After yesterday’s loss to the 49ers the Packers have lost two in a row (at home no less) and three of five overall. Not exactly trending in the right direction. Maybe not time to hit the panic button, but you might want to dust it off.
The loss to the 49ers was an exact replica of the loss to the Giants in last year’s playoffs. The Packers struggled on offense and and couldn’t stop the 49ers running game. The blueprint to beat the Packers has been out there since Kansas City published it in week 15 last year and now two more teams have used to beat the Packers.
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy can’t be bullheaded about this. If the Packers have to dial it down and take what the defense gives them then do it. Trying to force the ball downfield when it is covered sure isn’t working. Not going to dwell on yesterday’s game much but the bomb on third-and-one was the dumbest call of McCarthy’s tenure in Green Bay. There is a time and place for that call and this my friends, was not it.
I actually thought the defense showed some signs of improvement. They registered four sacks, got several other QB hits and flushed Alex Smith out of the pocket on others. With the exception of the long Gore TD run they tackled much better than last year. It is kind of hard to explain the communications problems they claim to have had which allowed some big plays, including an easy touchdown pass to Randy Moss. Makes you wonder what they were practicing for the last six weeks.
The Chicago Bears certainly have the horses to exploit the Packers’ defense. If the Packers allow Jay Cutler to sit in the pocket the Bears will have field day with the Packers’ secondary. I think the Packers really should move Charles Woodson back to corner and put Sam Shields at safety in the base. Jarrett Bush couldn’t cover me. And then he comes out today and said the 49ers didn’t beat the Packers, “we beat ourselves” he just shows how dumb he really is.
If that is the mentality at 1265 Lombardi Avenue the Packers might not win too many games this year. Until you realize you have a problem you can’t fix it. This attitude that nobody can beat them is a bigger problem than anything on the field if you ask me.
The Packers face their biggest rival Thursday night. A loss and they are 0-2 and likely looking at wild-card at best in the playoffs. The Packers of 2010 that won the Super Bowl had to overcome adversity after adversity so they never got big heads. Since Aaron Rodgers cocked off about offseason workouts after beating the Saints last year their heads have been big as balloons – from the coach on down.
Maybe yesterday their balloon finally popped and they go back to playing the way we know they can. The good thing is we don’t have to wait long to find out.