I have to admit, with the injuries to Ryan Grant and Jermichael Finley, I didn’t even think the Packers would be in the playoff hunt this late in the year. You try to keep a positive front but in the back of your mind you know that you lost the two of your three most valuable players on an offense that would have been unstoppable. Without the two guys the Packers built there offense around it’s amazing they even made it this far.
The banged up Packers now will face the New England Patriots, who are the odds on favorite to win the AFC and 2011 Super Bowl betting has the AFC as the clear favorite to win it all. In other words the Packers are playing the best team in the NFL and are starting a quarterback who has never started a game and was a seventh-round draft pick. Good luck with that.
At the beginning of this year the Packers had everything going for them – a top quarterback, a solid running back, an excellent receiving corp and an emerging star in tight end Finley. After 13 weeks of the season only the receiving corp is intact. Grant was gone in week one, Finley in week five and now Rodgers, who carried the team on his shoulders the last eight weeks.
Amazingly, the Packers aren’t quite dead yet. Even after they lose to New England they still might have a chance at a wildcard spot in the playoffs. If Aaron Rodgers is able to resume his career, and under the NFL’s ridiculous concussion rules that is a question mark, I think the Packers can beat the Giants and Bears and finish 10-6. The immediate help the Packers need is from Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles against the Giants Sunday.
The Packers need help and if they are to get in the playoffs they would probably have the luxury of playing the Bears in Chicago in the first round. How odd, two years in a row playing a team two weeks in a row. We can only hope we get that chance.
While I’m not giving up hope on this year, I think the Packers brass has to be looking toward next year already, the problem areas have been clearly defined to this point, and by the way, keeping Aaron Rodgers over Brett Favre was not the reason the Packers lost to the Lions. To those who think that is the case, I’m sure things will pick up for you soon. Hang in there.
Here is where I’m at. The Packers would shock the world with a win at New England with Matt Flynn at quarterback. I’m not saying it’s impossible, because I do think the Patriots are in that “it’s not who you play it’s when you play them” position. They are on a huge roll and if Pittsburg beats the Jets earlier in the day Pats will have already won the AFC East and it would be almost impossible for them to lose the number one seed in the AFC.
There is no way on earth that the Bears lose to the Vikings in a game that doesn’t even have a home yet. The Bears’ blessed life continues. So I think the only way the Packers can make the playoffs is as a wildcard. But of course, if Rodgers is not back by the Giants game than the Packers are just playing for pride.
The Packers gave us a good year considering all the injuries, they never quit and still might even make the playoffs. I’m good with that. The Favre lovers are all saying Rodgers didn’t do this and Rodgers didn’t do that. Well, Favre played 16 years in Green Bay, Rodgers has been a starter for three years. Talk to me in 13 years and we’ll see where we’re at. I mean, child please!
I’m not counting us out yet, and I can say us because I’m an owner, but injuries have finally caught up to the Packers. Let’s get to 10-6 and see what happens. Anything less and I like I said Monday, head coach Mike McCarthy’s term could be in serious jeopardy. Could you imagine 8-8? Scary thought.