The Green Bay Packers are slowly sinking into oblivion but judging by the comments I’ve heard from 1265 this week the Packers are not going to go down without a fight. It starts with head coach Mike McCarthy declaring he “is a highly successful NFL head coach” in defending his approach to the rest of the season. He is confident he can turn his team around.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was very upbeat during his annual appearance on Larry McCarren’s show tonight and sounded equally confident the team can get this headed in the right direction. The fact is they are only one game out of the division lead, which will be, however, the way the Packers make playoffs. No way they can get a wildcard I don’t think.
However, it also is not beyond the realm of possibility that the Packers shock the world like they did in 2010 and win the Super Bowl. The circumstances are definitely quite different, but so is the landscape of the NFC. At this point there seems to be only two good teams in the NFC in Dallas and Seattle and neither of them seem invincible.
The challenge ahead of the Packers is a tough one. They will play at Washington next Sunday night and then at Philly the following Monday night. But what better way to get back in the hunt than beating two playoff contenders on their home turf in prime time?
The Packers’ offense is definitely playing better of late, even with the loss of Eddie Lacy they are currently 18th in the league. It’s the defense that has been a problem of late. It appears injuries are finally taking its toll. Without the hamstrung Clay Matthews the Packers’ are a different team. If Matthews doesn’t return soon any chance of a turnaround will be diminished.
This Packers’ team is highly unpredictable, the offense has been both awful and great and the defense started out great but completely fell off the earth the last five weeks. I see the offense continuing to get better but I have my doubts about the defense. Maybe the return of Matthews and Damarious Randall will make a difference.
No matter what happens the rest of the way, I won’t be calling for any firings anymore. It’s time to just let it play out. Like the last head coach who was fired in Green Bay was known for saying, it is what it is.