The Green Bay Packers are not dead! Just when you (I) thought the season was in serious jeopardy, the Packers go and knock off the NFC East leading Dallas Cowboys to put themselves right back in the playoff hunt.Who are these guys? The Packers’ defense dominated the Cowboys high-powered offense all day and the Packers’ offense made enough big plays to get the job done and also put together the best drive of quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ young career. If, as we hope, the Packers’ season turns around now, the 15-play drive the Packers put on the Cowboys to take a 10-0 lead will clearly be the turning point.
Rodgers was absolutely masterful in directing the 80-yard march that was a grind from the first play. The two unbelievable third-down passes to keep it alive I think are signs Rodgers is still getting better. It’s one thing to make those throws on first down but to thread the needle like that on third-and-long shows how good Rodgers can be. For the first time in several weeks Rodgers was decisive with the ball and either threw it away or took off running. Maybe the fact that Rodgers was given more leeway at the line of scrimmage by head coach Mike McCarthy had something to do with it. I believe Rodgers is a very smart QB and like a guy like Peyton Manning he should have free reign to call what he wants when he gets to the line of scrimmage.
Despite the win McCarthy did not have one of his better days. His challenge of the Jordy Nelson non-TD was insane. I mean, really! Do the Packers have anybody watching TV during the game? It didn’t take a 72-inch HDTV to see Nelson was down well short. A poor camera phone would have picked that up. McCarthy’s excuse today was laughable, saying he was going to call a time out anyway. What? And then to challenge a call later on and not have a challenge left was a classic Chris Webber moment. A team should really get penalized for that.
I think the return of Jordy is a big factor in the offense’s ability to hit some quick release passes. Nelson will go anywhere for a ball and is always open. James Jones is good for a big play every now and then but he had a huge drop in the endzone against the Cowboys and is a sideline only receiver. Nelson is clearly the Packers’ third best receiver and not having him or tight end Jermichael Finley the last few week certainly contributed to the inconsistent play of the offense. Finley will be back this week and with the addition of Ahman Green the Packers’ offense might be able to develop a little consistency the next few weeks.
With games against the 49ers at Lambeau this week and at Detroit Thanksgiving Day, if the Packers are to qualify for the playoffs this year they will win these two games. Following that they don’t play again until the following Monday night so they have what amounts to a mini-bye week.
A couple of other thoughts. Does Ryan Grant look like a different player since Green was signed? I think so. Why is it that the Packers’ defense got home on the blitz against one of the best offensive lines in the NFL but couldn’t touch Brett Favre or Josh Freeman? I think Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji are big-time players and the Packers’ defense has some solid building blocks. I also think Nick Barnett might be having the best year of his career. You all have always bashed Barnett, but all he does is make tackles like he is supposed to do. Now he gets a chance to rush the QB a little and the results are promising.
I’m just finishing watching the second half and I am still amazed at the defensive performance. If the Packers can control Frank Gore next week, and they have been solid against the run all year, they should have no trouble shutting down Alex Smith. It’s Rodgers against the first team that passed on him in the 2005 draft, which I’m sure he will get plenty of questions about this week.
After Tampa Bay, I will never call a game a gimme, and neither should the Packers. The Packers will be favorites to win the next two games for sure, and probably will be favorites over Baltimore on December 7th at Lambeau. The opportunity is there for the Packers, the problem is we don’t know yet which team will show up from week to week. The good Dr. Jekyll or the evil Mr. Hyde.
Because of the play of the Packers’ defense though, I am feeling more confident about this year’s team than I was at this point last year. I can’t wait to get to Lambeau next week. We’re not done yet!