Packers need win over Detroit

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.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 27th, 2007 at 10:15 pm and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Reid

    I think our 2nd team can beat the Lions. They are probably trying to lose because they won’t know what to do without a Top 10 draft pick this year.

  • JeffN

    This week is a big game in my opinion. There is big difference between 13-3 and 12-4. Look what happened to San Diego the top seed last year when they tried to slide into the play offs? They lost their first game because of a lack of momentum momentum momentum!

  • TRIP

    I agree with Jeff. We need that momentum and the feeling that the Packers have returned to the football that got them their first 12 wins this season. This team needs urgency as Seattle will have it when they come to Lambeau (assuming they don’t lose to either WAS, MIN, or NO). As long as Favre’s arm is warmed up and ready in the divisional round, I don’t think there is much reason to worry. The last time the Packers lost to the Lions in Lambeau was before Favre came to town. We’ll beat them good, rest up and prove that this 13-3 team is no fluke.

  • Don Bussey

    Enough doom and gloom. I’m sure what will be done is to be smart with Pickett and Woodson (with injuries), and Grant, Favre, etc. will play until the outcome is decided. If I’m wrong, someone please remind me later.

    Happy New Year everyone!

  • JeffP

    I made the trip to Soldier Field Sunday to cheer on our Packers. While it is never good to use weather as an excuse for a loss, I can tell you that the conditions were totally rediculous – 30+ mph winds with gusts to about 40, constantly shifting, and with below zero wind chill. I have never sat through game conditions like that. Yes, I know the Bears were playing in that too. But unless you were in the stands as I was, you just can’t understand how rediculously bad things were.
    Bottom line – I would not be too concerned about this loss. Mostly relates to a freak of nature. And yes, the Bears just wanted it more. Just like our game in Chicago last year, only circumstances reversed.

  • http://packsmack.blogspot.com PackSmack

    Get the momentum; risk the injuries. We are diverse enough and not so dependent on any one player that we would be completely hamstrung by an injury. Better to have the confidence as a team than every single player.

  • JeffP

    Sorry, but must respectfully disagree Smack. There are certain key guys that we are dependent on to a degree. Pickett, Jennings, Woodson… I just read those are the guys MM probably won’t play Sunday, and I think it pays to be smart with them. Even with those guys out, I say we still beat the Detroit, and pick up an excellent opportunity to give our second tier guys some work. That experience is invaluable.
    Of course, it goes without saying that Brett should get pulled at some point. He definitely should have been out before the end of the 3rd Q in Chicago IMO.

  • GoPackGo

    Are you kidding me ! This is a Lions team that has not won in Wisconsin since 1991 and they could not beat us here in 2005 when we only won 4 games. We can beat them with our backups. Lions have lost 6 in a row and are a dome team going outdoors.
    Packers one and out in the playoffs ! Get real !! If momentum is what gets you to a super bowl , then count Dallas out as well as they stole a game against the Lions , lost to Philly , let a bad Panther team stay in the game, I would not call that momentum !
    A win or loss on week 17 is not going to make or break us or ruin the fact that we domianted all year when the games counted.
    Plus , Tony Romo has never won a game at Texas stadium after December 2nd in his career.

  • Todd C.

    Ok let’s play our 3rd stringers, we can’t be beat. LOL!!! If you’re paying upwards of $250 to attend this game you should expect no less than at least 3 quarters of starters. This team got EMBARRASSED in Chicago last weekend. Time to get out there and kick the living bejezzus out of the Lions to get back on track.

    Good grief, it seemed the Giants and Patriots played the game tonight like it WAS THE SUPER BOWL. The Packers should do the same and put their foot down on the Lions collective throats and suffocate. :-)