If Mike McCarthy is being smart with his football team like he claims, he will go all out to beat the Detroit Lions Sunday in Lambeau Field. To think the Packers can achieve their goals sitting on a two-game losing streak to end the season is unrealistic. Teams win in the NFL with confidence and the Packers can’t have much of that left after the beat-down the Bears leveled on them last Sunday. Another performance like that and the Packers will be one and done in the playoffs and any hopes of a Dallas rematch out the window.
McCarthy seems to be the one melting down down the stretch. His game plan against the Bears was mind-boggling. To think the Packers can all of a sudden be a smash-mouth rushing team is ridiculous. Go out there and do what you do. Kyle Orton didn’t have any trouble throwing the ball. Yes, that Kyle Orton. It was like the quarterbacks were reversed for a day. Brett Favre was wearing orange and blue and Orton green and gold. Of course if Favre’s receivers actually caught the ball when it was thrown it might have helped a little.
There is no explanation for the special teams fiascos. Two blocked punts and a fumbled snap? Why did the Packers even show up in Chicago?
Anyway, the bottom line is what McCarthy said last week – you like having momentum for the playoffs. If McCarthy believes in what he said last week this week, then the Packers will go all out. If he was lying last week, they will sit players out and be happy with 12-4, which judging by his comments today, that is the plan. “Winning 12 football games, it’s tough to do,” McCarthy said. Apparently number 13 is not in the offing. Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? Please stand up.
This resting players nonsense is almost as bad as coaches constantly calling a timeout to “ice” the kicker. It rarely works. What it does do is hurt the integrity of the league. If a guy is a starter and not hurt, he should be playing at least until the outcome of the game is no longer in doubt. With the playoffs on the line this weekend some teams trying to get in get to play another teams scrubs. How is that fair to the rest of the teams fighting for that same spot? Not sure there is anything that can be done about it except changing the mindset of the coaches and players in the league. If the league was full of Brett Favres, the 16th game would mean just as much as the first regardless of records.
I’m hoping for the best Sunday but expecting the worst. It might be a long four weeks after such a glorious first 15. How sad. The Bears might have gotten last laugh.