Taking care of business. Like my recently departed buddy used to say, “nothing special” or “you take the good with the bad”. Indeed the Green Bay Packers did indeed improve to 9-1 on the season but in doing so they left plenty of proof they are not yet hitting on all cylinders. After thrashing the Minnesota Vikings last week the Packers did jump out to a 28-3 lead over the Panthers, but it wasn’t as easy as the score would indicate. The Packers took advantage of a punt return for touchdown and turned a 67-yard kickoff return into another touchdown to account for 14 or their 31 points.
To me, seeing the Packers’ defense close up Sunday, it appeared the defense was gassed. If that was not the case, then they just got lazy knowing the game was in hand. I hope that approach doesn’t hurt them when they have to play to the final snap, which may be the case as soon as Thursday against the Lions. In fact, while the Packers won handily, neither the offense or defense played especially well. The offense didn’t light anybody up and the defense was adequate at best against a injury depleted Panthers. If the Packers want to win the next two games they will need to play much better than they did Sunday.
I’m not trying to be negative because this team has done nothing to indicate they are about to lay an egg, but like Brett Favre says every week, they have not accomplished anything yet, either. What I love is the way the team from the coach on down to practice squad players are keeping an even keel and playing them one at a time. I think the Packers were a tad flat against the Panthers but were still that much better. I think if the Packers play like they did in eight out of the first nine games they will smoke the Lions Thursday. The Lions are slumping and they have a worse running game than the Packers, who have actually shown real signs of improvement in that area since Ryan Grant became the full-time starter.
The next two games will determine whether the Packers will be serious contenders in the NFC playoffs. Win both and the road to play New England in the Super Bowl goes through Lambeau. Lose both and the number two seed in the NFC could even be jeopardy.
I will say this. At this point last season we were wondering what draft pick the Packers would get, now we are hoping to get a win Thursday that will pretty much wrap up the division title. Props to the powers that be, but now that we are this far lets finish the thing.