Brett Favre showed his running skills again and the Lions’ first team couldn’t handle the Packers’ second team. It was a great day to end the regular season in Lambeau Field. Yes, I thought the Lions would win because the Packers were not going to play their starters much, if at all, I expected a close loss, not the end of the world. I said the starters would build a lead and they did, I also said the second-team would blow the lead and they didn’t. I guess I’m not a fan. Or so I’ve been accused.

What really happened today is what I was praying for, a great performance by the starters to build a lead and a good enough performance by backup quarterback Craig Nall and the Packers’ secondary to hang on. From the beginning, the game was never close. Favre was on fire from the start and the offensive line was opening holes for running backs Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson, who replaced an injured Grant in the second quarter and rushed for over a hundred yards

Nall was nothing special and after Favre scored three touchdowns in three drives the Lions were heading for the airport so Nall didn’t have to do much. One thing Nall did show is that Aaron Rodgers better be healthy in time for the playoff game.

My MVP for the game is Jackson. Coming into the game Jackson figured to get a lot of playing time and his performance definitely puts him back in the mix next July for the starting running back position. Jackson showed some great moves and was able to get his yards behind a makeshift offensive line which was substituted early.

Getting a big win and going 13-3 means so much more than laying down and finishing 12-4 with a two-game losing streak. The Packers and head coach Mike McCarthy did a good thing for football today as well the fans of the Green and Gold. I wasn’t expecting the Packers to look as bad as the Dallas Cowboys did in Washington today, but I was expecting the Lions to play a little harder in an attempt to finish 8-8, like the Packers did in Chicago to end last season at five-hundred. Guess I was wrong.

I’ll give you my playoff predictions in the coming days. Nice to have a week off to let the Packers’ 13-3 record soak in. From 4-12 two years ago to the best record in the NFC this year. I’m still in shock, and after today I think the Packers can beat any of the three teams they may face in two weeks. That has to be scary to my faithful.

The Packers and Lions square off today in a game that earlier in the season we thought could be for the division title. Instead the Packers will hope to get some good play out of their starters before they hit the bench as early as the second quarter in some cases. Guys like Charles Woodson, Ryan Pickett and Greg Jennings won’t even take the field. I’m looking at this much like the preseason which makes me wonder why I’m even going to the game.

I think the Packers will attempt to come out strong and may indeed do so, more than likely though I doubt their heart will really be in it. The Packers will have the lead when the starters come out but the scrubs will blow it. Lions end their 16-game Lambeau losing streak by winning 24-17.

If Mike McCarthy is being smart with his football team like he claims, he will go all out to beat the Detroit Lions Sunday in Lambeau Field. To think the Packers can achieve their goals sitting on a two-game losing streak to end the season is unrealistic. Teams win in the NFL with confidence and the Packers can’t have much of that left after the beat-down the Bears leveled on them last Sunday. Another performance like that and the Packers will be one and done in the playoffs and any hopes of a Dallas rematch out the window.

McCarthy seems to be the one melting down down the stretch. His game plan against the Bears was mind-boggling. To think the Packers can all of a sudden be a smash-mouth rushing team is ridiculous. Go out there and do what you do. Kyle Orton didn’t have any trouble throwing the ball. Yes, that Kyle Orton. It was like the quarterbacks were reversed for a day. Brett Favre was wearing orange and blue and Orton green and gold. Of course if Favre’s receivers actually caught the ball when it was thrown it might have helped a little.

There is no explanation for the special teams fiascos. Two blocked punts and a fumbled snap? Why did the Packers even show up in Chicago?

Anyway, the bottom line is what McCarthy said last week – you like having momentum for the playoffs. If McCarthy believes in what he said last week this week, then the Packers will go all out. If he was lying last week, they will sit players out and be happy with 12-4, which judging by his comments today, that is the plan. “Winning 12 football games, it’s tough to do,” McCarthy said. Apparently number 13 is not in the offing. Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? Please stand up.

This resting players nonsense is almost as bad as coaches constantly calling a timeout to “ice” the kicker. It rarely works. What it does do is hurt the integrity of the league. If a guy is a starter and not hurt, he should be playing at least until the outcome of the game is no longer in doubt. With the playoffs on the line this weekend some teams trying to get in get to play another teams scrubs. How is that fair to the rest of the teams fighting for that same spot? Not sure there is anything that can be done about it except changing the mindset of the coaches and players in the league. If the league was full of Brett Favres, the 16th game would mean just as much as the first regardless of records.

I’m  hoping for the best Sunday but expecting the worst. It might be a long four weeks after such a glorious first 15. How sad. The Bears might have gotten last laugh.

I predicted 17-3 before the game not thinking the Bears would even get a first down hardly, but they are marching down the field on the game’s opening drive. Combination of run and pass. The Packers’ defense ought to be ashamed of themselves. They know what the Bears are going to do and they can’t stop them. The Bears have the 29th ranked offense and the 32nd ranked rushing offense. One score could win this game so the Packers better buckle down soon.

Wow. The Bears have had the ball for over 10 minutes now. The Packers need a time out. This is ridiculous.

3-0 Bears. Might be an insurmountable lead in these conditions. The Packers’ offense has to be frozen sitting on the bench watching Kyle Orton pick apart the defense. The Bears came to play.

What a horrible start for the Green Bay Packers. I say pack it in and get out of town. Beat the Lions next week for 13-3 and be done with it.

This is embarrassing. The Packers are being beaten if every phase. The cold weather got to them. They can’t even get a punt off. Packers take over on their own 3. I fully expect a 5-0 game in about two minutes.

The Bears dominating the Packers defensive line with that is missing its anchor in Ryan Pickett. Only five minutes to go in the first half and the Packers have one first down and can’t stop the Bears. This is hard to watch.

Holy cow! Here I come to save the day! Ryan Grant’s 66-yard run gives the Packers the lead 7-6. Go figure.

Packer blow an opportunity and now the Bears are going to score. Orton can pass and Favre can’t. Sick.

Bears score a touchdown to give them the lead and deservedly so. The Bears have dominated in every aspect most importantly emotion. The Bears want this game more and it shows. Like when the two teams met last year one team didn’t have anything to play for and it showed. This year the tables have turned. Just don’t get anyone hurt and get out of town.

Favre just ended any hopes the Packers had at coming back. The Packers can’t throw so they can’t move the football. Favre throws a pick and the Bears are likely to score again. The Packers can’t stop them. Please get Favre out of the game. No need to risk injury.

The rout is on gentleman and ladies. The Bears have salvaged their season by beating the Packers twice, much like the Packers did to the Bears a few years ago when the Bears won the division but lost to Green Bay twice. The big picture is what the Packers need to look at and resting Favre and Woodson and Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher should take precedence now.

28-7 now on another blocked punt. For the rest of the game just let Craig Nall hand off the rest of the day. Please Mike. Get a brain.

Packers finally moved the ball by doing what they do best – throw it. They didn’t get anything because a penalty killed the drive. But it begs the question why did they wait so long to run their offense? You have the quarterback with the strongest arm in league.

Blown away in the Windy City. How do you explain it? This team is obviously not playoff ready and have only one game to right the ship. People thought the Cowboys looked bad in losing to Philly last week but that was nothing like the beating the Packers took today. This will be hard to recover from. The hated rival, a total massacre at that. Ought to be an interesting week in Northeast Wisconsin.

What the hell is McCarthy thinking? Why is Brett Favre in the game? If Favre gets hurt McCarthy should be fired in the spot.

Lucy, you have some explaining to do. Mike McCarthy coached like Lucille Ball today so I hope he can come up with a good story like Lucy could always do. In the end you would still love her. It’s going to take some doing, however. You can’t blame the weather, the Bears played in the same conditions. One thing is sure, the Cowboys are can’t be too worried. They can rest everybody for two weeks and get healthy, of course the Packers can do the same. The big picture is all we should be worried about. Start getting ready for Giants, Vikings Bucs or Seahawks. Over and out.

Unlike the the other contenders in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers seem to be peaking at the right time. The Packers, in fact, have been peaking since last year, having won 14 of their last 16 games. On the other hand the main contenders in the NFC looked woeful last Sunday when Seattle lost at Carolina and the mighty Dallas Cowboys lost at home to the Eagles. The Vikings won last night but showed that their lack of a quarterback will likely be their downfall in the playoffs.

The Packers still must beat the Bears in Chicago and Detroit at home and hope for one Cowboy loss to get the NFC Championship game in Lambeau Field, but after watching the Jessica Simpsons lay an egg at home like they did, I don’t think it matters where the Packers play the Cowboys. The biggest question is whether or not the Cowboys are even good enough to win a playoff game to enable them to play the Packers again.

If it wasn’t for the loss to the lowly Bears the Packers would be in driver’s seat in the NFC. Hopefully the Packers use that game as incentive to get win number 13 and keep alive hopes for home field advantage. The Packers will know what the Cowboys did before they play Sunday because the Cowboys play Saturday night in Carolina. A loss by Dallas should really fire up the Packers as then all it takes is wins over Chicago and Detroit to pave the road to the Super Bowl through Lambeau Field. Two teams they should rout, but also two division foes who will be playing their own personal Super Bowl. Much like Philly was in Dallas Sunday.

My thinking is the Cowboys are in their December swoon and the Packers will only need to win one of two to get home field advantage. In fact, I’d be shocked if the Packers faced the Cowboys again this year, and that won’t be because of a Packers’ loss. Those of you who know me have to be shaking in your boots. I think this team can win the NFC Championship. The gut-check win over the Rams convinced me. Two games left, but I just can’t see Mike McCarthy laying down, especially against two division foes.

I’m going out on a limb and predicting 14-2. If I get too much backlash I might reconsider. Whatever is in the best interest of the team. If I have to I’ll do a Brian Westbrook.

Today’s game at St. Louis is a gut-check for the Green Bay Packers. Will they let down a notch after winning the NFC North last week? Can they still play with the same intensity they did for the first 13 games? We’ll find out in 10 minutes. I’ll say the Packers grind out a 27-17 win.

Koren Robinson gets a long kick return and 51 yards later the Packers leasd 7-0. Very nice. Now lets see if the defense can follow suit.

Defense got a three-and-out, but the offense made the game’s first mistake with fumble recovered by the Rams. McCarthy is challenging the ruling but will lose. Rams ball. Let’s go defense.

Turnovers almost always lead to points and the Packers’ defense presented only mild resistance on that Rams drive. The offense better score plenty today because Rams have the weapons to score with the best of the them. Very scary.

Offense did its job, took advantage of another long kick return by Robinson and scored a touchdown. However, the defense still is not showing the ability to stop the Rams any more than the Rams are able to stop the Packers. Getcha’ popcorn ready. This good be 49-48 by the time it is over. 14-14 now after Stephen Jackson makes the Packers’ defense look silly on a 49-yard. What happened to the ninth-ranked defense in the NFL? Can’t beat the Cowboys playing like this. Let’s see what kind of adjustments they can make to stem the tide.

Maybe the adjustment was to put more pressure on Bulger. Whatever they did there it worked. Three-and-out was huge and they got it done. Nice punt return by Blackmon and the Packers are in business again. Lets get momentum back on our side.

Pack adds three. Hope they are not trailing at halftime now. This is a game of touchdowns.

Charles Woodson has to be hurt. How else can you explain getting burned like he just did by Isaac Bruce? Instead of punting out their own endzone the Rams are threatening to score at least a field goal with two minutes left in the first half.

Atari Bigby makes a big play off a dropped pass and the Packers have a chance to add a score.

Unfortunately the Bad Brett appears and throws one up for grabs that costs the Packers at least three points. Bonehead!

Man, the Packers get another Bigby interception and get nothing out of it. WEll, three points, but it might as well be nothing. Why hs Fvre become so impatient the last few weeks. Everything has to go deep. Why not get a first down and give your defense a rest? Maybe all the hits he has been taking the last few weeks are part of it. We need the patient Brett back and soon. 20-14 Packers, but it should be at least 27-14. Letting then hang around.

Guys wide open all over the field and Favre goes deep again. Holy cow! He did it again but this time Jennings is wide open for the touchdown! That was a prayer as both Rams’ defenders bit on short route and Jennings went deep. All he does is catch touchdowns. 27-14 and a little breathing room, but no time to relax. The Rams can score in a hurry.

Heartbreak for the Rams. 13 play drive and no points when field goal comes up short. Indoors no less. Can I relax now? I’ll try.

The Packers tack on three and Favre has thrown for more yards than anyone in history. Now it will take two touchdowns and two two-point conversions for the Rams to tie. Good luck with that.

The Packers did a nice job of stopping the Rams on downs and Favre has to go deep again and again is intercepted. Why? You lead by 16 you dummy.

What a weird game. The Packers did nothing offensively, but because they started in Rams territory six times they didn’t need to.  They likely won’t gain 300 yards of offense yet put up 33 points. Special teams played a huge part in that. Since I asked for the defense to make adjustments, they did. The put the heat on Marc Bulger and have four sacks. I was pretty close with my prediction of 27-17. With a margin of error of three points either way I was right on.

The Packers showed today that they will not let down when there is something to play for. The problem now, and it is a good one, is that the Packers have clinched a first-round bye into the divisional round of the playoffs. I would certainly rest a guy like Charles Woodson and maybe KJB if his knee and ankle need it. Nice to have that week off to get even more healthy.

The question is what to do with Brett Favre. Obviously he starts the last two games to keep his streak alive, but how much do you play him? If the Cowboys win today there is almost no chance the Packers can overtake them. That a question for later this week.

The Packers did a good thing for football today. 12-2.

The Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Rams meet this Sunday and these are two franchises heading in opposite directions. When both teams were needing head coaches two years ago, I was hoping the Packers would hire Scott Linehan to replace Mike Sherman. Linehan was responsible for several of the Daunte Culpepper big years in Minnesota and then led a woeful cast of characters in Miami to one of the NFL’s best offenses. I wasn’t upset with the hiring of Mike McCarthy, but I looked for the Rams to become a playoff team right away with the talent they already had in place. It didn’t happen.

For whatever reason, Linehan no longer appears to be the offensive genius I thought he was. The Rams have unbelievable talent at at all offensive positions, but struggled last year and were horrible for the most part of this year. Injuries have killed them this season but will be pretty close to full strength against Green Bay Sunday. Linehan got the vote of confidence last week which means he his most likely gone after this season. The Rams’ players may want to to come out and play hard these last three games to avoid that happening. The Packer better be on their toes. I think the Rams and 10 points looks pretty good right now.

I’m sorry, but I have to vent on the state of the NFL, which, I hope in the end, the Packers have a chance to fix. I’m talking about the obnoxious crew from New England. Now don’t get me wrong, I want more than anything for a team to shut up the 1972 Miami Dolphins, but if New England goes undefeated, we will be longing for the days of seeing Don Shula and crew hoisting a champagne glass. This Patriots team is the most despised team since the old New York Yankees. They show no respect and even their pretty boy quarterback has turned black.

Tom Brady is such a fem. I mean, does he really think that eye black can make him look tough? Not gonna happen. Especially when he pulls a Carmello Anthony and sucker punches a guy and then runs away. While he didn’t throw a punch, he got in the face of the Steelers’ Anthony Smith, who had guaranteed a Steelers win, but after a little push he was backing up like a little girl. The difference between a wimp like Brady and Brett Favre is obvious. Favre doesn’t let anybody else fight his battles and certainly would never single out a player on the opposing team after throwing a touchdown pass. Favre might tackle his own receiver or give him a helicopter ride, but one thing is sure, he won’t be antagonizing his opponent.

Another thing is sure, if an opposing player gets in Brett Favre’s face, Brett Favre isn’t making a beeline for the sideline. Just ask Warren Sapp. To me, the Patriots are a lock to win the AFC, wouldn’t it be great if the Packers were there to meet them after winning the NFC. Good versus evil.

The Packers have three games left and they need to look good in all three, not like the Sherman days and lay down. If they do that and win the number two seed in the NFC, I like their chances in to get to Dallas and Arizona. Then again, if the Packers get there and lose to that pretty boy, I don’t know what I would do. But I do know this, the Packers would have a great chance in that game. The key is not looking past these next three games. The Packers have to close strong and not lose momentum.

Looking ahead to the playoffs, which as a fan, I can,  it looks like the Packers will be playing the Vikings, Seahawks or Giants in their first playoff game. I can assure you right now I want no part of the Vikings again. Memories of Randy Moss wiping his butt on the goal post after posting another dagger in the Mike Sherman era are still to vivid. The Packers beat the Vikings twice that season, too.

It’s going to be interesting watching the last three weeks play out. Kind of nice to be 11-2.

The Green Bay Packers are the NFC North Division Champions! How sweet it is! Just think, if you are like myself you just solved many of your Christmas present dilemmas. Especially for my out of town relatives. Hats, t-shirts and jerseys. I love it. Of course, there are things more important than my Christmas list, like the Packers locking up the NFC’s No. 2 seed. With Packer-killer Jason Hanson missing a one-yard field goal for the Detroit Lions yesterday, the Packers can be assured of a trip to Dallas if they want to go to the Super Bowl. Can you believe that? Hanson has never missed a field goal against the Packers even when the Lions aren’t playing the Packers he hurts us. Just another reason why he is one of my all-time most disliked division foes.

Lost in my Hanson rant was the fact that the Packers bounced back from the loss in Dallas by destroying the Raiders in Lambeau Field and winning the North in the process. My new hat sits on my ugly melon right now. It was a great day to be at the Lambeau, very reminiscent of the 1990s when the Packers were expected to win at home and always did. This team seems to have that mentality and that lone blemish to the hated Bears looms larger and larger each week.

The fact that the Packers have not lost to a team that they should have beat handily just shows an ability to put the previous week behind them and focus on the task at hand whether the opponent is good or bad. I thought that was most evident in the win over the Raiders. For the first time this year Brett Favre said during the week that he thought the Packers would respond well and that scared me more than anything. All season Favre was worried about this team being too loose and wasn’t sure if they were overconfident or just that good. Three games left, but at eleven and two, I think this is the best Packers’ team since 1997 or maybe 1998. None of former coach and general manager Mike Sherman’s teams had this level of consistently good football, not to mention the toughness this team seems to have over Sherman’s teams.

The Packers have a chance to lay a huge egg when they visit St. Louis this weekend, but I’m thinking an indoor game and the fact that the Cowboys looked like dung in Detroit will keep them focused. Just for luck’s sake, I’ll probably predict a close game later in the week, but right now I think the Packers should roll. I’m still more worried about the Bear game, even more so now that Kyle Orton has taken over as starting quarterback for the Bears. Just kidding, but still, beating the Packers twice will make the Bears horrible season just a tad less excruciating.

More to come…

The Packers and the Raiders. Lambeau Field in December. It is currently 19 degrees out and I’m about to leave for the hallowed grounds. The Packers have a chance to win the NFC North division title and while I think that will indeed happen, I think it will be a struggle. Packers 23, Raiders 20.

An less-than-a-hundred percent Brett Favre and a banged up defense keeps it close.