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Photo credit: Tom Olmscheid // Associated Press

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Matt Bowen of the National Football Post says there has been some second guessing at 1265 Lombardi Ave. about the release of Anthony Smith. "Sources close to the Packers told the National Football Post that there are some questions—after Brett Favre tore up the Packer secondary—as to why safety Anthony Smith was let go in the final roster cutdowns in early September," writes Bowen. "Too often on Monday night, the Green Bay corners were caught looking for safety help, and it was nowhere to be found." Smith probably wouldn't have been a Pro Bowler, but given the team's lack of depth, it's almost laughable how much they could use him right now.

Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette is critical of Packers general manager Ted Thompson not going out and testing the free agent market. "Balance doesn’t mean jumping into the big-time free-agent market, where the prices can be ridiculous," writes Dougherty. "Thompson never has stuck his toe in those waters and probably never will. But it does mean signing more of the Brandon Chillars of the world to go with his usual bargain-basement moves." Dougherty gives the example of Tony Pashos as one such instance in which the Packers could have signed a free agent for a minimal investment that could have helped the team.

C.D. Angeli of Tundra Vision is similarly critical of Thompson. "There's no one else to blame anymore," writes Angeli. "This is Ted Thompson's team, and Ted Thompson's team alone, and just as Mike McCarthy is running out of excuses, so is Thompson." In 2007 Thompson was named the NFL Executive of the Year. It's amazing how far his public perception has fallen since the trade of Brett Favre and the team's shoddy performance going on two seasons now. I'm becoming inclined to believe that the Packers need a resurgence this year for Thompson to save his job.

Chris Lempesis of Ol' Bag of Donuts looks at some of the good and bad developments on the Packers a quarter into the season and thinks tight end Jermichel Finley is just getting started. "After a sluggish start, Jermichael Finley (11 catches, 190 yards one touchdown) showed in the Monday night game against the Queens that he very much could be a young Antonio Gates," writes Lempesis. "Expect his freakish skill set to flourish even more as the season progresses." While matching his week four numbers week in and week out might be too lofty, there's no reason to think that he can't improve as the season goes on.

Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has an update on the Packers' practice schedule following the bye week. "After practicing Monday, players will have their standard Tuesday off and then begin a normal workweek with meetings and practice on Wednesday morning," reports Pelissero. Seeing as they're practicing today, I'd expect an announcement of the signing of Mark Tauscher and the placing of Will Blackmon on IR as well.

Corey Behnke of Cheeshead TV has posted the latest Packer Transplants podcast recorded at Kettle of Fish in New York City.

There's a conspiracy theorist in Twitter land thinking the Packers have a quota of black players they're trying to meet. Really? It's interesting that they're just instituting this "quota" this year seeing as they've been under the same head coach and general manager for going on four seasons now. Idiot.

Railbird endorsed video: Enjoy "One Day" by Matisyahu...