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It’s been three weeks since the NFL season concluded in the Super Bowl, and the same amount of time since my last post on this blog, which was a correct prediction of the Packers winning the big game. So the season is over and the only headlines being made by the NFL involve labor negotiations, which most fans have no interest in, other than having the expectation that the millionaires and billionaires on each side settle their differences and play ball next season. With pro football now on the shelf, at least until the draft in April, here are some thoughts to tie up loose ends on the 2010 season, and the local team, the Buffalo Bills:

The Packers accomplished their goal the hard way, winning on the road as a wild card team all the way to Dallas. It isn’t that big a surprise that they are champs, however, since they were the choice of a lot of experts to contend for the title early in the year. The surprising thing is that they won after suffering a rash of injuries to key players, including RB Ryan Grant and star tight end Jermichael Finley, one of QB Aaron Rodgers’ key targets. The Super Bowl win is a testament to their coach, Mike McCarthy, and his staff. I like the Packers and how they do things – it’s the old school way. McCarthy is a no-nonsense football coach, a guy who is a throwback to coaches in the 1960s and ’70s. He isn’t interested in being the star of the show, he just keeps his focus on getting his team to do things the right way. Green Bay’s upper management deserves credit for managing the team the old-fashioned way also, being patient with McCarthy as he molded this championship team. That molding process included making the drastic move of cutting ties with Brett Favre and turning the quarterback duties over to Rodgers. That move could have been disastrous to McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson, and they took tons of heat for doing it, but it worked out well in the end because they had a plan, stuck to their guns, and were all on the same page when it came to how this franchise was going to progress into the future. That future now includes a Lombardi Trophy and looks even brighter with all the injured players returning next year. Rodgers’ development is another “old school” phenomenon. He was developed the old school way, by sitting on the bench behind Favre and learning, the way it used to be done in the NFL before impatient owners started drafting golden boy QBs and demanding instant success from them. Another great story in the Packers’ win is the emergence of James Starks, the unheralded rookie running back from Niagara Falls and the University of Buffalo. In my post predicting the Packers’ win in the Super Bowl, I mentioned that Green Bay would be successful if Starks just continued to do what he’d done throughout the playoffs – give them just enough of a ground game to keep the Steeler defense honest while Rodgers attacked them with the passing game. He did exactly that, rushing for 52 yards on 11 carries and picking up key first downs. Starks didn’t do anything fantastic in any of the playoff games, but he was steady and consistent. Actually that consistent play landed him at the top of the heap when it came to rushing yardage gained in the playoffs. He has positioned himself to take on an expanded role in his team’s plans next season.

Some closing thoughts on the Bills and how things shape up going into the 2011 season:

Here is my assessment of DE Marcus Stroud in the Bills’ season-ending report card post:

“Marcus Stroud – he has probably played his last game as a Bill. The one lasting memory I have of him is chasing Ben Roethlisberger, not the most fleet QB around, on a scramble and looking very old and slow while doing it.”

Stroud was released by the Bills recently, as was LB Pierre Woods, who I assessed as a “stop-gap player brought in due to injuries who probably wouldn’t be back.” Stroud’s release is no surprise. His days as a dominant defensive player are long past and the team needs to get younger, quicker and more physical along the defensive front next season. The move also gives Stroud a chance to hook up with another team. I like the move of bringing in Dave Wannstedt as assistant head coach. I never liked him as a head coach but his experience coordinating defenses should really help the Bills improve on the side of the ball where they need the most help. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. now has the Bills using the third overall draft pick on Auburn QB Cam Newton. I’m hoping the team is floating that information out there to try to trade the pick for some extra choices. They need to use most, if not all, of their top picks on impact defensive players.