The Green Bay Packers are mired in their first three-game losing streak in seven years and if they are going to come out it this week against the Minnesota Vikings, a must game, by the way, it will have to be by the arm of Aaron Rodgers. The two time MVP is having a bad season, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It happens. Even Brett Favre had a few down years.
The question is, can Rodgers turn it around midseason? The Packers still have everything in front of them, they control their destination. A win over the Vikings Sunday and they are back in first place in the division with the Vikings having to come to Lambeau in January. But for that to happen, Rodgers has to look in the mirror and make the decision to put the team on his back, injury and stats be damned.
Rodgers does not appear to be confident in his protection or his receivers, and that has to change and soon. If Rodgers throws the ball and it is intercepted because of something the receiver did or didn’t do, so be it. Let head coach Mike McCarthy deal with the player. After all, that is his job.
I think it will be hard for Rodgers to change his style of play, but I tell you, he threw 61 passess without an interception yesterday, to me that means he was being very conservative. If you are going down, go down guns blazing. Desperate times take desperate measures.
After a day to reflect about yesterday’s epic loss, I’ll reverse course and say they are not done yet. They are good enough to win four of their last seven games and that should be enough to garner at least a wildcard berth in the woeful NFC. I never thought it would get to the point of hoping for a wildcard spot this year, I thought the Packers would be a team on a mission. But it is what it is and the Packers have had success as a wildcard in the past.
We will see if the Packers and find some pride and pull the upset next week, but win or lose, we now know what we have in this team. No sense getting worked up either way. Which is going to make my Sunday’s more enjoyable the rest of the year. There is nothing wrong with being competitive and going to the playoffs every year, even if you don’t win the Super Bowl. If you don’t believe me ask a Cleveland Browns fan.