The Green Bay Packers are about to enter the most important stretch of their season and fortunately for them they had what amounts to a second bye week after beating the Lions last Thursday. All of sudden all is well in Packerland  but their are five games remaining with one of the two hardest games a week from today against Baltimore. Before I get into that, though, I thought I would throw out my current thoughts on the Packers and the NFL in general.

* The Packers are playing much better than they have all year and the defense, now No. 1 in the NFL, still has room to improve. If Jarrett Bush doesn’t make the big mistake we are all waiting for the defense should continue to get better. As long as Charles Woodson is healthy, they will be a force to reckoned with. I love the way they are using Woodson at every position in the secondary. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him at linebacker or defensive end next. Good stuff. Might be the Packers most impactful player on defense since Reggie White. Woodson should also get consideration for Canton if he keeps this up another year or two.

* I’m not so worried about the total number of penalties the Packers have but more so the ones committed on special teams. Those are killers and are usually longer than the actual mark-off of the penalty. They usually result in a 2o or more yard difference in the start of the possession. Simply inexcusable.

* I think the Packers for sure need three wins to make the playoffs. Damn! Had Washington and Tampa Bay held on Sunday the Packers would have almost clinched a spot. The way the Bears are playing it is hard to imagine them beating anyone. Lovie Smith is a fired coach walking. Seattle should be a win and I still think Arizona will have nothing to play for in week 17. A benchmark game is at Pittsburgh. If the Packers win that one they may well be on their way to round three with Brett Favre. Looking at the schedule I think that may be the only game the Packers are not the favorite.

* The Saints game tonight will say a lot about who is the best team in the NFC. Win and the Saints are it, lose and I have to give the nod to Minnesota. The Vikings have the running back to go with the quarterback. The defenses are about the same.

* I do think the Vikings are getting arrogant. How else do you explain going for two after a touchdown that puts you up 36-10 with six minutes left in the game? This is the NFL, things like that come back to haunt you. Pride cometh before fall

* It may be cruel but I don’t care about concussions in the NFL. I would gladly risk a concussion to have the ability to play in the NFL. Every single position player in the NFL knows his life after football will not be like a normal person’s older years. It can’t be given the punishment taken over the course of their careers. If the players pass the necessary tests they should be allowed to play just like any other kind of injury. Besides, they get paid millions to entertain me, so let ‘em play. Tape an aspirin to it and get back on the field.

* I just have a feeling the Packers will be making back-to-back trips to Arizona in January. It will be either there or Dallas. Which would you prefer? I’ll take Arizona.

11:40 AM:  Well folks, McCarthy didn’t get the boys ready to play today. This is going to be ugly, but don’t let it ruin your Thanksgiving.

11:47 AM:  No matter what happens today or the rest of the season, McCarthy has to fired. To still be making the same stupid penalties this late in the year is just flat-out poor coaching. The Packers will never return to the prominence with this nincompoop in charge.

11:57 AM:   No surprise there, we need to get inside the five for Mason Crosby to be in field goal range. And we thought we were embarrassed in Tampa.

12:04 PM:  Nick Collins saves a reeling defense. Now we can’t stop the Lions?! Need a big play on offense now. Take a shot deep.

12:11 PM:  The Packers made them pay for the Stafford interception and we are tied. Now the defense needs put the clamps on the young QB.

12:17 PM: Why can’t we stop the run now? Thank God for a drop because Bush got burned again.

12:19 PM:  That is simply unbelievable! Another special teams penalty! How does Shawn Slocum show his face at 1265 Lombardi Ave? Jordy was an idiot for catching it too. This kind of stuff will be too much to overcome today I think.

12:33 PM:  Might be in FG range at the 3.

12:34 PM:  Miracles never cease. 10-7 Packers. Come on defense. Three-and-out!

12:37 PM:  This is just simply unbelievable! This is even bad by Packers’ standards. What would Lombardi do? I guarantee it wouldn’t be pretty.

12:39 PM:  Another gift from Stafford. Sweet. Make it count now.

12:51 PM:  Why can’t we score TDs all of a sudden? This is getting to be a real problem. I chalked it up to a good Dallas defense two weeks ago. Against the 49ers it was masked a little because we led by 20 late in the game, but now its three games in a row. Big problem.

12:55 PM:  Well we don’t miss Al Harris in one department.

1:01 PM:  This game is much closer than it should be and the Lions get the ball to start the second half. I suggest we just kick it out of bounds as fast as possible so we don’t have time to make a penalty. If we kick it deep it will be a 20 yard return and a 15-yard penalty, which will be at least the 40 anyway.

The Packers should be up 21-7, though, so they have kept the Lions in the game. Any slip up like they had last week in the second half and they lose this game.

1:30 PM:  The Packers get a big play but go four-and-out. The fourth down play is what happens when you can’t kick a field goal. It’s official, McCarthy has lost faith in Crosby. Too bad it took so long.

1:43 PM:  That is more like it! What a pass! I thought it was picked off at first. 20-7. A little breathing room, but not much. Need another one real quick to take the air out of them.

2:06 PM:  Damn! We could have scored there and taken Rodgers out. Now we asking a lot of the defense again. But I guess it is their job.

2:09 PM:  Here we go again…

2:16 PM:  It’s going to be a TD, unbelievable. Throwing the ball all over the field and we run twice. You get what you deserve with that kind of play calling. The offense is going to have to make up for it now.

2:38 PM:  Finally, the dagger! How sweet the next ten days will be riding a three-game winning streak and sitting at 7-4. What can you say about the old guys on the Packers’ roster – Donald Driver and Charles Woodson? Incredible stuff today. Not to mention Aaron Rodgers, who just keeps rolling. The guy has basically played only two really bad games for the Packers has a starter and both were in Tampa Bay. Go figure?

For the Detroit Lions this is their Super Bowl. For the Green Bay Packers it could be their worst nightmare. The Packers have only three days to adjust to the loss of two defensive starters and also have to play on the road. Granted it is only an hour away by air, but it is still a road game on national TV against a team with nothing to lose. A loss to the Lions would be absolutely devastating. In fact, if the Packers were to lose to Tampa Bay and Detroit in the same season they shouldn’t even be allowed in the playoffs even if they qualify record-wise. There ought to be a law.

Even without Al Harris and Aaron Kampman the Packers have far superior talent than the Lions on both sides of the ball, especially defensively. The Lions are not good defensively and if the Packers don’t put on an offensive display tomorrow it will be very discouraging. If Brady Quinn can rip them up Aaron Rodgers should have a field day. Of course I said the same thing about the Bucs game a few weeks ago and we all know what happened there.

I don’t know who reminded me of my statement calling the Lions, Bucs and 49ers as jokes, but this is the NFL. It’s not who you play it’s when you play them, consequently it is not what you say, it’s when you say it. Oddly enough, even against a team you wouldn’t think they need a break, the Packers have caught a break. No better example than that. I’d be worried if Stafford was one-hundred percent healthy but I just don’t think Daunte Culpepper can beat us (note – bet the opposite).

The way I see tomorrow’s game is like this. The big win by the Lions last week doesn’t worry me at all. For a team like the Lions a win like that is more of a relief than a momentum builder, they probably haven’t returned to earth yet following their unbelievable zero-second win by the what may be the new Brett Favre – Matthew Stafford. The Packers likely won’t see Stafford because he was almost decapitated a play before he threw his game-winner and is listed as doubtful. Probably a good thing for the Packers given their history against rookie quarterbacks this year.

I think the motivation to get to 7-4 and take advantage of an extended break promised by McCarthy with a win, along with the memory of Tampa Bay, will be enough to motivate the Packers to a convincing win. If Stafford plays, all bets are off, but I think the Packers win 31-20.

I want to wish you all a great Thanksgiving Day. I will be doing my game day blog. Confidence is high.

The Green Bay Packers won their second game in a row and with now having won 4-of-6 they are back in the NFC playoff hunt. With games against Detroit Thursday and the Ravens on Dec. 7 in Lambeau, the Packers have a good chance to keep the momentum going as we enter the stretch run. Of course beating the 49ers by only six points was not nearly good enough for most fans I talked to today. It is as if the Packers made a conscious decision at halftime to “let” the 49ers back in the game. Never mind that the 49ers are actually an up-can-coming team that until Sunday was right in the mix in the NFC.

People who actually watch the NFL have seen many games like Sundays’ 30-24 win by the Packers. In fact it pretty much happens every week. Last week it happened in San Diego when Philly fell behind early and rallied late to make the final score not as close the game actually was. The Packers had 368 yards of offense in the first half, it is completely asinine to think the Packers could duplicate that in the second half. I bet you can count the career 700 yard games in NFL history on one hand. In fact, one finger and it happened in 1951. Teams make adjustments on defense and on offense the game plan changes when you have a big lead, right or wrong. My only complaint Sunday offensively was that they should have scored more points with all those yards.

The Packers did not “let” the 49ers back in the game, the 49ers forced themselves back in the game, thanks to a complete change in their game plan to start the second half. The 49ers went to their two-minute offense with thirty minutes to go and thanks to yet another special teams gaff by the Packers they almost had a chance to win. But for the second week in a row the Packers offense rose to the occasion and put the game away. Last week it was a long time-consuming drive to go up by 10 points in a defensive battle with Dallas and this week the Packers ran out the final six minutes of the clock in true grind it out fashion.

The Packers’ offense the last two weeks has finally ditched the “let’s go vertical” offense and actually look like a West Coast Offense again. Short passes to set up the run, more yards after the catch and controlling the clock. Add that to a defense that is getting better by the week and the Packers are hinting at peaking at the right time. Losing Aaron Kampman and Al Harris for the year might be the monkey in the wrench, but I personally don’t think so. Brad Jones should be able to take over for Kampman and if Brady Poppinga returns to health soon they have some flexibility at the linebacker position. Brandon Chiller should again be part of that mix Thursday after not playing much in the last two games because of a hand injury. I’m not that worried about Harris’ position as I think Tramon Williams can do a good job, it is filling Williams’ position that is the problem.

Jarrett Bush plays like he has one and if there ever was a reason to fire Ted Thompson it has nothing to do the quarterback, matching an offer-sheet from Tennessee to keep Bush is inexcusable. There are no free agents available this time of year so the Packers will have to make do with what they got, which will put to the test the coaching ability of coordinator Dom Capers. It is very bad timing for the Packers whose defense is now ranked third in the NFL and has a short week meaning they have zero time to train somebody new. The Packers won’t have to face Matthew Stafford as it looks like for the second time this year he will miss the Packers’ game with an injury. Daunte Culpepper doesn’t exactly scare you anymore, so the Packers may have caught a break, especially when you consider Stafford threw for five touchdowns against the Browns, including an incredible one with no time on the clock and in severe pain.

To beat the Lions the Packers will need their offense to carry the load while the defense re-adjusts. The Lions are 31rst in the NFL in defense so that shouldn’t be too much to ask. Get the win Thursday and the Packers have 11 days until Ravens’  game. Capers and crew will be able to determine a course of action that will keep this train on the right track. Confidence is creeping up. Just don’t lay an egg on Thanksgiving. No offense Mike.

Here a are couple of shots from seats Sunday:

A sad day for two true Packers.

The Green Bay Packers can take a big step toward getting a wildcard playoff berth with a win today. With two of their main competitors facing off when Atlanta visits New York today a win and the Packers are in. If the playoffs started tomorrow, at the very least the Packers would control their own destiny. Win and your in. The Packers can help themselves in two other ways today too. Beat San Francisco and you pretty much knock the 49ers out of the hunt. It also means Arizona will lock up the NFC West early leaving them with nothing to play for when the Packers travel to Arizona January third.

I’m a little worried about the Packer ability to handle the 49ers front seven. Give Aaron Rodgers enough time and he will pick apart the 49er secondary, but that is a big if this year. Without Ahman Green the Packers will not have their screen game which has been effective slowing the rush since Green joined the team. Mark Tauscher is back at right tackle after missing the Cowboys game so that should help the protection a little.

I think this will be another defensive battle today and the Packers will come out on top again. Packers 21, 49ers 17.

I’ll be on Twitter @packernetblog.

The Green Bay Packers’ 5-4 record is not going to scare anyone, and us Packers’ fans know that one win doesn’t exactly mean the Packers have found their stride. Beating the Cowboys the way they did, however, at least keeps us on an even keel. The problem is the Packer have two cupcakes the next two weeks and two weeks ago we saw what happens when the Packers play cupcakes. After losing to Tampa Bay the Packers hopefully learned that they need to prepare for the Tampa Bays of the world the same way they prepare for Dallas.

This week the Packers host the 49ers and I know you guys will give me grief but I think the 49ers might give the Packers grief. My problem is I don’t know why. Call it a hunch. The 49ers have a good defense but only Frank Gore on offense, after Sunday one would think that if Tony Romo can’t beat the Packers there is no way Alex Smith can. Remember Josh Freeman. I want to be as positive as possible and say we will kick ass again on Sunday, but like the court of law, there is that confident beyond a shadow of a doubt aspect, and unlike before the Tampa Bay game, I do have a shadow of a doubt.

On the surface the 49ers should struggle for every yard against the Packers 4th ranked defense. The Packers’ defense has one thing extremely well this year and that is stop the opponents running game and being as one-sided as the 49ers are on offense the Packers really shouldn’t have any trouble much like when they played the Rams and Steven Jackson.

I don’t necessarily mean the Packers have to come out and blow the 49ers away, but they do need to play well again and most importantly win the game. No special teams blunders or a three interception game from Aaron Rodger. The Packers have more talent and therefore should win the game. I think Rodgers might have a big day against the 49ers’ secondary, which is not very good. The 49ers are good against the run however, so yards may be tough to get on the ground.

Here we go again, getting nervous over a game the Packers should clearly win. The Packers are a good team, I just don’ t think they know it yet. Which leaves us with that shadow of doubt.

This rant may be a day late and a dollar short but I had to get it off my chest. If you saw Chris Mortensen on ESPN’s NFL pregame show Sunday you had to be shaking your head. Mortensen was on a mission to disrespect the Packers from the get-go and I for one wonder where this came from. A promise from the Favre camp maybe? Clearly Mortensen was not expressing a point of view, he clearly had an agenda during his segment when asked about the Packers.

At least five times Mortensen repeated the phrase “Brett Favre ruined the Packers’ season.” Then I also had the misfortune of hearing him on the ESPN’s radio version where he repeated the same phrase five more times. It wasn’t the offensive line or all the sacks Aaron Rodgers was taking, it was Brett Favre. Mortensen made it sound like the two losses to the Vikings have rendered the Packers obsolete. Unless you are a Brett Favre suck-up and/or work for ESPN you are certainly more intelligent than to make a statement like that. Clearly it was done to piss off Packers’ fans, which makes me believe the idea came from the Favre camp. Favre called the Lions last year to tip them off to the Packers’ schemes so this is right up his alley.

Favre is the Tiger Woods of football. You better be a butt-kisser or you won’t be around long. Favre made SI’s Peter King look like a fool earlier this year and looking back at that it now seems clear that he was playing him like a fiddle. The thing is, because of the publicity and the money these divas bring in it isn’t hard to find an enabler. In Favre’s case he was able to commandeer an entire network. I have hated ESPN for years because of their arrogance and manufacturing of stories and their insanely unfunny commentary during Sportscenter. They are the sports version of MSNBC, completely one-sided and will always twist the story to make their point of view the best.

Thank God the NFL gave us the NFL Network, at least we can get fair and balanced opinions and not 75 guys trying to jump each other for a scoop. Because ESPN is the only other alternative on game day and I like shows like “Around the Horn” an “PTI”, I can’t quit watching it completely, but thanks to NFL Network I have an alternative, especially on game day. I have two TVs going at all times so I do switch to whoever is talking about the Packers, which is how I caught Mortensen’s rant.

Maybe I’m wrong. Do you agree Brett Favre ruined the Packers’ season? The Vikings are obviously going to win the division but if the Packers make the playoffs I wouldn’t consider the season ruined by Brett Favre. Josh Freeman maybe, but not Butt Favre.

After watching the Ravens last night there is no reason why the Packers shouldn’t win their next three games. At home against the 49ers, at Detroit Thanksgiving Day and at home against Baltimore. The Packers have a second chance after beating the Cowboys, I hope they prove the four-letter network wrong.

The Green Bay Packers are not dead! Just when you (I) thought the season was in serious jeopardy, the Packers go and knock off the NFC East leading Dallas Cowboys to put themselves right back in the playoff hunt.Who are these guys? The Packers’ defense dominated the Cowboys high-powered offense all day and the Packers’ offense made enough big plays to get the job done and also put together the best drive of quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ young career. If, as we hope, the Packers’ season turns around now, the 15-play drive the Packers put on the Cowboys to take a 10-0 lead will clearly be the turning point.

Rodgers was absolutely masterful in directing the 80-yard march that was a grind from the first play. The two unbelievable third-down passes to keep it alive I think are signs Rodgers is still getting better. It’s one thing to make those throws on first down but to thread the needle like that on third-and-long shows how good Rodgers can be. For the first time in several weeks Rodgers was decisive with the ball and either threw it away or took off running. Maybe the fact that Rodgers was given more leeway at the line of scrimmage by head coach Mike McCarthy had something to do with it. I believe Rodgers is a very smart QB and like a guy like Peyton Manning he should have free reign to call what he wants when he gets to the line of scrimmage.

Despite the win McCarthy did not have one of his better days. His challenge of the Jordy Nelson non-TD was insane. I mean, really! Do the Packers have anybody watching TV during the game? It didn’t take a 72-inch HDTV to see Nelson was down well short. A poor camera phone would have picked that up. McCarthy’s excuse today was laughable, saying he was going to call a time out anyway. What? And then to challenge a call later on and not have a challenge left was a classic Chris Webber moment. A team should really get penalized for that.

I think the return of Jordy is a big factor in the offense’s ability to hit some quick release passes. Nelson will go anywhere for a ball and is always open. James Jones is good for a big play every now and then but he had a huge drop in the endzone against the Cowboys and is a sideline only receiver. Nelson is clearly the Packers’ third best receiver and not having him or tight end Jermichael Finley the last few week certainly contributed to the inconsistent play of the offense. Finley will be back this week and with the addition of Ahman Green the Packers’ offense might be able to develop a little consistency the next few weeks.

With games against the 49ers at Lambeau this week and at Detroit Thanksgiving Day, if the Packers are to qualify for the playoffs this year they will win these two games. Following that they don’t play again until the following Monday night so they have what amounts to a mini-bye week.

A couple of other thoughts. Does Ryan Grant look like a different player since Green was signed? I think so. Why is it that the Packers’ defense got home on the blitz against one of the best offensive lines in the NFL but couldn’t touch Brett Favre or Josh Freeman? I think Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji are big-time players and the Packers’ defense has some solid building blocks. I also think Nick Barnett might be having the best year of his career. You all have always bashed Barnett, but all he does is make tackles like he is supposed to do. Now he gets a chance to rush the QB  a little and the results are promising.

I’m just finishing watching the second half and I am still amazed at the defensive performance. If the Packers can control Frank Gore next week, and they have been solid against the run all year, they should have no trouble shutting down Alex Smith. It’s Rodgers against the first team that passed on him in the 2005 draft, which I’m sure he will get plenty of questions about this week.

After Tampa Bay, I will never call a game a gimme, and neither should the Packers. The Packers will be favorites to win the next two games for sure, and probably will be favorites over Baltimore on December 7th at Lambeau. The opportunity is there for the Packers, the problem is we don’t know yet which team will show up from week to week. The good Dr. Jekyll or the evil Mr. Hyde.

Because of the play of the Packers’ defense though, I am feeling more confident about this year’s team than I was at this point last year. I can’t wait to get to Lambeau next week. We’re not done yet!

3:20 PM:  Three and out by the offense and the Cowboys are on the move. Packers look over-matched big time so far. This must be what the Lions feel like every week.

3:31 PM: McCartney has to be the dumbest coach in history. He bitches about losing the field position battle every week on special teams then rolls out a kicker who can’t kick for a 52-yard field goal giving the Cowboys explosive offense a short track. I would have rather seen them go for it that do that shit.

4:04 PM:  Rodgers is simply gun-shy now. Havner was wide open and Rodgers wouldn’t take the five yards. Havner gets pissed and drills a guy out of bounds. What a horribly coached team this is. Rodgers is in a major sophomore slump. Earlier Green was open over the middle for five or six and he wouldn’t throw it. If you are going to be a West Coast Offense then be a West Coast Offense. It’s 0-0 now but the Cowboys win this going away.

4:17 PM:  Amazing how well a screen works. Second time not so well. I like the way the defense is playing but with time running down in the half I suspect the Cowboys turn it up a notch. The shutout will be broke by halftime.

4:28 PM: If we can just hold them here.

4:36 PM:  Rodgers is not very smart. You throw that ball away not lose three yards. No way Bing makes this.

4:58 PM:  We might win the challenge, but did Tramon Williams just tackle himself?

5:18 PM:  I am very happy with the way the defense is playing, by far its best game of the year so far. It may be all for naught if the offense doesn’t pull its head out.

5:35 PM: Jordy catches that in his sleep.

5:39 PM: Mike McCartney is the worst coach in the NFL or has the worst people in the NFL working for him. I have a 10″ TV and I can see that wasn’t a TD. McCartney will fire Joe Blow from the grounds crew but lets the bozo who tells him to challenge this call keep his job? We will not win this game because of that stupidity. McCartney needs to go. Period.

5:42 PM:  All the momentum of the drive is gone. I doubt the Packers score.

5:45 PM:  OK! This is all on the defense now. The offense did its job. I still am not confident. I just don’t trust our defense.

5:55 PM:  My boy Havner! I just called it too! Can we hang on?

6:06 PM:  Mike McCartney is clearly the dumbest coach in the NFL history. Even if we win this game the future is not bright.

6:14 PM:  Game winner by Charles Woodson!!! Holy cow!

6:32 PM: Like I said, if every instinct I have is wrong, then the opposite must be right. I am a very happy man right now. If we can just get some consistency now, we are not out of it.  Philly lost, Atlanta lost, the Packers may be right back in the hunt for their goal of meeting Brett Favre again is still alive.

Over and out for tonight. Going to have a pop or two tonight I’m thinking.

In a season when we have heard a lot of talk about getting better from head coach Mike McCarthy but little improvement on the field, one has to wonder if this big offensive team meeting held Monday will just be more of the same. It sounded like the “airing of grievances” but it’s too early for Festivus. Will a full-blown bitch session fix the inconsistency of the offense and all of sudden turn around the pass protection problem? I kind of doubt it. If it does, great, but it should have happened a long time ago and for that there would be no excuse. Did it take the players instead of the coaches to light a fire under this team. Wow! I think I’m going to a disco tonight, it must be 1976 again. I’m your boogie man.

To me it sounded like a lot of finger-pointing, at least from the few details that came out of it. How can that be good when at least half of the problem is the game plan and the play calling? The most disturbing thing I heard all year was on Monday when McCarthy was asked how the Bucs’ secondary shut down the Packers. Even after it was clear the Packers’ receivers could not get open against Tampa McCarthy said “if we played them again tomorrow we’d go right back after that secondary.” Just keep pounding the rock Mike, you might find water.

What was really funny was that one of the quotes was from a defensive player who said the meeting was “good” making it sound like all the problems on the team were on offense. It wasn’t the offense that cost the Packers the game last week, it was a two-week old quarterback who ripped up the Packers’ defense, especially late when the game was on the line. It was Al Harris eating crow after taunting the Bucs’ QB all game. It was Jarrett Bush doing what Jarrett Bush does – give up touchdowns. It was the Packers’ blitz getting to Josh Freeman but not getting him down. I wonder if the “airing of grievances” shouldn’t have been held on the other side of the ball. Or maybe both.

Either way, I think the Packers will fall to 4-5 this weekend and we’ll see where they go from there with the 49ers and Lions following the Cowboys. We saw what happened last year at this time so confidence is not high. Since I’m on a Seinfeld kick, it is time for the Packers to do the opposite. So far pretty much everything McCarthy has done has been wrong, so the opposite must be right (side note – watching the game – wish the Packers had a kicker like Robbie Gould).

It has been an interesting week since the “Travesty in Tampa.” With eight games to go and low expectations, I’m looking forward to the second half of the season. I would love to see a win over the Cowboys Sunday which could be a springboard to a great second half, however, that wasn’t the case last year when the Packers’ ripped the Colts in Lambeau then proceeded to go 2-7 the rest of the season. This year will be the opposite. A Festivus miracle!