Green Bay new life at the Arizona 44. Jordan Love whistled passes to Romeo Doubs (two) and Matthew Golden before Josh Jacobs sprinted seven yards around left end for a touchdown to tie the game 13-13.

Instead of possibly falling behind 16-6 or 20-6, Green Bay pulled even thanks to the work of Gary and Williams.

That this was the first takeaway via fumble recovery of 2025 for the Green and Gold does not inspire confidence. If this pace is maintained, Green Bay will come away with three which would match the franchise low set in 1995.

Opponents – Detroit, Washington, Cleveland, Dallas, Cincinnati and Arizona – had run 318 plays against the Packers without losing a fumble. A year ago, Halfley’s defense had come away with five after that many plays by its opponents.

Turnovers matter. They tend to go hand in hand with winning. The 1985 champion Bears extracted 54. The 2000 Ravens squeezed 49 from the competition.

Just don’t expect Green Bay to approach those numbers. Turnovers are becoming more difficult to come by as the average number per game has fallen from 4.5 in 1986 to 4.0 in 1992 to 3.5 in 2005 to 3.0 in 2014 to last year’s record low of 2.42 per game.

More than ever, teams have to work to force the issue. In a results-based league, Green Bay is lagging behind.

Its three turnovers after six games are the fewest by the team in 105 seasons of play. Further, that meager total fails to measure up to what playoff teams of the past have done.

At their present pace, the Packers would finish with eight or nine takeaways. In the Super Bowl era, no team has reached the postseason in a non-strike season without coming away with at least 14.

And the two teams that did – the Lions (9-7) of 2016 and the Dolphins (9-8) of 2022 – were both one and done in the postseason.

Turnovers matter. Hafley made this clear a year ago on a Thursday before the Packers hosted the Texans.

“I think what’s always been really important to me, philosophically, is taking the ball away. And I don’t think it happens by accident or by any luck. I think you gotta talk about it, you gotta be about it and you have to go out and practice it. And then it’s going to show up in games. And then once they believe in it, it’s going to show up more and more.”

Last year the Packers forced 31 turnovers (fourth in the NFL). This year’s team has a long way to go.

Playing Patty-Cake
Since 1921, the fewest turnovers forced by the Packers through six games.

No.     Year     Final Record
3          2025       unknown
4          1995       11-5
4          2020      13-3
4          2022        8-9
5          2023        9-8
6          2004      10-6

Review: Leo Lyons, the Rochester Jeffersons and the Birth of the NFL Book

 By John Turney 

This past summer, author and award-winning historian Jeffrey J. Miller and the great-grandson of pro football great Leo Lyons -- John D. Steffenhagen -- released their book on the elder Lyons.

The book resurrects the story of a self-taught visionary who helped midwife the National Football League from its chaotic infancy. At just 20 years old, Lyons bootstrapped the Rochester Jeffersons into a powerhouse semi-pro team, self-funding rosters and risking financial ruin to chase his obsession with the gridiron. Four years previously, the 16-year-old began playing for the team. 

What elevates this beyond a standard sports bio is the intimate perspective. Steffenhagen's familial connection lends authenticity, drawing on unpublished letters and artifacts that paint Lyons as a brilliant self-taught visionary.

We learn the details of Lyons' role in integrating pro football, developing football trading cards, and perhaps most notably helping with the redesigning of the football itself, from a roundish ball to the elongated sphere to help with the passing of the football, something that was legalized in 1906. Later, the team, thanks to Lyons, donned bright red jerseys with the team logo across the front, which was not common in that era but became standard in ensuing years.

Through Miller and Steffenhagen, we learn new details about his attendance at the NFL's founding meeting at Ralph Hay's auto dealership in Canton and the Jeffs being one of the new pro league's original teams.

As it turns out, if there was something that needed to be done to run a pro football team, Lyons did it. Playing, managing, general managing, negotiator, PR man and so many more roles. 

Miller's meticulous research includes box scores from forgotten barnstormers, the Jeffersons' folding after 1925 amid mounting debts, and Lyons' post-NFL life as the league's unofficial historian.

The book is also a call for Lyons' Hall of Fame induction, arguing his overlooked innovations (integration, equipment evolution, branding) demand a bust in Canton beside the likes of George Halas and Jim Thorpe and Red Grange. 

They make good points. Very good points.

The photos in the volume (including several team photos) are mostly high resolution and enlightening as well, and timeline the development of the Jeffersons (named after the Jefferson street) from a club affair to semi-pro to professional.

In a multibillion-dollar NFL dominated by multi-million dollar players, Leo Lyons is a refreshing reminder of the league's scrappy roots and a testament to one man's dogged belief in a new sport. 

The book is 214 pages, including notes, and the paperback sells for about $40. Highly recommended for anyone who shares an interest in learning more about an era that prefaced the game hundreds of millions of people worldwide enjoy. This past summer, acclaimed author and award-winning historian Jeffrey J. Miller, alongside John D. Steffenhagen—the great-grandson of pro football pioneer Leo Lyons—published their biography of the elder Lyons.

The volume revives the narrative of a self-educated innovator who played a pivotal role in shepherding the National Football League through its turbulent early years. At age 20, Lyons transformed the Rochester Jeffersons into a formidable semi-professional squad, personally financing player rosters and courting financial peril in pursuit of his passion for the sport. Remarkably, he had joined the team as a player just four years earlier, at 16.

What distinguishes this work from a conventional sports biography is its deeply personal lens. Steffenhagen's familial ties infuse the account with authenticity, incorporating unpublished letters and artifacts that portray Lyons as a shrewd, self-taught trailblazer.

Readers gain fresh insights into Lyons' contributions to professional football's integration, the creation of early trading cards, and—most strikingly—his involvement in redesigning the football from a more rounded shape to the elongated prolate spheroid, facilitating the forward pass legalized in 1906. Under his influence, the Jeffersons adopted vibrant red jerseys emblazoned with the team logo on the front—a bold choice uncommon at the time but one that later became an industry norm.

Through Miller and Steffenhagen's collaboration, new particulars emerge about Lyons' presence at the NFL's inaugural meeting in Ralph Hay's Canton auto dealership, where the Jeffersons secured their place as one of the league's founding franchises.

In essence, Lyons embodied the multifaceted demands of operating a professional team: player, manager, general manager, negotiator, public relations specialist, and beyond.

Miller's rigorous scholarship unearths archival gems, such as box scores from obscure barnstorming games, the Jeffersons' dissolution after the 1925 season amid escalating debts, and Lyons' subsequent career as the league's de facto historian.

The book also mounts a compelling case for Lyons' induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, positing that his underrecognized advancements in integration, equipment innovation, and branding merit a bronze bust in Canton alongside luminaries like George Halas, Jim Thorpe, and Red Grange.

These arguments are persuasive—and profoundly so.

The publication features high-resolution photographs, including numerous team images, that illuminate the Jeffersons' evolution—from a neighborhood club on Jefferson Street to semi-professional status and eventual entry into the pros.

In today's multibillion-dollar NFL, rife with multimillionaire athletes, Leo Lyons serves as a vital reminder of the league's gritty origins and the unyielding conviction of one individual in a nascent game.

Spanning 214 pages with extensive notes, the paperback retails for approximately $40. It comes highly recommended by us for those eager to explore the formative era that laid the groundwork for the sport, captivating hundreds of millions worldwide.