INSTANT CLASSIC

Vikings Slip past Pack; Rematch Next Week in Lambeau

 

Wow. In a season full of goofy calls, bad breaks, high drama and anything else imaginable the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings played one of the most exciting and thrilling games they’ve ever managed to muster between them and it may have been the best game in the NFL this year as the Vikings upended the Packers 37 -34 on rookie K Blair Walsh’s 39 yard field goal as time expired.

To call this game a great game is to do the players who played it a disservice. The fact that the Pack lost was almost moot; the quality of the game and level of effort by the players from both teams has seldom been seen in a regular season game.

The game played was an instant classic.

Granted, much was riding on the outcome of this game. Green Bay was playing for the #2 seed and a first round bye while the Vikings were in utter desperation mode. The Vikes needed a win and nothing else to make the playoffs, a prospect that looked as likely as a heat wave in January in Minneapolis just a few short weeks ago when the Chicago Bears held the hammer. There was no scenario where what some other team did that would help Minnesota, it was on their own shoulders to determine when their post season began. A loss and the Bears would slide back into the playoffs after an epic second half collapse.

To add to the in game drama All Universe RB Adrian Peterson was chasing immortality and needed 208 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s all time record. The TV’s were also crowded in Chicago as every Bears fan was forced to do the unthinkable by rooting for the Packers. The Bears got their win earlier in the day knocking off the defenseless and clueless Detroit Lions then repaired quickly to watch the biggie of the day (all apologies to the Washington/ Dallas tilt that saw the ‘Skins advance to the playoffs).

The Vikings opened fast and looked like they caught the Packers flat footed and unprepared to play and make a full effort. Peterson was his usual stellar self but the Packers also used a gang tackling approach to try to bring the bull down. With Peterson’s combination of speed and strength perhaps no other player outside of Earl Campbell has been able to be compared to the great Jim Brown but Peterson belongs in the equation. While Peterson would fall a tantalizing 9 yards short of the record he ran the Vikings into the playoffs with a 199 yard day. In a passing league the Vikings are a true throwback – a running team that uses the run to set up the pass.

The only flaw in the design is 2^nd year QB Christian Ponder has not exactly driven fear into the hearts of opposing defense yet. Ponder has a big arm, an arm that was hurt in his senior year in college and has taken time to come around. His QB rating of 78.3 coming into the game ranked him very close to the bottom of starting QB’s. Dom Capers had the right idea in trying to limit Peterson’s damage and forcing Ponder into passing, a ploy meant to help the Pack.

Ponder responded with his best game in his young career. Ponder looked far more comfortable than the wide eyed rook the Packers have faced. In the big stat department Green Bay’s defense did their part in creating down-and-distance situations that put Minnesota into several 3^rd and long spots. Somehow the Vikings made hay when it was needed. Ponder’s throws to the side of the field were money and when faced with a 2nd and 27 Peterson tore off a 28 yard run. Ponder showed the poise of a veteran when he found an all alone Michael Jenkins on the sidelines in the Vikings last drive to pick up 25 yards and a huge first down as the Packers inexplicably lost him in an 8 man zone coverage when every knew the ball would be thrown.

Rookie CB Casey Hayward has been huge all year for Green Bay but on this play Hayward lost his zone. As slot CB Sam Shields took Jerome Simpson through the middle of the field Hayward’s job in the zone was to cover the flat and out area if there was no route underneath. “Inexcusable” was the word used by Mike McCarthy on the blown coverage and when the coaches get the film and hand out grades young Hayward will hear about it. Jenkins was so wide open even Jay Cutler would have been able to hit him with a pass. It was a rookie mistake and one the talented Hayward can use in his development.

Singular plays do not define winning and losing. After the Vikings worked the frenzied crowd in the Metrodome with an early lead the Packers countered with their own money man Aaron Rodgers. In a game of anything you can do I can do better it was a monster match between Rodgers and Peterson. Rodgers had another huge day in throwing for 365 yards, 4 TD’s with no interceptions. His fumble when he was hit from the blind side but DE Brian Robison set up a Minnesota TD after Packer rookie RT Don Barclay lost Robison.

Barclay had a rough day and will need to break down the film in the upcoming week to improve. Robison played the young rookie with a combination of bull rushes, swim moves and flat out speed to make Rodgers uncomfortable in the pocket. But Rodgers himself is no mere mortal when the behemoths of the defensive line are in his face. Rodgers uncanny ability to look beyond the rush to spot an open receiver is his greatest unseen strength and allows him to play fearlessly. His bomb to Jordy Nelson signaled Nelson’s return to the lineup form a hamstring injury and paved the way for a short toss to Greg Jennings who looks to be rounding back into form.

Jennings would go on to have a great day hauling in 8 balls for 120 yards and 2 TD’s. In the bizzaro category though Jennings also caught a short flip from Rodgers and had it, then lost, regained it and in the end somehow the ball looked as if it was being pulled away by some invisible force. Jennings stared agonizingly at his hands but made up for it later when Rodgers scrambled to his right, caught Jennings’ eye and motioned him into an open area in the end zone where Rodgers delivered a perfect strike, one that Jennings grabbed like a drowning man grabs a life preserver, and hung on for 6.

Jermichael Finley also had 8 catches that picked up 72 yards, many on key plays to extend drives. When the Vikings opened up a 20- 7 lead going into the half. But Rodgers led another drive, moving the Pack from their own 20 to the Minnesota 33 and the beleaguered Mason Crosby was called upon for a pressure field goal try from 51 yards. Crosby has been the victim of a horrendously cruel cold streak and has been vilified throughout the NFL. Perhaps no one felt more pressure than Crosby when he lined up as the Packers’ fans turned their eyes away expecting the worst.

It was all for naught; Crosby was money drilling the ball right down the middle with nary a waver on a kick that would have been good from 65 yards. The relief on Crosby’s face was also reflected by Mike McCarthy and the rest of the Packers. They know they’ll need Crosby over the next month and if Crosby, who went 2 for 2 on the day, has finally found his stroke it will only make McCarthy more confident in sending him out.

Breakout season star Randall Cobb sat out the game with a knee and ankle injury and the kick returning duties were handled by newcomer Jeremy Ross, a late season PS pickup from the Indianapolis Colts. Whoever is returning kicks in Indy has to be pretty darn good because Ross was, in a word, spectacular with his jaunts. Ross broke a kickoff for 44 yards and only a shoestring tackle by Walsh saved a touchdown. Ross was equally brilliant on punt returns averaging 20.5/ return setting up an interesting dilemma for McCarthy in next Saturday’s playoff rematch with Minnesota. Does he reinsert Cobb in the lineup as a return man risking injury to a player who has become a key component in the offense or does he trot out a rookie who had a terrific game and showed some moxie but has exactly zero playoff games under his belt. This debate will make the rounds over the water cooler throughout the week.

The Packers roared back in the second half behind Rodgers’ arm and the surprise running from another veritable unknown in RB DuJuan Harris. Harris carried the ball 14 times for 70 yards showing explosive bursts through the holes and speed the Packers backs have not seen since Ahman Green. McCarthy has maintained he will go with whoever is hot, a sort of running back by committee approach. Ryan Grant had 2 yards on 2 carries and when Harris came in he showed poise in his runs. Built low to the ground at a generous 5’8” Harris gets so low it made him a difficult target to bring down. Harris’ running made Rodgers’ passing all that much more effective.

The game also featured a few tense moments for the officiating crew. Early in the game Peterson looked to have fumbled the ball but after review it was seen that his knee was down prior to losing the ball on the ground. Barely. That early play came back once again in the 3^rd quarter. After Rodgers hit Nelson on a 73 yard bomb NFL leader in receiving touchdowns James Jones caught a pass on traffic at the 2, spun and stretched out and as his hand hit the ground the ball squirted free and the Vikings jumped on it sending the Dome into orbit. Many Packers were screaming that Jones’ hand hit the goal line and it should have been ruled a touchdown.

Then it got strange… very strange.

McCarthy ran 5 yards out onto the field and heaved the red challenge flag as far as he could. As the red hanky hit the ground Nelson grabbed it on the first bounce and tried to stuff it under his jersey as Rodgers came sprinting, jumping, and screaming at his coach for throwing the flag. By rule all scoring plays and turnovers are automatically reviewed. Any coach who attempts to challenge prior to the review process gets a double whammy – the team not only draws a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty they also lose the review. Rodgers and Nelson knew the situation better than their coach and knew how devastating the challenge could be.

McCarthy had an earlier situation this year when he did the exact same thing and was penalized and lost the review. Referee Mike Carey and his crew were under fire all day, especially from Rodgers who was seen yelling about the tortoise-like pace with which the officials were spotting the ball when he wanted to go to the hurry up offense. Carey went under the hood as the Vikings, notably Jared Allen and head coach Leslie Frasier were seen yelling that the officials couldn’t review the play after the challenge flag was thrown.

In a season that has seen its share of convoluted calls, blown calls and flat out awful calls when Carey reappeared the Packers braced themselves for the worst. Did McCarthy’s challenge negate the review? Was Jones’ knee down? Did the ball cross the plane of the goal? Was it a touchdown? A fumble? A penalty? Whose ball is it and where???

No one could excuse Carey if he ran out of the stadium at that point. Even the boisterous purple clad denizens of the Metrodome were stilled to a silence when Carey returned to the field, turned on his mike, and then…

Paused. Just enough for effect as the fate of not just the Packers and Vikings but Bears hung in the strained balance.

As Carey fumbled over his words his first ruling was that he had received a signal via a buzzer he wears that the play would automatically be reviewed which came prior to the act of McCarthy’s ill-advised challenge. He then correctly ruled Jones was down and the ball was over the goal, thus a Packer touchdown but also that a 15 yard penalty would be enforced on the kickoff.

As the Vikings and their faithful howled in protest the Packers breathed easier.

From that point the game became an old-fashioned NFC North slugfest between two heavyweights throwing haymakers in the center of the ring. Ponder was sharp in guiding the Vikings back into the lead after the Packers tied it up on a drive that was aided tremendously when veteran CB Tramon Williams lost his cool and his head an took an awful away from the play hands to the face penalty against Michael Jenkins as the Packer D rose to stop the Vikings short of the goal line. But Rodgers was even better marching the Packers down the field to know the game at 34 when he found Jordy Nelson in the end zone with 2:54 left.

Ponder’s poise, once a significant minus for Minny, grew and the Vikings will now be a force to reckon with come Saturday night. Ponder guided Minnesota into field goal range for super-legged Blair Walsh who finally ended the classic with no time on the clock. If there is a silver lining to a loss such as this it is in knowing that the Packers will keep on playing while the Bears are sent packing for the year.

For their efforts Green Bay and Minnesota get to do it all again on Saturday night, only this time it will be in Lambeau Field and not in the comfort of a fast track Dome. Home field is truly an advantage for each team and is good for a one touchdown swing. The Packers had the luxury of playing the last game of the year knowing they had a margin for error. Now the real fun begins, and most of the Packers have already been there. Minnesota my just spent themselves in this war of attrition and Peterson may find the footing much more treacherous than the dry Dome home.

For their part the Packers will need to start much faster than they did in Minnesota. Their tackling has to get better or it will be another short playoff. One other area of concern on the defense was the inability to shut the Vikings down on 3^rd and long situations. Ponder’s grip on the ball could be far more tenuous outside and if Rodgers can get his offense untracked earlier it could force the Vikings into trying to match the Pack point for point.

The Pack also lost rookie DT Jerel Worthy to what appeared to be a knee injury late in the game. WR Jarrett Boykin made a catch to extend a drive but as he was peeled over backwards his knee and ankle were also injured. Clay Matthews also had a moment that shook the Packers. As Matthews chased down a run away from him with his blazing speed he leapt to make the tackle, grabbed on and landed hard enough on his back to warrant being helped from the field. While Worthy and Boykin will most likely be out Matthews’ injury will not keep him from the rematch in round one, good news for the Green Bay faithful.

While the Vikings have improved the difference between a qualifier and the actual playoffs will be enormous and too much to overcome. For Green Bay it was a painful lesson, but one from which they can rebound. The Packer coaching staff will break the film down and show the plays, missed assignments and tackles as well as the lack of discipline and they will light the fire under a few backsides on defense.

Stopping Peterson is all but impossible. Containing him better is possible however. The Packers defense forced Minnesota into the down and distance situations they wanted but did not seal the deal when needed. That is an area where improvement will be needed. The tackling has to get better as well. For the offense they put enough points up on the board to win. While the Vikings can no longer be discounted their sense of urgency will be tough to resurrect on 6 days’ rest. Yes… the Vikings made the playoffs.

But the Packers will be the team that moves on. Experience will carry the day and in Lambeau the 7 point swing goes the other way in favor of the Packers.

 

 

 

 GREEN BAY  27  

 

 

 

 

 

 Minnesota  13  



FILLING OUT THE DANCE CARD

How the Pack/ Vikes Game Affects the Playoff Picture

 

The plotlines that swirl around the finale of the 2012 NFL campaign when the Green Bay Packers face the Minnesota Vikings are chock full of suspense and a tale of strange bedfellows. It seems someone else has as much vested in the game as the Packers and the Vikings themselves.

Start in Green Bay. The Packers already have sewn up a playoff spot and the NFC North title. After beating up the Bears and mauling the hapless Titans last week the Packers are steaming into the playoffs hitting on all cylinders and peaking at just about the right time. A quick rundown of the plots, subplots and how much interest this game will draw in the sidebar as teams are jockeying for the last playoff spot.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: GREEN BAY

The Packers are far from just playing out the string and looking ahead. If they look ahead they can see a first round bye and a home field advantage if they come out with a win and they lock up the #2 seed. Mike McCarthy knows how to tweak his squad. They have been here before. Last year’s disappointment against the Giants is this year’s motivation. The great coaches at some point let the players’ own natural competitive sides take over. Over the course of a season, a season that includes OTA’s and mini-camps and walkthroughs as well as the mindless grind of training camp any coach’s words begin to lose their effectiveness. If a player isn’t motivated by the desire to compete or be successful his spot will be replaced pronto. McCarthy isn’t a Lombardi-esque whip-and-a-chair taskmaster; McCarthy prefers the relationship of professionals knowing their jobs and executing them at the highest levels at full speed.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: MINNSEOTA

The Vikings have their own singular vested interest and is doesn’t get any simpler than the following – win and you’re in. The advantage the Vikings have is threefold – they play at home, the Packers are already in and have less urgency, and the Vikes have all world RB Adrian Peterson. Peterson blew out his ACL last Christmas Eve and looked to be done for at least the majority of this season. Running backs on gimpy knees are a dime a dozen. But Peterson is anything but conventional. Peterson’s return has stunned not just the NFL but the entire sports world and has become one of the most compelling stories of the year. If it were not for Peyton Manning’s triumphant renaissance in Denver Peterson would be a mortal lock for Comeback Player of the Year. The NFL loves and markets its’ quarterbacks and the media-friendly Manning will get the nod after missing all of last year and leading the Broncos to the playoffs after neck surgery. AD is a scant 208 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s record for yards gained in a season. While Packers to a man respect Peterson the last thing they want is for him to break the record at their expense. To be successful the Vikings will need more than just Peterson. The NFL is a quarterback’s league now and QB Christian Ponder is nowhere near the elite and he must now match throws with one of the NFL’s best in Aaron Rodgers. He will have to be more than his season long average rating for the Vikes to get into the dance.

WHO WILL BE WATCHING - WHAT’S AT STAKE:

CHICAGO BEARS – How bitterly ironic is that Da Bears fans have to become cheeseheads for a day. The Bears have played themselves almost completely out of the playoff picture and to have any hope at all their equation is simple – they must win AND Green Bay must also win. Minnesota and Chicago could be flip flops depending on how the game in Minnesota plays out. The Bears opened the first half smoking at 7 – 1, their lone loss at the hands of the Pack in week 2 and now in order to salvage what has been a horrendous second half that has seen them win 2 games they need the Packers help. Jay Cutler has been abysmal in the drought and Matt Forte has gone AWOL in the losses that have piled up. Since the Packers/ Vikings game has been moved to a more audience receptive time slot of a 4:25 kickoff we can hardly wait to see Soldier Field decked out in green and gold for the newest members on the bandwagon.

WHO WILL BE WATCHING - WHAT’S AT STAKE:

SAN FRANCISCO – The Niners are already in but are fading in the backstretch. San Fran broke so quickly from the gate they looked to lap the field. But as the season has ground on the 49ers are looking less intimidating. The Niners need a win and a Packers loss to jump back into the 2 seed slot. But their outlook is a bit more specious. Since benching QB Alex Smith in favor of the more athletic Colin Kaepernick the 49ers passing game has suffered. Kaepernick is still a rookie and while exciting he also plays like a rookie at times. The NFL is a passing game now and without Smith the Niners have slid backwards. Now WR Mario Manningham is done for the year with a knee injury and Michael Crabtree has been a monumental disappointment and Randy Moss is so far past his prime he is hardly worth mentioning. TE Vernon Davis is big game capable but since his breakout against New Orleans Davis has struggled to regain any dominance.

WHO WILL BE WATCHING - WHAT’S AT STAKE:

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – It is almost inconceivable but the thieving, conniving, game-stealing Seahawks could hijack the #2 seed. How? With their tainted W against Green Bay securing them a playoff spot if the Pack loses to Minnesota and the 49ers lose to Arizona and the Hawks get by the Rams then Seattle (gulp!) becomes the #2 seed. As it is the Hawks will be no worse than the 5 seed. But a hyper jump to #2? Hey – stranger things have happened.

WHO WILL BE WATCHING - WHAT’S AT STAKE:

THE MESS IN THE NFC EAST – Okay, class – here is the short version. The Cowboys and Redskins are playing for the NFC East title and that game has been moved to prime time at 8:20 to reach the largest audience possible. While hardly a renewal of the old Cowboys and Indians duels of the 70’s and 80’s this game has an impact. RG3 – Redskin QB Robert Griffin III taking on the Tony Romo win-in-spite-of-themselves Cowboys in a winner take all match. That game is easy – whoever wins is in and the loser gets to pick up their golf clubs. This game is a death match.

But on the outside looking in with the faintest of chances are the defending Super Bowl champs in New York. The Giants have looked superb at times – they dismantled the Packers in their meeting this year – but have looked flawed and vulnerable inexplicably at others. The Giants were destroyed by Joe Flacco and the Ravens last week and barely looked willing to even compete. This is a how to defend a Super Bowl crown? The Giants have the most complex of equations and all the planets will need to line up for New York to even have a shot at defending their title. The G-Men need a W against the hapless, soon to fire Andy Reid Eagles, and then need an awful lot of voodoo to get in. A loss renders the point moot, but if New York grabs the win they will be parked in front of the NFL Network’s Red Zone coverage and need the Vikings AND the Bears AND the Cowboys to all lose, a tall order under even non-playoff circumstances. With Da Bears needing a W of their own and playing at the same time as New York as the Giants exit the field they will know whether or not the TV needs to be turned on. Desperate? Yeah, Eli and Co. are that desperate.

The central key in all these configurations will be played out in the Dome in Minneapolis. The Packers are rolling and are looking to keep their streak alive as they want to roar into the playoffs. As the injured key components get healthy and rejoin the lineup the extra week would serve the Pack well. To knock out the Vikings Aaron Rodgers will have to play a lot of defense.

Yes – Aaron Rodgers playing defense. But not in the traditional sense of the word.

Rodgers will not be lining up next to fellow pro Bowler Clay Matthews and looking to take on Peterson one on one. There’s an old saying that goes the best defense is a good offense. In this case keeping Peterson off the field is clearly to the Packers advantage and putting the ball in Ponder’s hand and forcing him to beat Green Bay with his arm is a decided tilt in the Pack’s direction.

Green Bay has a far more well-rounded and complete offense than Minnesota. Green Bay cannot match Minny in quality of running back – but then again no one can. But Green Bay can kill the clock and move the ball and put points on the board

One big knock that has been haunting the Packers for some time is their penchant for playing down to the level of their opponents and keeping them around. If last week’s blowout against Tennessee is a portent of things to come that may change. If Rodgers’ aerial assault can put points up on the board it forces Minnesota to match them point for point something they are not built to do. If Peterson runs wild the Vikes have as good a shot as anybody.

This game has much at stake for both teams. There are records in the abeyance and there is still the annoying cold streak of Mason Crosby. Rodgers would like to put up enough points to put Minnesota away early and force the pass from Ponder. When Green Bay does just that, the Giants will sullenly snap off their TV’s and get ready for a long, cold winter of asking the question “What went wrong” while the Bears will be singing the praises of Green Bay.

For their efforts the Pack gets a week off and steams into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league at just the right time.

 

 

 GREEN BAY 27  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Minnesota  24  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



HITTING THEIR STRIDE

Packers run over Titans, Another Strong

Defensive Effort

On Friday a blizzard dumped upwards of 10+ inches of snow on Green Bay. After volunteers cleared the stands on Sunday the Packers came out and dumped an avalanche on top of the Tennessee Titans to the tune of 55 – 7. Coupled with the 49ers stunning loss to Seattle by a score of 42 – 13 Green Bay finds itself in the driver’s seat in the #2 seed, a goal head coach Mike McCarthy has said he was shooting for all along.  Should Green Bay grab one more win on the road against Minnesota next week they will have gone through the NFC North undefeated with a lock on the 2 slot and head into the playoffs knowing they will be at home and are now peaking. Make no mistake – the Packers are hitting on all cylinders right now and the 55 – 7 pasting of a helpless Tennessee squad was a full 4 quarter relentless effort, the type of which will need to be seen throughout the playoffs.

Fifty five to seven.

Compounding the felony the score makes it sound much closer than it actually was. If Packer fans wanted something special for Christmas the Pack gave it to them in bunches. Tennessee got behind early and often as the Packers rolled up 21 first quarter points. Aaron Rodgers was magnificent and with the exception of a few tosses that were maybe 12” too long or he would have had more than the 3 TD’s he threw. The NFL’s leader in receiving touchdowns James Jones added to his total with another TD, Randall Cobb had a spectacular catch early and Greg Jennings finally crossed the goal line with a 1 yard catch.

In game that could best be described as a laugher Green Bay came out and won this game in all three phases of the game. The offense rolled and had 4 rushing touchdowns with returning hero Ryan Grant adding 2 to go along with an 80 yard rushing day. Green Bay was without James Starks again and Alex Green. Grant was signed as a free agent last week and after fumbling last week Grant looked like the Ryan Grant of old with his cutback/ hit the lane style. Seeing Grant do a Lambeau Leap not once but twice was a nostalgic look at the future.

The Packers running game was down to 3 healthy bodies – Grant, FB John Kuhn and rookie DuJuan Harris. Harris added another explosive TD to his year’s totals as the Packers were able to move the ball effectively on the ground all day. As the playoffs are just around the corner seeing the Packers round into playoff form with their running game can only make Mike McCarthy smile.

McCarthy has been dedicated to the run all year. He has stood by his guns even when the critics early on were not seeing the results. Maybe the only thing surprising is the cast of players doing the work as it resembles nothing like what McCarthy had in the backfield to open the season. After opening without Starks and losing Cedric Benson in game 5 for the year there was much concern whether or not staying with a running game would actually pay off. McCarthy beat the drum steadily stressing quality carries over quantities of yards.

The litmus test came on Sunday in earnest. The Titans were reduced to guessing and Rodgers’ play action fakes froze both linebackers and cornerbacks. Rodgers is one of the best in the business at selling a play fake and no longer can opposing defense lightly regard the Packers ability to run the ball. As the tumblers click into place the Packers have become a far more well-rounded team on both sides of the ball. Future Hall of Famer Jeff Saturday found himself in the ignominious position of being benched for the first time in his career. Saturday has been at best serviceable but the tread has worn down pretty far on his tires. Saturday has been well below even his own standards in pass protection, so much so that as LG T. J. Lang was healthy and surprise rookie UDFA Don Barclay continues to shine at RT in place of Bryan Bulaga McCarthy decided to make one more move by inserting a younger and better Evan Dietrich-Smith into the lineup at center. Always a consummate professional Saturday accepted the demotion with class. The move paid dividends immediately as Dietrich-Smith had a great game. Keeping the line healthy and intact will determine just how far the Pack can go. As the ailing and infirmed on the roster rejoin the lineup how good can the Packers truly be seems like the burning question.

Jennings’ return from an abdominal pull has only been tarnished by his decreased role in the offense as he plays himself back into game shape. Jennings’ looming contract that expires at the end of the year has become the elephant in the room and impossible to ignore. Jennings himself has intimated that he can see himself in something other than green and gold next year. Even if that is the case Rodgers has a bevy of weapons, a football cornucopia of targets at his disposal. TE Jermichael Finley had a big day with 5 catches for 70 yards. Finley’s output rendered his one gaffe to the almost laughable. As Finley broke from the line and turned to his right Rodgers rifled a tracer dart right at him. Finley’s reaction time was off slightly as the ball hit him square in the face and bounced away. Given Finley’s high profile and quotability factor in the media and his recent calling out of Rodgers maybe Rodgers was in fact aiming for his tight end’s mouth.

Rodgers utilized 8 different receivers on the day making it impossible for the Titan D to focus on any one of them. TE’s D. J. Williams saw time after his long injury-riddled season and Ryan Taylor also was targeted. Rodgers’ slight misses to a wide open Greg Jennings, Jones and Cobb could have seen the Packers break their own record for points. As it is the 55 they dropped on Tennessee is good enough for 3^rd place on the all-time Packer scoring list. The thought of the Packers receiving corps getting better is going to put a few grey hairs in opposing defensive coordinators heads. Jordy Nelson is due to return soon as is Starks, Alex Green and Sir Charles Woodson. In Woodson’s absence rookie CB Casey Hayward has been nothing short of spectacular with 6 INT’s for the year. Shields’ return put promising 2^nd year man Davon House on the bench and in an area that was once considered suspect the Packers are suddenly staggeringly deep at CB with veteran Tramon Williams back in his All Pro shutdown form. With the new emphasis on running the ball successfully the question is how far can the Pack go?

As good as the offense was perhaps the defense was better. They limited the Titans to 180 yards and contained RB Chris Johnson, one of the most feared backs in the NFL. Johnson rushed for a paltry 28 yards on 11 cards and his longest scamper of the day was for but 8 miniscule yards. QB Jake Locker fared no better, Locker was sacked 7 times and was picked off twice. Sam Shields had a spectacular ankle-breaking grab on an underthrown ball from Locker while LB Erik Walden continues to shine after heralded rookie Nick Perry went to the IR. Walden had a pick that set the Packers up for another score.

The defense was swarming all afternoon and made Lockers life miserable. LB’s Brad Jones and A.J. Hawk led the LB’s with tackles and Hawk had a team high 2 sacks while Jones had 1 of his own. Clay Matthews came in, chased Locker and any other Titan with the ball down, and then caught a seat on the bench after he tallied a sack. As the benches were utilized even newly signed FA DT Jordan Miller was on the field. DE Mike Neal continues to improve as he had a bull rush sack when he ran right over his man to grab Locker and deposit him on his backside. Neal did not limit his play to just sacks. Early on he introduced himself to Johnson as CJ2K cut to the right and as he swung back towards the goal line as he looked for room Neal shed his blocker, kept on play and ran over Johnson from behind in a steamroller move.

K Mason Crosby went 2 for 2 on his field goal attempts but it is far too early to declare his slump over. He had a short chip shot early on, a kick of 26 yards that was little more than an extra point. He also connected from 48 yards but as the ball clanged off the post it managed to fall on the good side for a change as Crosby pumped his fist in celebration. While the kick was good it was hardy a ringing endorsement that was heard when his kick hit the upright. McCarthy has made it clear he is both sticking with Crosby as well as making sure Crosby knows he needs to make his kicks. Perhaps McCarthy was protecting his kicker in the 3^rd quarter when the Packers went for it on 4^th down rather than send Crosby out to try a 44 yard attempt. In any event the play worked as Green Bay moved the ball with staggering effectiveness.

One area of concern outside of Crosby’s shakiness was Randall Cobb. After fielding a punt as Cobb was brought down his knee and ankle were rolled in an ugly way. Cobb was seen trying to work out the pain on the sidelines but his day as a punt returner was over. Green Bay employs the “Next Man Up” philosophy so went Cobb went out in came rookie WR Jeremy Ross, a FA signing from the Colts’ practice squad who took the first punt he saw and broke off a huge return to the Titan 9 yard line setting up Grant’s final score.

The Packers dominated in every measurable statistic, especially in time of possession keeping the ball for over 34 minutes. With the #2 seed they now possess expect Green Bay and Minnesota to have an epic clash to end the season. San Francisco has struggled mightily of late and the smack down at the hands of the Seahawks exposed the Niners weakness in their passing game. San Fran was without the services of DT Justin Smith and his loss was immense. After opening the season 2 -3 the Packers are now flying high.

McCarthy has no intent of letting up. A bye week with a home field advantage all but ensures the Packers will not just go through the motions next week. Adrian Peterson is chasing history and Dom Capers will have no break over the Christmas holidays and neither will his defensive unit. Peterson is averaging 113 yards against the Packers in his career and already put up 212 yards against Green Bay at Lambeau this year. Getting to QB Christian Ponder is paramount to Green Bay’s success while, limiting the amount of damage AD does.

While the pretenders fall to the wayside the Packers are poised to make a deep run and are in a much better place over last year’s record setting squad. There are far fewer holes and weaknesses. As the air gets cold the Packers are the hot team in the NFL.

Yeah, baby… it’s playoff time.