As the Packers prepare for their upcoming game against the New York Giants they do so with heavy hearts. Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin’s son Michael, 21, fell through the ice on the Fox River and drowned over the weekend. Prior to that LG T. J. Lang’s father Tom, 55, passed away from a brief illness.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy addressed the media and was visibly emotional during his statements, his voice choking as he paused several times. While McCarthy calls all the plays during the game the preparations and game planning itself fall to Philbin. In a statement released by GM Ted Thompson and reiterated by MM during his brief press conference both said that Philbin would be away from the team as the Packers are most definitely a ‘family-first’ organization and his return would be “… when he is ready…”
Lang left briefly to be with his mother and sister Megan and is expected to return. Aaron Rodgers said “I just don’t know what to do or say in this situation. It’s hard to find the words to comfort someone when this happens”.
But the Packers do know they must press forward. Professional athletes have a way of focusing their pain and their hurts and releasing it in the only area where they feel as if they have some control and that’s on the field. The off field tragedies for the Packers cannot be minimized or downplayed as it is real life, so the team and its coaches focus on what they do best as they collectively deal with the losses and support their teammates and coaching staff.
Say this for the Pack – they know how and when to close ranks. When Brett Favre lost his dad a few years back Favre came out and put on a game for the ages against the Raiders. The vets on the team will help guide the younger players and while McCarthy said he would plan the game himself the remainder of the coaches stepped up to assert themselves and spread the responsibility amongst themselves.
After Wednesdays practice McCarthy pronounced it “The best practice of the year in terms of focus and execution.” The redirected emotion has manifested itself in the clear purpose of getting ready for the red-hot Giants.
The Packers will need it. In what is expected to be the best game of the weekend the G-Men are just hitting their stride. The defense was ranked an uncharacteristically puny 26th, but DE Osi Umenyiora missed a significant amount of time due to injuries. DE Jason Pierre Paul has picked up the slack and with Justin Tuck the Giants finally have a healthy pass rush and they are playing as they were expected to play. Against the Falcons the Giants D shut down Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense completely, the only points scored by Atlanta were by virtue of a safety. That kind of showing can jump start team and it is working for New York.
The Giants also were ranked incredibly low in the running game but now both Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw appear to be healthy and give NY its fearsome 1-2 running attack. The Giants receiving corps has gone as far as calling out the Packers DB’s in the pre-game hoopla that accompanies such a contest. TE Travis Beckum said “You look at their [Green Bay’s] numbers, they're not very good at all. Whatever they’re weak at, we’re going to try to exploit it.” Then WR Mario Manningham also piped up and added “I see a lot of people getting open when they're playing them [the Packers]. That's the type of scheme their defense is. I don't want to say they gamble, but they play different coverages and leave different spots open."
The gauntlet of challenge has been laid at the doorstep of the Packers defense and it will be up to Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews and Tramon Williams to shut down the Giants WR’s. Some are even comparing the Giants pass catchers to Green Bay’s. For some reason, in spite of posting a stellar 15 – 1 record for the year many media pundits have hopped off the Packers bandwagon and onto either the Saints or Giants or Pats or Ravens. Former Ravens coach and Fox Sports talking head Brian Billick even dropped the Packers from the #1 spot all the way top 3 behind the Saints and Pats even after the Pack’s W over the Lions. Green Bay has been remarkably consistent all season, their only blemish being a lackluster effort that resulted in a 5 point loss to Kansas City.
That loss may do more good to the Packers season as it occurred at a time when perhaps the boys in Green and Gold were starting to think a little too much about perfection and forgetting every week is a tough week in the NFL, especially when you are defending the crown. After the loss to KC the Pack wiped the floor with Oakland, rolled over the Bears and saw the second squad, led by backup QB Matt Flynn break records against Detroit.
Rodgers has had a nice 3 week break from action and will have no rust coming off it. LT Chad Clifton is finally healthy and ready to go and will be needed as rookie Derrick Sherrod is done with a broken leg. Clifton was a little shaky early against Detroit, but the vet will be his usual reliable self come Sunday. Lang will probably have a game as he plays for his dad’s memory. It will be up to the Offensive Line to hold back that Giants rush and give Rodgers the scant window if time he’ll need to find his receivers. And Greg Jennings should finally be back in the lineup after a knee injury sidelined him for over a month. Jennings return will draw coverage that will give Jordy Nelson, whose ascension to stardom is on a sharp incline now, even more room to operate and Nelson has a big day.
The bye week for Green Bay has come at the most opportune of times. It has allowed the injured to heal and the heartsick to deal with their grief and loss. As LB Clay Matthews has openly dedicated this game to the memory of the losses look for the Packers to come out with a fury that masks their pain. Life itself is beyond their control. Their actions on the field are the only way they can channel that raw, naked emotion. As much as the losses of life hurt, the most painful of all life’s realities is life goes on.
The keys to this game will fall on the Packers ability to slow down the Giants pass rush as well as their ability to bottle up New York’s ground game. The game will be won or lost in the trenches. Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning will try to kill the clock and keep Rodgers on the bench where he can’t hurt them and play a tight game they can win in the end. It will be up to the Packers D to rise to the occasion and play their best to thwart the attempt. They will. Rodgers again will be magnificent, and the Pack have their eyes set clearly on this game.
Green Bay shines in a hugely emotional, cathartic win and a date with the Saints.
GREEN BAY 31
New York 23
No comments:
Post a Comment