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Alas, I’m back. My absence from this blog has been greatly missed I’m sure, but I had other priorities. Shocking, I know. I just had to move into my house for my senior year at college and lost track of time in the process.

 Hence, I did not write a blog following up the Packers dismantling of the AFC Champion Colts last weekend. Nor have I written anything to preview the Packers last preseason game against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium coming up on Thursday.

But I’m back.

Like Brett Favre and his infinite returns to the game of football. Ok, too common. I’m back like Mister Rogers to his neighborhood, Britney Spears to her circus, or Sarah Palin to her Alaskan frontier.

Now, to more important matters such as the fast approaching football season and the Saints annihilation of Brett Favre and the Vikings offensive line. Fortunately for Brett, he has prefaced it with numerous reports about the uncertainty of his ankle withstanding another NFL season. That’s good Brett because your offensive line looks like a herd of 7 year-old boys playing soccer for the first time. They don’t know where to run except after the ball, or in the offensive line’s case, away from any oncoming pass rusher.

As your fellow fútbol friends in Spain would say: buena suerte, Brett. Good luck.

As for the Packers, I can’t lie and say I was expecting the Packers 59-24 dismantling of the Colts, even though 31 of those points came against their second and third-stringers. Nevertheless, midway through the second quarter, the Packers were down 10 points and had been held in check offensively.

All Aaron Rodgers did was lead the offense on two long touchdown drives, including one with just over a minute and a half left in the quarter to close out the half. The Packers were down 17-7, yet went into halftime scoring 21 straight points and leading 28-17.

The Packers also benefited from a muffed punt recovery in the end zone to swing the momentum.

However, as good as the offense was, the defense deserves plenty of credit.

Through a quarter and a half, Peyton Manning strategically picked apart the Packers defense with ease. Eventually Capers’ defensive schemes got to Manning forcing him to throw an errant pass, picked off by rookie safety Morgan Burnett, who looks like a great fit in the Packers optimistic defense.

Even without multiple Packers defensive starters, the Packers seemed to confuse Manning late in the second quarter and were able to coax a few defensive stops out of the 4-time MVP.

As for the offense, I can’t say I even noticed the absence of Greg Jennings. Wait, who?

That’s right. The Packers offense barely missed a beat without their top downfield threat.

Enter Jermichael Finley. I cannot stop gushing over this guy, and I believe he is the next elite tight end mentioned in the same sentence as Dallas Clark (also absent from this game), Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, and Tony Gonzalez.

Finley was relatively held in check until the final drive of the half. Rodgers continually found Finley down the field, carrying overmatched safeties for multiple 20-yard gains. Finley finished with 6 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown—in one half. Watch out.

As for the Chiefs, I fully expect McCarthy to rest any and all starters to have everyone as healthy as possible for the regular season opener at Lincoln Financial against the McNabb-less Eagles.

Not like the preseason is very informative anyways, but I do believe the Packers have a great shot to unseat the Vikings as NFC North Champs this season.

They appear much more confident on the field as I’m sure the playoff experience last year helped tremendously. The Packers are ready for that next step.

Get ready for a great season fellow Cheeseheads.

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