Man, you would think the Packers lost the Super Bowl. Apparently Packers’ fans have forgot how hard it actually hurt to lose the Super Bowl after the 1997 season because losing to the Vikings in October is not even close. If it wasn’t for Brett Favre this game would have been just another in long history of disasters in Metrodome, and really, this game was a good game. The Packers have nothing to hang their heads about and their playoff hopes were not dashed Monday night, no matter how hard it was losing to Favre. In fact, I think this will make the Packers stronger.
I know I predicted a Packers’ victory and tried to point out all the reasons the Packers could win the game but in the end I knew it was a tall order. Still, the Packers were in great position to steal one until Donald Lee dropped a pass in the endzone. It’s a whole different game if Lee hangs on. Do the Packers have some problems to correct? You bet. Did they make some bad decisions? No doubt, but this is still a good football team. The Packers have the players they just have to find out if they have the right coach.
Almost like Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren, Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have put their careers on the line by sticking with Aaron Rodgers when Favre changed his mind last year. I mean really, if Favre really loved to play the game so much why was it so hard for him to decide to play every year for the last five years? The Packers had to make a decision for the future and did so. Rodgers has done nothing yet to prove it wasn’t the right decision. Favre didn’t win a Super Bowl his first year as a starter, in fact, and I’m counting 1992, it took him five years. I think in all fairness we should give Rodgers two years before we label him a bust.
I believe the Packers this year have been faced with some unexpected circumstances and while I wish the won-loss record was one game better, I can’t complain too bad. The two teams they lost to are a combined 7-1 and should be 8-0 if not for a fluke play. The Packers have not been blown out and even with the struggles on the offensive line have still been able to make big plays. Yes, in my game blog, I was worried against the Rams, but that lasted about three minutes as the Packers dominated in the end.
I am not worried at all right now, the Packers have a favorable schedule with the Lions and Browns the next two games, followed by the Vikings at home, at Tampa Bay and at home against the Cowboys. Anything other than 4-1 during that stretch will be a disappointment. All I know is I’m not throwing in the towel nor am I calling for people to be fired with three-fourths of the season to be played. I mean, who would have thought the Cardinals would have made the Super Bowl last year?
Do the Packers have problems? Yes. Does Aaron Rodgers need to take the next step? Yes. Are these problems correctable? Yes. Have I watched too much Seinfeld? Yes.
Left tackle Chad Clifton will be back for the Lions and I’m hoping the Packers sign Mark Tauscher and get him ready to start at least by the Browns game. He will need a full game I think before facing the Vikings the following week. I don’t want to sound stupid, or any more stupid than I normally am, but I think the return of Tauscher can be a huge lift not only on the line but in the locker room. Now if we just get him back on “Tuesday Night Touchback”.
Come on people, let’s look at what we can do now and worry about the off-season during the off-season. I still think this is a good football team, they just need to find out who they are. Is it a “West Coast Offense” or is it a “Let’s get vertical” offense? Is the defense going to pressure the QB or not? Both sides need to make up their minds and commit to it. I say reel in Rodgers and stick with the short stuff knowing he’ll hit the bomb when it’s there. Move the chains. On defense I think Dom Capers needs to commit to his defense for good or bad and let them loose on the QB. Capers’ fear of Brett Favre, which we saw Packers’ opponents succumb to for 16 years was the main reason the Packers lost Monday night. Time to let them play.
The bye week came at a great time for the Packers, Cliffy will be back, Bigby will back, even some guy named Jackson might be back, so step off the ledge, cut the rope, unload the gun, barf up the pills, we’re not done yet.