Packers - Lions Renew Hoilday Aquaintances

If ever there was a game the Packers did not want or need to play, the upcoming season finale against Detroit certainly qualifies. Altogether now – ugh.

Both the Pack and the Lions are in the playoffs and neither has anything to gain with much to lose. Yes, Detroit could vault one spot from 6^th to 5^th in the BFD dept. of this game, but neither can afford to have any of its major players injured. The Patriots proved that a few years ago when all world WR Wes Welker went down in the last game with a knee injury.

But the Lions are becoming the annoying, irritating yappy little mutt desperately trying to prove it belongs in with the rest of the pack. While there is much noise and the Lions can, for once, be taken far more seriously, the fact remains they are the unwashed, uncouth slobs trying to horn in on the sumptuous buffet in their overalls and dirty fingernails. The pack is playing out the string of a magnificent year that will go down as their best regular season in their illustrious history regardless of the outcome, while the Lions are looking to make a pre-playoff statement.

After DT Ndamukong Suh’s famous stomp on the Packers Evan Dietrich-Smith’s arm on Thanksgiving the NFL poobahs will have a close eye on this matchup. It is highly doubtful that either team would do anything to affect its playoff chances, but given the Lions glaring lack of restraint it is hard to imagine them – and Suh – holstering their collective temper. The Raiders lead the NFL in penalties and the Lions are right behind them.

After keeping it close in round 1 with only a 7-0 deficit at the half last time against the Packers the Lions were embarrassed by Aaron Rodgers’ lights out second half. The Lions shouldn’t take it so personally; Rodgers has torched virtually every defense he has faced this year in what is destined to be his first MVP campaign. Drew Brees will get some consideration for his yardage shattering season, but Rodgers play this year has been off the hook. With 47 TD’s and only 6 picks with his 4600+ yards stacked upon a 14 win year Rodgers is the clear MVP. Brees had a magnificent year, but he had it when Rodgers was having a year for the ages. Truthfully, if Rodgers had not been involved in so many blowouts it is difficult to guess how many yards and points the Packers could have scored. The recent spate of dropped passes hasn’t helped his cause, but that is on the receiving corps, not Arod.

Detroit QB Matthew Stafford had an injury free campaign and posted some numbers finally worthy of his #1 overall pick status and was narrowly edged out by the far more inconsistent Eli Manning in a head scratcher on the NFL Pro Bowl team. Stafford is bolstered by breakout star WR Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson who is also finally getting the recognition he deserves. The Lions face a paucity at RB and are down to the likes of journeymen Joique Bell, Keiland Williams and Maurice Morris, none of whom has done much in the pros. Bell, in fact, is a last minute addition from the Saints PS, and given the Saints depth he may prove to be an unmined gem. The lack of any semblance of a running game may ultimately spell Detroit’s demise, and look for the Lions to grab 1 or 2 RB’s in the coming draft.

The greater concern for Lions fans is the overall immaturity of their team. The Lions have repeatedly shot themselves in the foot with boneheaded penalties and miscues at the worst times. The Lions are a physical team, but a physical team without discipline is a dirty team, and a team that gets beat by teams that continue to attack and withstand the numerous fouls. Without retaliating.

Suh did call Dietrich-Smith after his lapse in self-control, and Dietrich Smith calmly and tersely acknowledged that call. Suh also had an in season 2 week vacation courtesy of Roger Godelle who has grown weary of the man child’s tantrums and on field antics. A team that is as young and as rambunctious as Detroit is benefits from solid, stable leadership at the top. No doubt Jim Schwartz is a good coach, but he has a history of over exuberant players dating back to his days with the Titans. Calling Jim Schwartz a stable, calming influence is akin to calling Tiger Woods good husband material.  It was on Schwartz’s watch in Tennessee that Fat Albert Haynesworth cleated Dallas’ Andre Gurode in the unhelmeted, exposed face while Gurode lay unprotected on the ground. That kind of has a familiar ring to it. Is it coincidence that these acts happen again, or is it the byproduct of some guerilla tactics being taught and encouraged? In any even the acts are not being punished enough from within as the Lions penalty record indicates.

Schwartz’s now famous post game confrontation with the 49ers Jim Harbaugh had disastrous results. The Lions went on an awful stretch, losing 4 of their next 6 games and have only recently righted the ship. The look of a beaten man was seen on Schwartz’s face after the Lions went into meltdown mode on turkey day against Green Bay, and now the Lions look to extract some measure of revenge.

For the Packers this is that eye rolling, here –we-go-again- game of having to face an opponent hell bent on beating the Super Bowl Champs to validate themselves. There is little for the Packers to gain, and it will come as no shock when Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson and several other key components head to the bench. While Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy emphasizes “… going for the win…” that declaration doesn’t exactly mean he is foolhardy enough to play his All Pro lineup to get there in a meaningless game. The Packers are secure in knowing that they will get a week off to get healthy and get focused and will be playing their games at home.

Expect a Matt Flynn sighting far sooner than later. Also look for RB Brandon Saine as well as Jarrett Bush, Pat Lee, and Davon House at DB along with D.J. Smith and Vic So’Oto at LB. The ongoing concern of the Packers pass rush, or the paltry lack thereof is cause for great concern in Titletown. While the Lions will be playing tough and for respect, this is the perfect opportunity for MM and DC Dom Capers to throw a few new faces out and see how they fare against a playoff caliber team.

The pressure of an undefeated season has long since passed. The morning dawn of a new playoff season has yet to break. In the hinterland between the two is a game of little relevance to Green Bay, and it makes this the perfect storm of opportunity for a team such as the Lions. When the dust settles the Packers will stand at either 14 – 2 or 15 -1, and by any measure that is a fantastic season even for, maybe especially for, a defending Super Bowl Champion.

This is the week for Green Bay to try a few things out live, see how they look, get the ailing and infirmed well, and get the heads ready for the big dance in two weeks. Give the Lions some credit as they come in hungrier and with more than just a chip on their shoulder. If it validates the Lions season, well, bully for them. For the Pack is time to look ahead to what really matters.

Call it a mini-upset.

  DETROIT  27 

   Green Bay  24  

Thank You Letter to Santa

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Dear Santa,

I reallyreallyREALLY want to thank you for everything you brought me for Christmas!! It was one of the bestest ever!

I think my favorite was the win over the Bears on Christmas night. Wow, was THAT great. I hoped the Packers would win but this was sweeeeeeet! I went to bed with visions of sugar plums and a first round by dancing in my head.

Thanks not givin’ the Bears nuthin’. They don’t deserve it.

I asked you for the offensive line to get healthy and even better than that you gave me an offensive line that gave up no sacks and had no penalties all game. Santa – I TOLD you these were reallreallyREALLY good boys! With no Chad Clifton and no Derrick Sherrod and no Bryan Bulaga I admit I was a little worried but Santa – dude – you came through in the clutch big time, just like the line.

And our coach Mike McCarthy? Yep, he got respect here too for that game. It was reallyreallyREALLY smart of him to lay back and see how things developed in the first half and then turn Aaron Rodgers loose in the second half. He made sure the new guys like Evan Dietrich Smith could play and T.J. Lang was comfortable out of position and when those guys showed they were okay MM turned the dogs loose. On the Bears. Double thank you!!

Thanks not givin’ the Bears nuthin’. They don’t deserve it.

And you didn’t forget Jordy Nelson. He loved that long bomb you dropped on him. And he didn’t drop it either.

And I think you did get some new gloves or something for Jermichael Finley because he didn’t drop so much this week.

I was still a little disappointed you didn’t leave a pass rush for me. If the elves are backed up and it is backordered I can wait. But remember I get  reallyreallyREALLY impatient and won’t wait for too long for one to show up. The one we had is missing and frankly I’m getting a little worried about it. So if it’s lost can you get the elves to get it in gear and like hurry up and get it here while there’s still time to play with it? Maybe that new guy Vic So’Oto can. I saw him a couple times yesterday and maybe he knows where our pass rush went.



Sacks and picks. Take your choice



My good friend Clay Matthews was shocked you gave him an interception for Christmas!! Holy Cow!!! Everyone knows he likes to tackle and Clay told me he was so shocked when he found a gift wrapped interception he damn near dropped it!! OOOPS!!! Sorry Santa – didn’t mean to swear!!!! But anyway Clay was so surprised he did a little happy dance on his knees and made us all laugh because we were so glad to see him get one this year.

Thanks not givin’ the Bears nuthin’. They don’t deserve it.

One half of ESPN's Dumb and Dumber

I hope you brought some humble pie for those goofballs on ESPN like Skip Bayless and Merrill Hodge who keep saying the Packers aren’t that good. Man, these guys must be dumb!!! They keep saying “Stats, stats, stats” and saying the Packers D is next last in stats but every time I look I see a 14 – 1 record! Maybe I’m dumb but that’s a pretty damn good record! Sorry Santa – didn’t mean to swear!!!! But Hodge sucked when he played and now he sucks just as much as Skip Useless and they don’t know nuthin’ apparently. 

Like his counterpart, the mouth is
open but nothing's coming out

And both Skip Useless and Merrill the Mouth Hodge was saying how the Bears defense was going to chew up the Packers. Maybe the Bears didn’t listen to Dumb and Dumber very well because Aaron Rodgers tore them up.

Santa, thanks for making sure Aaron got his MVP. All them dummies with their dumb stats can go on and on and on about Drew Brees and Tom Brady and their stats but last I checked Rodgers had 45 TD’s – a new team record – 7 interceptions – that Bert guy he replaced had 6 alone in a playoff game once – 4,500 yards, AND Rodgers has a team that’s 14 – 1. Don’t these idiots read all the stats, or are they just bored or lazy and looking to make a lot of noise about nuthin’???

Thanks not givin’ the Bears nuthin’. They don’t deserve it.

And I was kinda surprised you gave so much to Josh McCown. Or was it Cade McCown? Or was it McNown? Anyway he musta been surprised too because even though you gave him lots of stuff and you couldn’t find our pass rush McClown didn’t do nuthin’ with it. DOH!!! Bet he feels stupid today!! Hey… maybe he could join Dumb and Dumber and talk about how great his stats was, because they’re the only ones who think that stupid stuff is all that and a plate of cookies.

And Santa, as much as I hate the Bears I hope you dropped a big lump of coal in Mike Martz’s stocking. He’s the Bears offensive coordinator but he is just plain bad bad bad. And he is dumb – reallyreallyREALLY dumb. He’s so dumb he could join Skip Useless and Merrill Hodge and look like a genius, kinda like the brightest bulb in a burned out pack of bulbs.

Wait – instead of coal, give Martz a nice long extension. Yeah… as dumb as he is Chicago is a good place for him.

Thanks not givin’ the Bears nuthin’. They don’t deserve it.

Mike Martz, lost in thought

Now we got a nuthin game against a bunch of thugs trying tom prove they can run with the big dogs. Let’s not get anyone hurt and so what – even if the Lions actually will it won’t matter because it just doesn’t matter. If they somehow get lucky and we see them again, well, I kinda think you already gave us enough for that. But if they want to get stupid again maybe Mike Martz can take them on the Skip Useless and Merrill the Mouth Hodge Show and they could have a dumb-a-thon and raise money for stupidity.

And it may sound selfish but don’t give nuthin’ to the Lions. They realreallyREALLY don’t deserve it.

Is it just coincidence?? You decide

By the way – does Mike Martz come up to the North Pole and pose for your Mr. Potato Head dolls? Because he sure acts like Mr. Potato Head. Cuz he’s so dumb.

Well, Santa, I hope you liked the beer and brats. I left milk and cookies for you but I figured you needed the beer and brats for the big game. I’m going to go enjoy the start of the 5 game winning streak you brought me. Have a great off season again!

Love,

The Pack RaTS

P.S. Don’t forget I’m still waiting for you to bring me a pass rush!!

A Christmas Wish

‘Tis the season…

and with that we’re giving our Christmas Wish List to Santa Claus.

Dear Santa,

Hope you and the Missus had a great offseason. We had GREAT one and have thoroughly enjoyed playing with the Lombardi Trophy you brought us last year! SWEET!!!

What I want for Christmas in Green Bay this year:

A healthy offensive line. With Derrick Sherrod out, Bryan Bulaga dinged up, Chad Clifton not playing yet and Josh Sitton with a bum knee enough is enough already. PLEASE Santa – keep the boys healthy and get the ailing well.

A quick return for Chad Clifton. If you don’t understand why, read the above.

A case of amnesia for that game from last week. Sheesh! The Chiefs??

Oh, and while I’m at it Santa how about some better hands for Jermichael Finley? Dude is a beast, he is the real deal but I’m tired of hearing “CLANK!!” every time a Rodgers bullet hits his hands.

For that matter the rest of the receivers… them too. And a case of amnesia for some ugly dropsies. Man they’re good… but if they didn’t drop so many this team would be sick sick sick.

If you could find a pass rush to leave under the tree.. wow!! That would be nice. We had one last year but I think we lost it somewhere. Sheesh!! The Chiefs??

A quick return for Greg Jennings. I can be patient with this one. There’s a lot of other things to play with if we don’t have Jennings now, but getting him back later will make all the other things we have so much better and more fun – especially Jordy Nelson.

Oh, yeah, how about a quick return for James Starks. It’s been awhile since we played with him, and he’d be a nice toy to have. Somehow I keep forgetting about him because we got him last year and you always seem to do such a great job of giving us running backs to play with and he was one of my favorites from last year.

Oh, and don’t put Jordy Nelson on the “Naughty” list for those penalties last week. He is a good guy and said he didn’t mean to push off and he feels real real real bad for having done that and he promises it won’t happen again.

Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ for the Bears.

Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ to the Lions either. They were really really REALLY bad this year. And Jim Schwartz is always yelling and fighting and stuff.

But you can stick a big lump of coal in Ndamukong Suh’s stocking. Maybe if you keep him off the “Nice” list he will learn to stay out of hot water and in the Commissioner’s office so much.

We could use the extra strength Tylenol for Ryan Pickett and Brandon Saine’s concussions. They could use the help.

Can you PLEASE give Aaron Rodgers the MVP? He really really REALLY deserves it and he was a really good boy this year. Those guys Brady and Brees keep trying to cut in on him, but Aaron was really really REALLY good this year. And he deserves it. A lot.

Could you get some help for B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews? It seems like every week they have 15 guys hitting them on every play. Maybe if we could give everyone else on the defense and energy drink maybe to get them going?

Santa, if you could leave a little potion to keep Charles Woodson from getting any older that would be like wow.

And also some magical healing pills for Desmond Bishop, A. J. Hawk and Nick Collins. They could use it. A lot. So could the defense.

Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ for the Bears.

I really really REALLY liked that little 6 game winning streak you brought us last year after the Patriots game. It was my favorite thing of all!! And of all time!!!!! Could you pleasepleasePLEASE bring another one?? I don’t want to be greedy so this time all I want is a nice little 5 game winning streak. I appreciate the 19 game streak we got, but that was kind of a bonus. And, if you can’t bring a 5 game streak I will settle for a 3 game winning streak. Starting in 3 weeks.

Could you please bring some respect for Mike McCarthy and his entire coaching staff? Wow, did he do a great job. He never asks for a thing and has been super good this year, and he really really REALLY took care of that 19 game streak. The other guys he has have been really really REALLY good. You can give them some credit, respect, a Coach of the Year Award, but just don’t give them another job somewhere.

And while I’m at it Santa how about a great big dish of humble pie for all of Ted Thompson’s critics. I had mine last year and you know what – it wasn’t so bad.  I don’t know how and where he keeps finding guys but he is really really REALLY good at it. Maybe if the leftovers of Teddy’s critics have enough humble pie in their mouths it will keep them from saying anything stupid anymore.

Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ for the Bears.

Santa – you got us the best Christmas present of all last year in the Super Bowl!!! It was our favorite thing we got all year!!!! Do ya have another one in your bag????

This one can be put off because we don’t need it yet, but another good draft would be sweet!! We could even hold a little draft party – I’ll serve up the humble pie, Coach McCarthy can bring the champagne and we can all marvel at Ted Thompson’s picks. Oh, yeah… leave some ear plugs that will keep the noise down until we actually see how good they are on the field.

Speaking of draft picks could you bring a light for Mike Neal? He seems to have lost his game somewhere, and I know he really really REALLY wants it and maybe some help there would be nice.

I almost forgot this one… our cornerbacks could use some better shoes or longer cleats because they seem to be slipping so much. Sheesh!! The Chiefs???

Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ for the Bears.

But if you HAVE to bring something for the Bears how about an awful game for QB Caleb Hainie. He had to play last year when Jay Cutler went out and now has to do it again, and now he has to play this weekend in Green Bay on Christmas night. If you could give Caleb some holes in the line our line could also get the pass rush they really want.

Oh, and the Bears would like a running game. They lost theirs. So maybe….. naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. They don’t get a running game this year. They’ll have to wait till Matt Forte is back. P.S…. I’m not being mean Santa. These are the Bears.

Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ for the Bears.

Oh and you know those slippy cleats our CB’s had last week? You could give them to Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher and the Bears CB’s this week, because we sure don’t need them.

And some snow for Christmas would be sweet. In Green Bay. On Christmas night. Hehe heh heh….

And I KNOW you have a big game for the Packers offense on Christmas. They really really REALLY liked the train you gave them last year and they have been driving it thru the NFL this year. They would really really REALLY like to run that train over Chicago this week (I KNOW you will make that happen!) heh heh heh….

Okay Santa, if you HAVE to give the Bears something give them 10 points. That’s ALL they deserve, and all they have been able to muster since Cutler went out. We can handle the rest.

Santa, Practice Squad WR Tori Gurley reall really REALLY thanks you for the regular squad full contract he just signed. He liked it so much he turned down Minnesota AND Buffalo to stay here. And since that happened then we HAVE to also ask for this:

A high note for Donald Driver to go out on. Donald has been really really REALLY good, and he has  also been a really really REALLY good Packer and person. He owns so many Packer records and has nothing left to prove. While we hate to see it come give him one last shining moment in the sun. Not only has he earned it we will ALL appreciate it, and in 5 years you can bring him his Hall of Fame jacket too. We will all miss him – a lot.

Oh, and Santa? I know you’ll get a lot of letters, especially from pissed off Bears fans. They think you screwed them last year. Just ignore them; WE love you more.

Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ for the Bears.

Santa, we loved what you brought us last year. But that was then and this is now. We don’t think we’re being too demanding.

Love,

The Pack Rats

p.s. Enjoy the beer, brats and cheese I left for you. I mean… the milk and cookies… my bad…

p.s.s. Maybe this sounds selfish but don’t bring nuthin’ for the Bears.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
     

  GREEN BAY 37 

   Chicago  10  

Nobody's Perfect

The remaining members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins can breathe a little easier, pop their annual bubbly and savor the only NFL unbeaten season as the biggest threat to their perfect year since the Patriots of ’07 has now fallen. Green Bay’s run at the perfect season is now a memory as the Kansas City Chiefs played inspired ball under first game coach Romeo Crennel and dumped the listless Packers 19 – 14.

For the Packers this game can be viewed as a cautionary tale of what can happen when a very good football team doesn’t show up to play. This was easily the Pack’s worst performance of the year, but it may also serve as a reminder for the playoffs as to what is needed if they are to be successful in the ultimate goal of repeating their Super Bowl run from a season ago. For Kansas City there is elation and renewed hope that they can somehow salvage what has been a disappointing year. Given the glaring inconsistencies of the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos, both of whom lost on Sunday, Kansas City finds itself still mathematically alive and well in the AFC West.

For Green Bay there is less a sense of devastation and more a sense of relief as the inevitable loss hardly spells doom for the NFL’s runaway best team. While Kansas City exposed the Packers on defense it can hardly be said the Packers were whipped.

Green Bay played an uncharacteristically sloppy game with multiple penalties and some ugly drops. Collectively the Packers that took the field did not remotely resemble the point scoring machine that has marauded through the NFL this year. It is a measure of how good the Packers are that the Chiefs played as well as they are capable while the Packers were so out of sync as to defy description yet Kansas City won by a mere 5 points.

Aaron Rodgers had by far his weakest game of the year and yet his numbers for the day are by any normal standard a good day at the office for any other NFL QB. Rodgers day was 17 of 35 passes for 235 yards and 1 TD. Another QB would be pleased with this performance. But Rodgers is not any normal QB. Not Rodgers, not this year. His game this year is so red hot that this game is his worst showing of the year.

But Rodgers does not bear the brunt of this loss. Jordy Nelson’s 4 penalties- 2 alone for offensive pass interference – were an early indicator of how the game would shake out. Jermichael Finley added to the Pack’s troubles by dropping no less than 4 passes right in his hands. The number of Packer passes that hit the turf harmlessly was something not seen in Green Bay in over a year. The pass rush, an eyesore all year long, was nonexistent and Kyle Orton carved up the D with one pass after the next over the middle to wide open receivers. Even Head Coach Mike McCarthy was not immune; on a long pass to TE Leonard Pope it appeared that Pope fumbled the ball through the end zone and out of bounds, a play that had it been challenged would have given the Pack the ball at the 20 and would have kept at least 3 points off the board. McCarthy instinctively grabbed for the red flag immediately, and for whatever reason thought better of throwing it. Whether it was his decision or that of his video coaches McCarthy did not go with his gut reaction and may be kicking himself today for it for leaving the flag in his pocket. For the Packers the poor showing was an across the board bad showing with no one exempt from criticism.

But to criticize in light of the Packers stellar play all year would be unfair and unrealistic. McCarthy and Rodgers have said all along that eventually Green Bay would have a game where its offense would not be in sync. This game certainly qualifies. The lackluster play did not limit itself to the offense; this was a collective effort, one that the team will forget quickly. K Mason Crosby joined in the futility as he missed on 2 consecutive attempts at 50+ yard field goals, pushing both wide right on his first try and then again after the Chiefs were flagged for a penalty.

Rather than a sense of despair over a perfect season ended the overwhelming feeling coming from the Pack is relief that the distraction of a perfect season is over and the focus can now be placed where it belongs, back on focusing on the playoff run. The Streak, as it has come to be called, became larger and more cumbersome with every passing week. As the victories piled up so did the Packers confidence.

But the yoke of pressure that came with The Streak hung heavy on the necks of the Packers. With every win and each passing week the talk became more of a perfect season and can it be done. Lost in The Streak was the fact that this is a damn fine football team and even a great team has a hard time winning in the NFL.

Opportunity presents itself in many ways. Vince Lombardi would have loved this situation. Deep in the season a playoff and divisional title sewn up and only playing for home field advantage and an unexpected loss. Jerry Kramer once said “The old man (Lombardi) hated an unbeaten season, and in a weird way he loved it when we lost because it gave him an excuse to chew our asses and ride us even harder in preparing the during next week.” Now that Green Bay has tasted defeat MM will no doubt serve it up in heaping portions and force feed the troops to remind them they are not perfect and are beatable.

The Chiefs deserve credit for executing a game plan that brought The Streak to its end. Orton was masterful in protecting the ball and keeping Rodgers on the bench.  While KC’s running game was anything but underwhelming the mixture of runs with off speed screen passes, counter plays and short flat throws repeatedly exploited the over aggressive Packers who missed tackles and left far too much space for KC’s receivers to operate, chewed up the clock and kept the chains moving. The Chiefs also employed a ground attack that while not spectacular kept the Packers D off balance and kept the clock ticking. On this day Orton found the right combination and posted good numbers at 23/31 for 299 yards and 0 TD’s. While Orton is considered to have had a great day his numbers are, in fact only slightly better than those put up by Rodgers, and yet Rodgers had an ‘off’ day.

Of concern to MM and DC Dom Capers is the pass rush as it has gone into the witness protection program. Orton had the time to pick out wide open receivers on too many plays and little pressure came from either the line or linebackers. Also telling were the number of slips by DB’s Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, Charles Woodson and Morgan Burnett who repeatedly had the feet skate out from underneath them on the pasture that doubled as Kansas City’s home field.

The dreaded injury bug crept back into view as both RT Bryan Bulaga (sprained knee) and rookie T Derrick Sherrod went out, and Sherrod will be done for the season with a broken leg. LT Chad Clifton’s expected return will not occur soon enough for the beleaguered line. With top WR and RB Greg Jennings and James Starks already out with knee injuries along with LB Desmond Bishop, the Packers will look to somehow heal and regroup and get healthy while completing the regular season.

It would be very easy to play Chicken Little and spell the demise of the Pack after this game. From the noteworthy side the packers D stiffened on 3 goal line red zone attacks and kept KC to field goals, and the lead KC enjoyed was never more than 12 points which has been consistent with the Packers MO in the past two years. This is a veteran bunch, a team that knows adversity on a first name basis. This is hardly an epic fail; it is only a loss in the middle of what is otherwise a fabulous season.

Without the burden of whether or not to play his key players and go for immortality the entire team can take the high road, take a look at this game and move forward with their eyes all focused on the bigger prize. The Streak can now be called what it really was – The Distraction. And both are now over.

The good teams take games like this in stride, regroup, and refocus on their next task at hand. The Bears will make the perfect foil for Green Bay to get back on track. Lombardi would use the opportunity to reinforce and drive his message home. McCarthy will rekindle the fire and turn it up hotter on his own team, knowing full well the real goal begins in 4 weeks.

The dream is over; back to reality. And the reality is the Packers sport a 13-1 record and are still the team to beat. The bottom line they have to get back to the business of playing that way.

In Defense of the Defense

In the run towards immortality the 2011 Green Bay Packers have not been free from doubters and critics along the way. They are led, of course, by the magnificent Aaron Rodgers who is putting together not just a career year but is also challenging the greatest year ever produced by a quarterback in the NFL. That the Packers offense is having praise heaped at its’ doorstep is neither surprising nor undeserved. This edition can now be considered the best offensive team in Packer history and is among the greatest ever seen in NFL history, right up with the Rams greatest Show on Turf and Tom Brady’s New England squad that shattered the regular season scoring record.

But the Doubting Thomases of the world are all too quick to point out the Packers defense is the ugly red headed step child of the lot. They give up too many yards are the whispers. They’re ranked 31^st against the pass say the harshest critics. They give up points by the bucket load. None of this is championship caliber defense.

It’s time to dispel some notions about what is wrong with the Packers and more specifically their defense. The truth is this is essentially the same group that brought the Lombardi trophy home last year. There are subtle differences in the composition but the core of the group is intact. It’s time to take a closer look at the Packers defense of 2011.

One big absence is the loss of DE Cullen Jenkins to free agency to the wild spending Eagles. Jenkins role in the Packers D was always underappreciated and he has had a fine year in Philly. While Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson were hoping the 2^nd year DE Mike Neal would step up and fill Jenkins’ shoes Neal’s early season injury has set the Pack back. Neal is now healthy but has yet to make a significant contribution.

To lay the blame at Neal’s doorstep is unfair and unwarranted at this point. While Neal has a history of injuries with the Packers that make many go “Uh oh… it’s Justin Harrell all over again…” it is categorically unfair to compare Neal to the first round bust the oft inured Harrell was. Harrell did not see the field in his 5 years with exception of a handful of plays. Neal showed great promise last year until a torn biceps sidelined him and he was also playing well in the preseason when his knee gave out.

Yes, the analogies are in place. But Neal looks to be healthy and MM, not wanting to take any chances, is keeping a short leash on Neal along with Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers in limiting Neal’s snaps in a game as he works his way back. It is far too early in Neal’s career to slap the “Bust” tag on him; how he factors into the overall defensive scheme is this year’s ‘X’ factor.

But clearly the Packers pass rush has fallen off. Clay Matthews literally exploded into the NFL and was unstoppable. His relentless, dogged pursuit of rival QB’s was a breath of fresh air in Green Bay and sent opposing Offensive Coordinators to the blackboard to find ways to limit Matthews’ rushes. This year teams have double and triple covered Matthews and used a variety of packages designed to have the backs and TE’s chip block him in an effort to slow him down, and tactic that has largely worked. While Matthews’ overall sack numbers are down along with the rest of the defense it has not stopped him and Matthews still finds ways to disrupt an offense.

It is important to note that the front 3 in Capers’ 3 – 4 defense – the DT and 2 DE’s – are not meant to post high sack counts. Under Capers system the front 3, or in some cases the front 2 or even 1 when Capers rolls out his ‘Psycho’ package, are designed to occupy space and blockers. B.J. Raji is bullishly strong and routinely sees 2 men on him. In this permutation of the 3 – 4 the plan is to free up the linebackers to shoot in to make plays.

All this theory is fine and well and good on paper and in the meeting rooms and on the practice fields. The harsh reality of the NFL is it is not a balanced, level playing field and as hard as Capers plans to stop offenses in this pass happy era other teams are looking for ways to exploit the 3 – 4.

There are some large fundamental changes the NFL has undergone that have changed the very fabric of the game. The old school dictum of “Offense wins games but defense wins championships” is now as fashionable as a leisure suit. The rules in the past 20 years have bent over backwards to aid and assist the offense and severely limit the defense. The defenses in the NFL are constantly playing catch up to the rules that curtail the bump and run, late hits, or even the big hits for the NFL was once noted. ESPN, the double sided sabre in this created an atmosphere of selling the highlights that today’s players were weaned upon, has helped to cultivate a new breed of player. They see the big hit with the famous “Da da duh, da da duh” theme on the SportCenter and a new generation of player comes in. It wasn’t too long ago that Chris Berman and Tom Jackson had a weekly segment titled “Jacked Up”, which is now deemed barbaric in its’ celebration of the big hit in light of the NFL’s new mandate of player safety. Now those players are being regulated into a style of play they have never seen nor played.

What’s wrong with the Packers D? Truthfully, not that much. The Packers D is a victim of not just the rules but the very success of its own offense.

In a point/ counterpoint we offer the following:

POINT - The Packers give up too many yards passing.

COUNTERPOINT – True. At 31 the only team worse in pass defense is New England. However, the combined record of the two worst defenses are 23 – 3. The amount of yards yielded by the pass defenses are misleading. In the case of both Green Bay and New England their respective offenses score so frequently and so easily that other teams are forced into a shootout style game in trying to match them point for point. Even a lousy QB in the NFL is a great player. Shutdown defenses still have holes. Witness the Ravens or Steelers. These are two predominant defenses that have been torched already this year. The offenses have the advantage and sustaining defensive supremacy is an almost impossible task over 16 games.

POINT – The Packers give up a lot of points.

COUNTERPOINT – Well, duuuuuuuuhhhhhh… the Packers also post a lot of points. When NFL teams hook up to see who can score the most the Packers have a decided advantage and have proven it over the course of 19 straight games. If other teams try to run and gun and outscore the Pack the Pack simply has too many weapons at their disposal. The world never wants to hear about the labor pains; it only wants to see the baby. In this light during this streak the Pack D has not let its offense be outscored.

POINT - The Packers aren’t getting the sacks they used to.

COUNTERPOINT – Good teams adjust to what other teams do. Even the bad teams adjust. Matthews is no longer a surprise. His game now is well documented. Teams are trying to keep Matthews from getting to the QB. But Matthews still dominates games and has had his share of sacks, tackles, and interceptions as he has faked the line and dropped off into coverage more than he ever has. Around him the rest of the D looks to make plays at key times.

POINT – The Packers team defense ranks near the bottom of the league.

COUNTERPOINT – In the stat driven ESPN culture of today’s NFL the single most misleading stat is team D. The Packers are a bend but don’t break defense littered with veterans and playmakers. Charles Woodson, Tramon Matthews and Morgan Burnett comprise a ball hawking group that has a flair for the dramatic. The largely overlooked and hidden stats that do not factor into Team Defense but reveal even more about a defense are as follows:

Turnovers.

Interceptions.

Forced fumbles.

Fumble recoveries.

Turnover differential.

Points scored by a defense.

Points generated from turnovers.

Here is where the Pack makes its case. The offense does not give the ball away easily. Rodgers has 7 interceptions this year, 3 of which bounced off his receivers hands. Brett Favre was capable of 7 INT’s before halftime. As far as putting the ball on the ground only rookie Randall Cobb has done it more than twice and the Packers have a scant 5 fumbles. The Packers take care of the ball and don’t give it away.

Now look closely at this maligned D. The Packer lead the entire NFL in team interceptions, points scored by a D, and are 2^nd in turnover differential. AT +20 the Packers are right behind San Francisco. After GB and the 49ers the margins aren’t even close. Aaron Rodgers has shown a remarkable penchant for making opponents pay for mistakes. Against Detroit on Thanksgiving Day the Lions not only took a rash of stupid penalties after an interception Rodgers needed one play to help blow a tight 7 – 0 lead into a runaway 21 – 0 blowout in less than 3 minutes time.

Teams playing Green Bay know in advance several things will happen. The Packers will throw the ball. The Packers will score points. The mere knowledge of that changes the mindset of teams. Most abandon any semblance of a consistent ground attack for fear of being stuffed and giving the ball back to Rodgers. Trading field goals for TD’s against the Packer is another backbreaker. The Giants put together a long, sustained drive that ended with a field goal. The sense was foreboding however as the Giants held their breath as the defense held Rodgers to a 3 and out on the next series.

But the Packers opportunistic defense does not let that good feeling last long. Matthews jumped an out route, snagged an Eli Manning lob and put the Packers ahead. The Giants look shell-shocked and the Packers assume command.

Some teams have been able to hang with the Packers this year. But none has lasted until the final gun. There have been close games, but in each one the Packers have prevailed. The specious argument that Packers D isn’t that good because they depend so much on big plays is as ridiculous as saying the Packer offense is only good because they throw the ball so well. Face it – this is how the Packers play and it is a format that suits them well.

The Packers true test will be seeing how well they respond when pushed in the playoffs. They treated the Raiders game like a playoff game and blew them out of the water. The defense has shown they can also win games. The truest measure of a defense is in its own bottom line. Did they give up fewer points than the offense scored? If the answer is yes, the defense has done its job.

This week will be no test at all as the woeful Kansas City Chiefs have to regroup in the face of the firing of the coach Todd Haley. Whatever ‘trap game’ or other angle is being trumpeted the Chiefs are mere fodder as the Packers attempt the near impossible. The Chiefs have a decent enough secondary, but their key players are out with injuries. Gone are QB Matt Cassell, RB Jamal Charles, TE Tony Moeaki and S Eric Berry, all done for the year with injuries. Under the auspices of the esteemed Tyler Palko at QB, the Chiefs have been a monumental disappointment and were no longer responding to Haley’s whip and a chair style after winning the AFC West last year. Haley’s fate was all but sealed when he decided to play his team to prevent injuries as opposed to preparing for the season after the lockout. For the record this is the same KC squad that Haley played an entire game in the preseason against Green Bay and got walloped… with his first string playing the entire game, and that game meant nothing to the Packers.

It won’t be any easier now that we’re playing for keeps.

Expect the defense to show up. And the offense. The picture becomes clearer and the Packers take another step towards immortality.

In this era in the NFL, one adage rings true. The best defense is a good offense. And when the offense is great, the defense has that much more going for it.

  GREEN BAY  34 

      Kansas City 10