The way Arizona Cardinals’ coach Ken Whisenhunt is whining this week it makes you wonder if he is trying to play possum or if he could really be that worried the Packers beat his team up in two meaningless games. My guess is the Cards are playing possum thinking they will just turn it on this week and whip the Packers in the game that counts. I can see their side of the scenario and understand their reasoning behind it.
Whisenhunt isn’t an idiot. His track record is stellar. You don’t take a perennial loser like the Cardinals and take them to the Super Bowl on a fluke. But the Cardinals are the class of the NFC West, which is like being the top of the bottom. They took advantage of that lack of respect last year and won the NFC. They won’t be flying under the radar this year. The Cardinals won their division again this year because they are the only halfway decent team in it.
The NFC West is no-man’s land. There are no rivalries like the other NFL divisions, I mean, nobody gets excited about Seattle versus St. Louis or anybody Seattle plays period. The Cardinals and 49ers are working on a rivalry only because the 49ers kick the division winners ass every time they play them but can’t do anything else. The Cardinals don’t know what it is like to face the likes of Minnesota or Chicago four times a year, year after year. I think that is a big factor in the Packers’ favor this coming week.
Granted, the Packers haven’t faced a killers row of opponents this season, but like the Cardinals of last year, there is no reason why the Packers can’t ride their momentum to a playoff win or two. Now, I know you never forget a thing I say and I did say I would prefer the Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs. Nothing that has happened over the last few weeks has changed my mind on that.
I know you need to be careful what you wish for and I am. Those on the Cardinals’ side probably feel like this is the best match-up they could have to start the defense of their NFC title. Talk about a lot of intrigue for a wildcard playoff game. You’ve got to love the NFL.
My gut feeling is the Packers have the confidence that it doesn’t matter who they are playing in the first round of the playoffs, they will be fired up. If we do indeed get it done, that feeling is not guaranteed next week no matter who we play. I’m not afraid to admit I don’t want to face the Vikings in the playoffs if we don’t have to. Not that we can’t beat them, but like Vikings’ fans who for sure don’t want round three, I don’t want to experience the agony of that defeat.
The Packers will know where they are going when they take the field Sunday. I wonder what kind of affect that will have on the team. Do they want the Vikings, which I think in their heart of hearts, they do, or do they want to go to New Orleans? Whisenhunt said last week his team was affected by the outcome of the Vikings’ game and the Cardinals played like it. Hopefully the thought of a trip to Minnesota would bring out the best in the Packers. I’m more worried about the team being disappointed if they have to go to New Orleans.
Good stuff Maynard!
Oh, and for the past eight weeks, my game-time snack of choice was pretzels, except for the Steelers, when I was munching popcorn.
Sorry about that one, guys. Not to worry, back to pretzels today.
Steve, I love the Battle of the Planets reference!! It’s exactly what I thought of when I first heard the Packers announce G-Force.
Please don’t take my rant on wearing jersey’s of past players the wrong way. I just think it’s a bit disrespectful to the current team to wear a packer jersey bearing someone elses name of a player who is still playing on another team. Especially when it’s a division rival. Non-replica jerseys are fairly inexpensive. It’s just my OCD acting up I guess.
Anyway, on to football again…
Did anyone else just hear Bill Cowher pick Arizona today because “Green Bay has not won a playoff game since 1997.” Way to pay attention to the league there, Bill. Whatever they’re paying you, it’s not enough. Moron.
Generation Gap, Generation Gap, is that G-Gap? Hardly; my first thought (my age group would) was “Green”. I’m guessing thats where they were headed, like Gang Green.
Shorter trip to MIN, men, Dallas hotter. We know all there is to know about Favre and we are a different team now. Indoors, either way, so who cares?
The Vikes may have a rough time with the Cowboys ……… The Cowboys DL will own the Vikes OL ……….. BF could be in for a long day ………… Interesting note …… As long as the Pack wins, it’s possible they will have won two playoff games before the Vikes even play their first playoff game …………
I’ve never owned a numbered GB jersey ………. I have a pair of GB sweatpants but they’re too small & have never been worn ……….. I had a Packer ‘baseball’ cap but my dog chewed it into oblivion a few years back ………. I haven’t watched an NFL pre-game show since the 90′s ……… G-Force?? …. I must have missed this – I have no idea what anyone is referring too…….. I don’t think I want to know……..
JFBH- I agree completely. Even if the BF parting had been on completely amicable terms, it is disrespectful to the great guys currently on the team. Who has given more to the team than guys like Driver, Woodson, Barnett, Cliffy, Tauscher? And it’s really got to be eating up Harris and Kampman to be missing out on this run.
Rock, good point about the ‘Girls. They have been on quite a roll these past few weeks. Should we win today, they scare me more than anyone else. The Aints are falling apart, and we all know about the ‘Queens fabled meltdowns (even ignoring the BF factor.
Go Pack!
LT,
We live in much less respectful times these days. If Lombardi came along now, he would get the same internet beef every other coach does. In fact, Lombardi couldn’t even be Lombardi in the modern era
As far as the rebuild goes, time will tell. TT will get all the credit he will deserve when and if we win it all–same for MM.
Just a random question: When they pick the site for the next G-force rally, is that then referred to as the “G-spot”? (insert rimshot here)
I could easily see the Cowboys beating the Vikings but we have all week to talk about that.
We need to contain Dockett today. I think we present matchup problems for them and will get our share of points, but I am expecting them to look better on offense than they have the other 2 times we’ve seen them this year.
Pack in an exciting shoot out, 34-7.
LT,
We live in much less respectful times these days. If Lombardi came along now, he would get the same internet beef every other coach does. In fact, Lombardi couldn’t even be Lombardi in the modern era
As far as the rebuild goes, time will tell. TT will get all the credit he will deserve when and if we win it all–same for MM.
Just a random question: When they pick the site for the next G-force rally, is that then referred to as the “G-spot”? (insert rimshot here)
I could easily see the Cowboys beating the Vikings but we have all week to talk about that.
We need to contain Dockett today. I think we present matchup problems for them and will get our share of points, but I am expecting them to look better on offense than they have the other 2 times we’ve seen them this year.
Pack in an exciting shoot out, 34-27.
Packers/Cowboys in NFC championship game. And yes, some on here are fine w/calling current team members/coaches names, but don’t like it when referencing a player from another team as B*tt F*ck……. go figure. And I still say he quit on the Packers or call it what you will, by the fact since leaving the Pack, he got control of his INT’s until his shoulder injury w/the Jets and just 7 w/the Vikes this year. We’ve all seen those record setting and playoff season ending INT’s over the last 13 years. Or maybe revenge equals focus…….. the focus he never quite gave the Pack.
Watching the N. E. Cheaters game……. and the refs help again. On that muffed punt by the Ravens the Cheater player fumbled the ball going to the ground and out of bounds and that’s a “show me the ball”!!! One thing about the refs….. half of the time they make a call-they shouldn’t have, the other half they don’t make calls-they should have, and when they do make calls-they’re only correct 3/4 of the time anyway……
People are acting like the Pack has never seen a playoff game before. Clifton College Wells Tauscher Grant, Jennings, Driver, Jones all played in an NFC Championship game.
As well as Woodson Collins Pickett Jenkins Hawk Barnett on Defense. Protect the Ball, protect Rodgers win the game.
Maybe it’s me and my dislike for the N. E. Cheaters, but has any one seen the “tuck rule” prior to that one or even since then?????
Michael Legat Says: January 10th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
“Did anyone else just hear Bill Cowher pick Arizona today because “Green Bay has not won a playoff game since 1997.” Way to pay attention to the league there, Bill. Whatever they’re paying you, it’s not enough. Moron.”
The best part of Pardon the Interruption (on ESPN) is the end, when Tony tells Kornheiser & Wilbon how many factual errors they made over the course of the show. As good as he is on PTI, I hate Around the Horn…
Pack 35 – Cardinals – 31, as Warner looks to whomever Jarrett Bush is covering early and often; Early Doucet becomes a name familiar to even casual fans…Packers win anyway!
Wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ravens lose. Playing for FG’s inside the 10 can come back and bite ya…..
It does seem like they took their foot off the gas.
I’m calling it on the Patriots dynasty. Time of death 12:33 PM.
I didn’t hear what Cowher actually said, but I suspect he was alluding to the fact that we haven’t won a ROAD playoff game since 1997. Perhaps it just didn’t come out right. Can’t believe he didn’t know we were in the NFC championship game 2 years ago.
Am I the only one that got feeling that Brady quit on the Patriots? All those playoff ending interceptions. Maybe he’ll be looking to go a division rival so he can start playing well again.
Boldin’s definitely out but I’m not sure how much that means. They’re 5-1 in the six games Boldin has missed as a Cardinal.
Still say we win in a shootout. Should be fun to watch! GO PACK GO!
Haven’t been forcing the ball, why would we do that?