The Green Bay Packers are back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus and unlike that 2007 Packers’ team this unit is entering the playoffs on a roll, going 7-1 their last eight games. Their opponent is the same one the Packers have pummeled twice already this year, granted neither game meant anything in the standings with one coming in the preseason and one yesterday’s meaningless season finale.
The Cardinals took the option of resting players and game plans to prepare for playoff game next week while the Packers choose to play it out for the most part and maintain the momentum they built up the last eight games. Which way is best is is yet to be determined and even the results of next weeks game really won’t answer the question. Both teams did what they wanted to do neither way is necessarily wrong.
For the Packers I think it was essential to keep the ball rolling. If you have a veteran team like the Cardinals, you can rest guys and not skip a beat when you suit it up the following week. The Packers don’t have that luxury, so they played their starters until late in the game and the results were obvious.
The thing is, the Packers’ starters dominated the Cardinal starters in a 38-10 first half in the preseason and on the game’s opening drive Sunday the Packers methodically marched right down the field. I think the Packers provide some matchup problems for the Cardinals and the Cardinals might have some self-doubt in their heads after two beat-downs.
Of course, Arizona may also turn the tables completely and issue a beat-down of their own when it really counts. That is what Philly is hoping for against Dallas and what the Packers would be hoping for if they get another crack at the Vikings.
While the Cardinals laid down the Packers didn’t exactly reveal their entire game plan during the game, especially on defense. The Packers didn’t blitz hardly at all and ran their basic stuff pretty much all game. Of course Arizona has been studying the Packers’ game film for the last two weeks so it wasn’t like the Packers were really hiding anything. Quite the chess match we have going on here.
As far as the regular season is concerned, you have to like the way the man I wanted fired eight weeks ago turned this ship around. Mike McCarthy stayed the course and proved me wrong in the end. I’m sure things changed behind the scenes but publicly McCarthy stuck to his guns and his football team and the results since Tampa have been impressive. An 11-5 record in the NFL is nothing to sneeze at and coming after such a trying 2008 season is even more impressive. Of course when you have Aaron Rodgers to build around it makes the task a little easier.
This is going to be a fun week. I’m scared to death about the actual game, but will enjoy being back in the national spotlight again. The Pack is back!