WE’VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE

Same Old, Same Old as Cards Deck Pack in Blowout

It was a familiar refrain from the same sad song, one that has been played far too many times already this season. The Green Bay Packers went into Arizona with dreams of the #2 seed in the NFC dancing in their heads. When they exited they took their thoroughly kicked backsides and limped quietly out of town the victim of a 38 – 8 thrashing. Don’t kid yourself… the score sounds a lot closer than it really was.

 It was much the same as it has been since the Packers opened 6 – 0. There is no makeup that can be applied to make the ugly eyesore look even presentable. A few of the very grim realities. Injuries continue to mount as Bryan Bulaga went out. Against the Cardinals speedy DB’s the receivers could not get open – again. The playing field looked like a field full of daisy with all the yellow flags tossed. 3^rd down conversions are as frequent as suntans in Green Bay in January. In spite of the drubbing the defense gave the offense a game with which they could win. Once again the offense dropped the ball – literally. And an oldie but goodie was present. Once again drops of passes were an issue. Davante Adams let another one slip right through his fingers as he whiffed on a ball he and only he not only could have caught but should have caught. When Adams finally had a reception of note he got hit with a yellow penalty flag for delay of game when his pointless, immature spike of the ball was ill-timed considering the Packers were behind by 30 some odd points. So angered was Mike McCarthy his lips could be read as he asked in frustration “Why does he do that?” When your season comes down to spiking the ball in celebration for just making a basic catch volumes have been spoken.

Once again the offense went MIA as Aaron Rodgers was off target more times than anyone can remember, his receivers, when they could catch the ball, were caught behind the point where they needed to be for a first down. The battered offensive line substituted their pads and jockstraps for a pair of tights and a matador’s cape as they simply waved and hollered “OLE!” as Rodgers was belted and hammered and sacked 8 times. When McCarthy finally, mercifully yanked Rodgers from the fire backup QB Scott Tolzien was sacked giving the Cardinals a whopping 9 sacks for the day.

Coming into the game Green Bay led the league in fewest giveaways via fumbles or interceptions with 11. Rodgers threw an interception right after Mike Daniels alertly picked off a Carson Palmer attempt at a screen to RB David Johnson. The hits kept on coming as Rodgers fumbled the ball 3 more times on sacks while James Starks and Scott Tolzein each had a fumble giving the Packers, in one game, more than half the turnovers they have committed all season. The most damning indictment was the 28 points given up off those turnovers. While the time of possession was all but even the Cards outgained the Pack by a mark of 381 yards to Greens Bay’s 178.

For a while it looked as if it would be a playoff caliber game. The 1^st quarter ended at 0 – 0. Eddie Lacy was running well. But the passing game continued to fizzle. The Packers horrendous inability to convert 3^rd downs once again reared its ugly head. The Packers converted only 5 of 17 3^rd down attempts, a 29% conversion rate that is below the very bottom of the league. This is an ongoing problem and now with Minnesota pummeling the hapless New York Giants by a count of 49 – 17 the Packers are now tasked with facing a team that has been as hot as the Packers have been cold. While 10 – 5 is hardly anything to sneeze at the miscues, misfires, penalties and offensive ineptitude has gotten very old very fast.

McCarthy and Rodgers have been sporting the company line about improvement and guys playing better and guys showing up but the only guys playing better and showing up are the guys on defense. Daniels gift wrapped a legit scoring chance deep with his pick. Imagine his dismay at having to retrieve his helmet after Rodgers was picked off by S Justin Bethel on a poorly thrown ball. If Rodgers appeared glum after last week’s spotty win over Oakland after this game he may go incognito. Rodgers Motor City Miracle heave aside the Packers have not looked good or complete or even like a playoff caliber team since manhandling the Vikings in what seems to be three full lifetimes ago but was really only 6 very long weeks ago.

The Cardinals opened the scoring after Jeff Janis was flagged for a facemask violation while running down a punt. Palmer to Larry Fitzgerald put the Cards on top 7 – 0 and Arizona never looked back. As it became 10 - 0 on a Chris Catanzaro field Daniels had his pick that placed the ball on the Cardinal 21. All the sundae needed was a cherry but all they got was crushed nuts instead. Rodgers missed James Jones badly on the interception by Bethel and a potential 10 – 7 game became 17 – 0 when Palmer drove the Cards 80 yards in 7 plays culminating in hitting John Brown from 7 yards out with 6 seconds left.

This has also become a Packer staple of late. Stink the joint out in the first half (see: Detroit/ Dallas/ Oakland), show up in late in the second half and somehow win in spite of yourself. Not Sunday, Not against the talent rich and deep Cardinals. Palmer is developing a killer’s instinct and a surgeon’s touch. The death knell came early in the second half. Knowing Green Bay’s penchant for last second heroics on the Pack’s first possession of the 2^nd half RB James Starks fumbled on the first play and set Arizona up for a 2 play/ 14 yard dash by RB David Johnson to ice the game. The 3^rd quarter wasn’t even a minute old and the game and the Pack’s chances at a bye were over. The next series brought even more futility as Rodgers was pounded, lost the ball and Corey Redding scooped up the late Christmas present and rumbled 36 yards steamrolling Eddie Lacy along the way.

As inconsistent and unreliable as the Packers passing game has been of late it was imperative to establish the run early, But a 31-0 deficit will be a fulcrum to trash intent and try to get something, anything going. Long, clock killing drives only work with a lead. The passing game has now shrunk and been reduced to a dink and dunk, 5 – 7 yard gain at a time offense and although Lacy ran well the time to pound was kicked right in the seat of the pants. Lacy did pick up the Pack’s lone score on the next series, a ‘Big Deal’ TD catch from Rodgers from 28. But the many Packer faithful that had a pilgrimage to the desert to get out of the snow were wishing for a snow blower and a fast cab out of town.

 The rest of the game was little more than pad-the-stats time for ’Zona. As for the Pack it was a glum reinforcement that as f today they aren’t in the consideration of one of the NFL’s elite. As for Arizona they just may be the best team in the NFL. With Carolina finally getting dinged by Atlanta the Cards have all the pieces in all the right places and look to be the team to beat.

The Packers just look beat up. Next up is the NFC North title matchup at home against Minnesota that at first blanch would appear as a dire, must-win contest. But hand on a second… while the winner claims the NFC North the very real possibility is the winner will also face Seattle in the first round of the playoffs while the loser will most likely face Washington. If the objective is getting to the Super Bowl maybe second place isn’t such a bad thing. The Vikings are coming in sky high and are looking to make their bones at the Pack’s expense. Perhaps the Packers can find themselves before it’s too late and get hot. Maybe they can rally in time to right the ship. Maybe every guy shows up for once and for all. Then again the way Green Bay has looked lately maybe they’d be better off to skip the first half altogether, stay warm in the locker room and come out and hope for the best in the second half.

Along with the drops, turnovers, sacks, lack of a consistent running game, receivers not getting open, injuries and penalties it has become a style with which the Packers have become all too familiar. Two things became certain however in the wreckage. The Arizona Cardinals are playoff ready. The Green Bay Packers are not.