It’s time to fire up the Matt Flynn signal

It’s only been one game, but I think it’s fair to say that Seneca Wallace isn’t a capable quarterback.

First of all, he’s 33. There aren’t a lot of 33-year-old backups that can still make the majority of throws NFL quarterbacks must make. With Wallace under center for the Packers, that number gets trimmed to less than a third. He showed trouble on the move, couldn’t hit the crossing route and even struggled with the open receiver.

All year long, we all wondered how the Packers would fare if the all-world quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed significant time with an injury. Now we know. It would be a steady diet of seven and eight man defensive fronts as opposing defenses dare the Packers to pass.

When’s the last time that happened? Defenses actually daring the Packers to throw. That hasn’t happened in Green Bay since 1991 when someone not named Brett Favre or Rodgers hasn’t led the Packers in passing.

It’s time for Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy to turn on the Matt Flynn signal. He knows the offense and would be welcomed in a huddle that he has already taken charge of.

The Packers cannot sit on their hands and hope that Wallace will be struck with a vision and all-of-a-sudden be transformed into a solid quarterback. But that’s the thing, the Packers don’t need a solid quarterback. All they need is for a quarterback to be Alex Smith adequate. They don’t need another Rodgers that will try and make all the throws. Because all they really need is someone to be Alex Smith adequate. A game manager that doesn’t turn the ball over, doesn’t get sacked and hands it off enough to keep rookie Eddie Lacy churning his 4×4 wheels.

The one that thing that was Wallace’s calling card was his legs. His scrambling was ruled null and void because he was unable to escape a caved-in pocket as he as sacked five times by the Bears.

After inquiring about the Browns job to no avail, Jeff Garcia will probably be on the phone asking about the Packers quarterback situation. All the Packers have to do is bring back Flynn. The last time he started as  a Packer, he had the game of his life.

And after bouncing around in Seattle, Oakland and Buffalo, Flynn won’t have the riskiness attached to those jobs. He will just come back with the same moxie and confidence that the Packers need.

The pieces are in place for the Packers. They ran it for 199 team yards vs. Chicago and the defense, aside from being on the field and getting extremely healthy, has been playing well.

And that’s why you cannot roll the dice with Wallace. The Packers cannot afford to put Wallace back there when they know that he cannot do everything they ask of him.

Cory Jennerjohn is from Wisconsin and has been in sports media for over 10 years. To contact Cory e-mail him at jeobs -at- yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter: Cory Jennerjohn

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