There is no denying that the 2011 Packers were an exciting team to watch. A franchise best 15-1 regular season. A league MVP for Aaron Rodgers. The emergence of Jordy Nelson as a bonafide star. These are just some of the memories that the 2011 season will be remembered for.

So when the Packers Hall of Fame announced their new exhibit commemorating the 2011 season, I was ecstatic that such a great season would be remembered for all time.

Then I got to thinking: what will the 2011 team be remembered for? And is it worth dedicating an entire exhibit to?

Would I remember this team for its high powered offense, capable of scoring basically at will? Or would I remember it as the team which could barely sniff the end zone against a much weaker Chiefs team in Week 14, ending the dream of a perfect season?

Would I remember this team for an unstoppable Aaron Rodgers during the regular season? Or the playoff game against the Giants during which he looked like a good, but not MVP, quarterback?

And thus my confusion. What are we remembering the 2011 season for?

Unfortunately, I will most remember the 2011 season as a season which could have been, rather than a season which was. And that is why I do not see the need to dedicate anything to this season. A great regular season, offset by a failure in the playoffs,  is not something I want to remember much.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Packers Hall of Fame is great. A nirvana for Packers history set right in the midst of heaven on earth for Packers fans, it is a must visit for me every time I am in Green Bay. And chances are I will walk through the new exhibit they have put together. However, I will more than likely think about the missed opportunity for back to back  Super Bowl championships, rather than remember the terrific regular season this team put together while walking through it.

I hate the waiting around for Packers news. I hate waiting for mini camps to begin. I hate waiting for training camp to start. Basically, I hate being bored.

There is the NFL Draft in a few weeks, which should help placate my needing Packers info in my life. Unfortunately, I am the furthest thing from a draftnik. It is almost impossible for me to get into the events which lead up to the draft, and mock drafting is most definitely not my forte. The only thing about the draft I am certain of about the draft is Ted Thompson is certain not to do what we think he should do (see all the trade scenarios which will not happen on draft days), and will give us at least one head scratcher of a pick. As a result, while others are glued to the TV for all 238 hours of the draft, I pay attention only when the Packers draft.

Because of the self imposed time I have during the off season, I have a lot of time to think. And over coffee this morning, I started to think about the Packers.

While I do not consider myself to be “old” I am also not that young anymore. There are things that I would like to accomplish before my time on this planet comes to an end. So I thought to myself: what do I want to see Packers related during my life? A Packers bucket list. So without further adieu, here are the 5 items I would most like to experience as it relates to the Packers.

5: Attend the NFL Draft. Maybe if I attend the draft, I’ll “get it” more. Watching it on TV probably does not do justice to the atmosphere inside inside Radio City Music Hall. The swirling emotions of the players waiting to be drafted, the teams trying to determine the best players to add to help them, and the crazy fans doing their best to prove their team is the best there is. Maybe if I see this up close, I’ll develop a new sub-obsession in the draft which goes hand in hand with my obsession with the Packers.

4: See the Packers play on the road anywhere but Chicago. I’ve seen the Packers play at Soldier Field. It sucked. Beyond getting beer dumped on me and every profanity thrown my way, I watched the Packers lose to the Bears in 1988 along the Lake Michigan lakefront. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to venture into enemy territory, dressed head to toe in green and gold, and cheer for the Pack. As much as I would want it to be a cold weather city, I would not be opposed to a trip to California or Florida during the winter months. One addendum to this item: no domes. Real football teams play outside, in the elements. Being inside in 68 degree comfort watching football when its single digits just isn’t right.

3: Witness a record setting performance. I could have gone to the Matt Flynn game this past January. I wish I had. Games like the one he had this day do not happen often. You have to get lucky and happen to be in the stands when games like this take place. Flynn was a machine this day. To set a record for most touchdown passes and passing yards in his second career start is incredible. To have done it for a team as rich in history as the Packers is even more astounding. Much like a no hitter in baseball, you have to have great luck to witness a rarity in sports like the day Flynn had in January. I hope I am lucky some day.

2: Attend the jersey retirement for Brett Favre. One of the biggest sports related regrets I have is I never got to see Favre play in person-for any team. As someone who was part of my life for almost half of it, I feel that this would be a nice, personal tribute to the man. If I could not see him play, the least I could do is watch his number be retired in honor of what he did on the field. That will be a truly special day.

1: Witness a playoff victory at Lambeau Field. I thought for sure I would have been able to take this one off the list this year. Unfortunately, we all know ended. To say it was tough to sit in the stands and watch the unstoppable machine that was the 2011 Packers season come to an end is an understatement. So I can only imagine what the vibe would be inside Lambeau during and after a playoff win there. It must be surreal. If a regular season win can evoke the pure joy from fans as they exit the stadium, it must be amplified many times over. That is something I have to experience in my life.

Now I know what some of you are thinking-what about seeing the Packers win a Super Bowl. Is this something I want to see? Most definitely. It is the dream of all Packers fans. But the cost of attending the game is ridiculous. If anyone wants to supply me with the funds to experience this, I will gladly accept it, and cross this off the list on your tab.

There you have it, my Packers bucket list. I hope to start scratching off some of these items soon. I bet most everyone who reads this has their own Packers bucket list as well.

I’ve struggled to find a reason behind the showing the Packers gave this past Sunday. They got beaten up and down the field. In no way did I expect for them to lose, let alone play as poorly as they did. They were outplayed on offense. They were outplayed on defense. They were out coached. And worst of all, their play led to an abrupt end to the season.

The question I keep asking myself is why? What caused this team, this 15-1 seemingly unstoppable team, to come out and play so flat on Sunday?

It is a question I have tried to find an answer to, and I might have found an answer.

As I discussed on Cheesehead Radio last night, the Packers had a certain swagger to them throughout the season. Every day after a game was a “Victory Monday/Tuesday/Friday” for them. As the win total got bigger, the seemingly invincible nature of the team grew as well. They were a speed bump in Kansas City away from being undefeated in the regular season. This was a team which was destined to repeat as Super Bowl champs in spite of their deficiencies on defense.

And then in a two week period, the Packers had a bye week and had to deal with the death of Michael Philbin, son of Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin.

What followed these two events was the worst game the Packers have played in some time. Simply put, they were flat.

While perusing the inter webs today, I came across a site featuring quotes by Vince Lombardi. More than just the greatest coach in the history of professional football, Lombardi was an oft quoted speaker, master psychologist, and motivator of people. He continues to inspire to this day, and will continue to do so for years to come.

I found a quote which I thought was very telling about the way the Packers played this past Sunday, and perhaps offers a reason why the play on Sunday was seemingly uninspired.

“Teams do not go physically flat, they go mentally stale.”

Think about this for a minute. Did the Packers forget how to play like a 15-1 team? Or was the swagger they displayed throughtout the season sapped away with the events over a 14 day period?

I’d be willing to bet it is the latter.

The truth is we will never know the effect of having the bye week had on this team. While it is a reward for playing well in the regular season, and did allow for many of the walking wounded to heal for the playoffs, it also disrupts the week in/week out rhythm of the team. Teams need to maintain a certain schedule to stay focused, and when this is disrupted for any reason, they need to find it again.

We will also never know the full effect that Michael Philbin’s death had on this team. Death affects all people differently. While I thought the Packers would come out and play a very inspired game in honor of their coach, his loss may have cast a shroud over this team from which they could not recover.

As a result of these two events, this team went mentally stale. All of the energy, focus, and (get ready for buzzword) momentum was gone. They were unable to recover from this layoff and emotional expenditure, and went out and played their most uninspired game of the season, bringing the season to an end.

It may not be the answer, but it could be at least part of an answer.

In the struggle to find a reason for the loss on Sunday, Vince Lombardi’s quote at least helps a little bit. I’d like to think that this team was mentally stale as a result of the events of the prior two weeks than they simply got outplayed.

Everyone at some point in their life has witnessed a lack of respect. Whether it is done to the individual, or it is done to someone else, respect is often hard to come by, and sadly, not given nearly enough.

I witnessed a lack of respect on Sunday, and as a Packer fan, I was outraged.

With their season hanging by a thread with just under five minutes left in 4th quarter, the Packers had driven down the field and scored a touchdown and extra point,  making the score 30-20 Giants. Everyone knew what was coming next-onside kick. The entire season came down to this play. The dream season so many fans enjoyed perilously close to being over.

As the kick left the foot of Mason Crosby, and the Giants recovered the kick, the chances of a Packers comeback diminished greatly. So much so, that with that kick, a large contingent of the Packer faithful decided the season was over, and promptly made a bee line to the gates to beat traffic.

That is a severe lack of respect. And I have a major problem with that.

This Packers team went 15-1 this season. FIFTEEN AND ONE. They lost one game all season. They had the best record in the history of the franchise. And when this team needed its fans the most, a large number of them bailed on the team they supposedly love.

What caused this? Was it the frustration of having to watch the Packers struggle on Sunday? Absolutely. You never like to see anything you love have to fight for anything. Was it cold in the stands? Absolutely. The wind was howling in my face the entire game, and I didn’t care one bit. Whatever the case, when the exodus to the gates started with almost five minutes left on the clock, it just seemed like far too many people had given up hope. I have a difficult time accepting that.

Maybe I expect too much from my fellow fans. I guess the expectation of a Packer fan to actually remain in the stands during a playoff game seems to be a little too much for some to handle. Apparently sticking with your team to the bitter end is only appropriate to some when the wind chill isnt bitter cold.

I guess being a Packer fan to some means being a fan only when its convenient for them.

The Packers had a great season. A season which ended far too prematurely, but none the less, a great season. Did they come up short in the end? Absolutely. I am not suggesting in the least that they did not. What I am suggesting is that they at least deserved the respect of their fans to stay to the end of the game. If you didn’t want to see the Giants fans celebrate, that is fine. However, staying to the end of the game and leaving when the clock struck zero would have been much more respectful than leaving with five minutes left in a playoff game.

Respect is earned. It is never given without just cause. The 2011 Packers deserved more respect than they received Sunday. What they received was a gigantic four letter word from a large number of fans in the stands. It is ok to be upset with the team’s performance, but ditching the team you supposedly love with time left on the clock, during (arguably) the best regular season the team has ever known, in a playoff game is not acceptable. No way, no how.

January 20, 2008.

I was watching the NFC Championship Game in the living room at my old house. The chili I had prepared that morning was ready for consumption, and the beverages were ready to wash it down. I was surrounded by only my dog, as my wife went out to run errands for the afternoon.  The scene was ready for a special day, one that I knew would never be forgotten.

And forgotten it would never be.

I watched the game in earnest, gradually moving from a sitting position to a rocking position on the couch. Eventually, the rocking gave way to pacing in the living room, running my hands across my face with each incomplete pass by the Packers. Along the same lines, every pass completed by the Giants caused a face palm which I am surprised did not peel layers of skin off from the pressure applied to my face.

By the time the game reached overtime, I was a mess. Physically ill, my stomach hurting from a combination of the chili and the play on the TV. Sweat was pouring off of me, not from heat but from nerves.  I could barely watch anymore, but I had to. It was a Shakespearean tragedy waiting to happen, and I knew it.

And then this happened.

I remember watching the pass float into the secondary, and watching it fall into Corey Webster’s hands, like it was a gift from the heavens. As soon as he completed the interception, I raised my entire right leg up in the air and slammed it onto the ground with such force, I shook the entire downstairs of the house.  There may still be some profanities floating in space which accompanied the slamming of the foot.

A few minutes later the game was over, and a former hero became the tragic figure yet again.

We all have our memories of that day, and I am certain that day will live on for the rest of our days, perpetually asking the question “What if? “among others

We know what has happened since then-the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl that year, the Aaron Rodgers era began in Green Bay, and the Packers have won one Super Bowl of their own.

As part of their own journey to the Super Bowl, the Packers had to play the Giants at Lambeau Field last December as part of the two must win games they had simply to reach the post season. A number of people called this a game of revenge. Pouring it on the Giants as a psuedo act of avenging the loss in 2008. I was in the stands at Lambeau that day, and took great pleasure watching the Giants stroll out of Lambeau losers. I felt a sense of redemption, as did many others around me.

But was it really a revenge game?

Not even close.

With the Giants victory over the Falcons today, they earned a trip to Lambeau Field next Sunday. A rematch of the NFC Championship Game that none of us will ever forget. This is a game of revenge. Nobody has forgotten that game, least of all, the players.

As Greg Jennings tweeted today:

The team that kept us from our potential Super Bowl in 08 is back on OUR turf now.Trust me,we haven’t forgotten.Here.We…GoPackGo! #BeGreat

If that doesn’t sound like a player ready to extract a little revenge, I’m not sure what does.

There is a saying that revenge is a dish that is best served cold. I can think of no better place to serve up revenge that at the cold of Lambeau Field, in January, in the playoffs.

The Giants better be hungry-revenge will be served next Sunday.

After walking out of Lincoln Financial Field, one of the toughest venues for an opposing team to play, with a 30-24 win over the so-called dream team Monday night, the Bears find themselves exactly where they wanted to be: right in the middle of the NFC playoff race. Jay Culter played well, Matt Forte overcame two early turnovers to show yet again why he should be paid by the Bears, and the defense stopped the all world Eagles offense (heavy sarcasm intended).

It was exactly the type of win that the Bears needed. And that is what has me concerned.

Am I suggesting that Chicago is suddenly going to power its way to the top of the NFC North? Not in the slightest. The Packers are clearly in the drivers seat, and with the benefit of  good talent and a less than stellar schedule down the stretch (2 games against the Packers not withstanding) the Lions are going to be in the mix for the long haul. These two teams are your two best teams in the division through the first 8 games of the 2011 season. Period. End of story.

And then there’s the Bears.

Sitting at 5-3 is exactly what concerns me about this team. They are not at the top of the division or the conference, and as a result can fly somewhat under the radar. They are also not out of any playoff scenerio. In fact, if the playoffs were to begin today, the Bears would be the number 6 seed in the NFC. Partly due to other teams failure to capitalize on high expectations, and partly due to their resilience, Chicago continues to hang around the playoff picture. That is something to keep an eye on.

As we discussed last week on Cheesehead Radio it is my belief that the Bears are the biggest challenge to the Packers this season. Not that they are going to overtake the Packers for the division crown, but if Green Bay is still undefeated on Christmas Day when these two teams play, I could see the Bears pulling off the upset and walking out of Lambeau with a victory. Is is because they are more talented than the Packers? Absolutely not. Is it because the Bears simply know how to play the Packers? Absolutely yes. And because they continue to hang around,  this game may be meaningless to the Packers in the regular season standings, but could have a huge impact on the playoff implications for the Bears.

I wonder if the situation presented itself if Mike McCarthy would have to make the same decision Lovie Smith made last season: is keeping the Bears out of the playoffs that important? Would he play his starters the entire game in what would be meaningless in the regular season standings, but help decide the overall playoff picture? Let’s hope the Bears are far in the rear view mirror by that game, and he doesn’t have to make that decision.

The longer the Bears hang around, the more I envision the Packers and the Bears meeting each other in the playoffs again. Could you handle another Packers/Bears playoff game? I think once every 70 years is enough for everyone to stomach.

Watch the Packers NFL highlights.

Watch the Packers highlights.

Quick Hits

The Packers have two of the top 5 corners in the league.

Just shocked at how good Starks looks at times.

Shades of Al Harris in that Tramon interception.

John Abraham is a douche.

Aaron Rodgers is better than Favre was.

Who hates James Jones now?

Trust me, this will feel better next week when we are headed to the Super Bowl. This team owns the NFC now.

For the love of God, please shut up.

Can’t you take a second to enjoy the moment before moving on to the speculation of next season? It’s stupid, and a slap in the face to the guys that are playing on Sunday.

Who gives a crap what the Packers are going to do next year anyway? I want to talk about the PLAYOFF game against Philly, the team that doesn’t look anything like it did in pre-season, and all the household names that weren’t even in the driveway back in September.

Screw the off-season.

I don’t care what’s happening to Nick Barnett, Cullen Jenkins, the draft, or any of that other speculative crap that all you dorks will sit around talking about for the next five months non-stop. Give it a break for at least a week huh?

The Packers are going into a huge playoff game this Sunday. The players, THIS YEAR’S players, are getting ready to make a run to the Super Bowl.

But please, let’s talk about next season. Pathetic.

Yes, I, Jayme Joers, believe that Matt Flynn can lead us to the playoffs.

Now before you call the insane asylum to have me committed, hear me out.

1. To “lead” us to the playoffs, doesn’t mean he has to play the last three games, it doesn’t even mean that he needs to play and WIN the last three games.  All he has to do, if called upon, is play this weekend.  And technically, even if he does play and the Packers lose, the playoffs are not completely out of the picture.  Therefore, Flynn could play this weekend, the Packers could lose and the Packers could still make the playoffs.
2. There were not a lot of pretty things from the game on Sunday, but one of the small highlights for me was the game scheme adjustment when Flynn came into the game and through the second half.  There were still some questionable specific play calls, but overall, McCarthy tailored the offense to be a dink and dunk, small quick gains offense, and Flynn seemed to flourish in it.  Yes, he did make the total f’up with the interception in the end zone, and if I want to rely on him to help carry this team he’s going to have to stop that.  But looking purely at the offenses ability to move the ball, Flynn could get it done.
3. The O-line.  For Flynn to have any chance to get the job done, the O-line needs to step it up.  If they cannot protect him, then the chances of him succeeding drop dramatically.  But again it won’t be completely on his shoulders, therefore I refuse to take my vote away from him because someone else can’t do their job.

Maybe this all sounds completely insane to all you rational people out there.  And yes, if you listened last night, our EPOC’s were definitely bizzaro, but I’m sticking with my on-air prediction.  It is not impossible.  And when it comes to my team, I’d rather blindly believe in the small possibility then dismiss all chances.  Call me a homer, cause I am, but at least now you know where I stand.  FLYNN TO WIN!

Let the laughing at me begin.

Once again tonight we broadcast LIVE with our second edition of “Around the Lounge.” You’ve all seen Around The Horn on the four letter network, here we do it lounge style. Be prepared to “Shut your Box and Go.”

It’s pretty simple. There are four guests and myself as host. Each guest has the opportunity to give their opinion on a wide variety of Packer topics. You the guest, along with myself, will decide who stays for the next round and who will be asked to “Shut their Box and Go.”

The winner will be given the floor for sixty seconds to say whatever the hell they want to Packer nation.

Feel free to chime in on the live chat, and most definitely leave a comment for our guests in our comment section (don’t worry it won’t refresh your page so comment away).

Tonight’s four guests include Brady from Green Bay Packer Nation, CD Angeli from Tundra Vision, Brian from Railbird Central, and the guy who all know and love Dale Z from Green Bay Bums. 

See you then.

Show: 8 p.m. Lambeau Time

If you miss the show, you can watch it later on-demand by clicking the icon on the player below.

Kurt Warner came into the Cardinals – Packers playoff game with the second-best lifetime QB rating in NFL history. Only Bart Starr is better. Did everyone forget about that?

During the Sunday pregame shows on CBS, NBC and ESPN, only one football analyst picked the Cardinals to defeat the Packers (Bill Cowher). Everyone else picked the Packers. 14 out of 15 of the so-called experts were swayed. Swayed by what? The Packers meaningless win the week before against Arizona? The Cardinals lackluster play over the last four meaningless games of their season?

And a host of Packer fans were wrong. The prevailing sentiment in the week leading up to the game was that the Packers would win going away. I kept scratching my head at that. When I predicted the Packers pulling out a close victory (31-27), I was putting on a brave face, but inside, I feared Kurt Warner. In my mind, a close win would be the best case scenario. Packer fans kept telling me it wouldn’t be that close. I wanted to believe, I really did.

Yet I feared that Warner would pick apart the Packers secondary like he did the Vikings secondary in week 13, the last meaningful game the Cardinals had played. Although his numbers in that game came nowhere near those from this past weekend’s spectacle, I gained a healthy respect for his decision-making and timing. Kurt Warner delivers the ball to the right receiver, at the right time and in the right spot.

Enter the Packers secondary, an injury-depleted and seemingly easily-confused mish-mosh of over-rated players and waiver-wire pickups. There, I said it. Excluding, of course, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Charles Woodson. Can you picture the Packers secondary without him?

Certainly, Kurt Warner and Ken Wisenhunt’s eyes must have popped out like Marty Feldman’s when they studied Packers game films. There was plenty there for them to like. From a supposed All-Pro safety that will make the occasional big play but struggles with consistency to the infamous Jarret Bush, helplessly chasing after his man while trying to locate the ball. Throw in the suspiciously disappearing Atari Bigby, athletic but mentally unprepared Brandon Underwood, and just not NFL-caliber Matt Giordano, and there was bound to be a Cardinal party in the Packers defensive backfield.

The only hope for the Packers, of course, would be to make Kurt Warner uncomfortable. But it had to happen from the base defense, which the Packers have not been able to do against quality opponents. With the 4-5 receiver sets the Cardinals dialed up, blitzing a DB was not a good option. Blitzing another linebacker may have helped, if the Packers had a linebacker besides Clay Matthews that can get to the quarterback.

Unfortunately, they don’t.

Career Stats:

Barnett 15 sacks – 7 years
Hawk 8.5 sacks – 4 years
Chillar 7.5 sacks – 6 years

WIthout the ability to put real pressure on Warner, the Packers were forced to mostly play their nickel and dime packages, putting the defense’s fate in the hands of the secondary. It was a lose-lose proposition.

I expected the Packers offense to be able to put up enough points to win the game, and certainly 45 points would normally qualify. And yet, it wasn’t enough. Plenty of fingers are being pointed. The fault lies with Dom Capers, Aaron Rodgers turnovers, the referees, Nick Barnett, Jarret Bush, etc.

But there’s really only one man to blame for this loss; The man who once before threw 5 TDs in a playoff game, the man with a 9-3 playoff record, the man with the second best playoff QB rating in NFL history; Kurt Warner, the quiet desert assassin who always saves his best for the big games.

And yes, his bust will one day reside in Canton.

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You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco’s articles on several sports websites: Jersey Al’s Blog, Packers Lounge, NFL Touchdown and Bleacher Report.

Jersey Al is the Green Bay Packers Draft Correspondent for Drafttek.com.

You can also follow Jersey Al on facebook and twitter.

With the nightmare of a week this has been, it’s a small blessing to have some playoff football to look forward to. Here’s this week’s six pack for your Packers pleasure.

The Six Pack

1. If you read my in-depth analysis of this weekend’s game, I promised that the outcome of my fishing trip would directly determine the outcome of this week’s Packer’s game. Sometimes a streak of luck is all you need. Well, I caught some fish and had a good time. Then, on the way home some lady stopped in the middle of the four lane expressway in a blizzard and totaled my car. However, I walked away without a scratch. I would say the streak is on. Your Green Bay Packers will win 27-14, putting the game out of reach in the early parts of the fourth quarter.

2. I still don’t know quite what this is, but the Packers girl is in dead last among the finalists.

3. If you didn’t catch “Around The Lounge” make sure and check it out. I am looking for people interested in being panelists on the next show. Please contact me if you are interested. All you need is a webcam.

4. I was browsing the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s article that looked back on pre-season predictions. I just went and looked at mine. Although I was off on some things, there are others that made my skin crawl. Freaky.

5. This NFL Hog index really intrigues me. I am seeing it around more and more. Every time I see it, it predicts the Green Bay Packers make the dance. Finally, a system that works.

6. What is you were to run 10,001 simulations of this Sunday’s game based on a rigorous analysis of each team that considers strength-of-schedule-adjusted team and player ratings and then makes modifications for injuries and depth at each position? Let’s find out.

Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt seems a little confused about how to spin his team’s lack of effort in the season finale.

When Mike McCarthy said that he was going to play to win in the last game of the season, he was taking the chance that his team might blow out the Cardinals and make them angry for their playoff rematch. The Packers did, in fact, blow out the Cardinals, but whether they gave the Cardinals any kind of emotional edge by doing so is highly questionable.

You may remember that Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt seemed just a little testy after the Packers’ preseason win at Arizona, in which his starters were outscored 38-10 in the first half. He pointed out afterwards that his team hadn’t game-planned. It was probably true that the Packers had game-planned more than his team had, but usually coaches don’t bother to say such things, as it makes them look like sore losers.

Fast forward to the season finale, another essentially meaningless game, and after his team got embarrassed again by a Packer team that had taken the game more seriously than his own team had, Whisenhunt said, “They had their plan. I guess they felt good about what they were doing.” As Dan Bickley suggested in his article in the Arizona Republic on Tuesday, the use of the phrase “I guess” seems a bit telling. Whisenhunt came across as irritated by the Packers’ gung-ho game plan.

Later, when he was defending his decision to allow Larry Fitzgerald to stay in the game in the second half to pad his statistics, Whisenhunt said, “It’s something you would feel sick about had he gotten injured at the end, but I have no doubt in my mind that’s what Green Bay was trying to do with Aaron Rodgers as far as passing statistics, trying to get those things. That’s part of it.” Maybe Whisenhunt knows something we don’t know, but if McCarthy had kept Rodgers in the game solely to pad his stats, why did he sit Rodgers down when he was 25 yards away from the franchise single-season passing yardage record? It doesn’t seem out of the question that McCarthy simply treated this game like any other regular season blowout, waiting until midway through the third quarter before pulling most of his starters.

A couple of Packer players were unimpressed with Whisenhunt’s comments after the game. When interviewed by Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press Gazette, Ryan Pickett had this to say: “You play to win the game. We don’t go out there for fun. We’re going out there to win. We’re sick and tired of hearing, ‘Oh, we didn’t play our starters and stuff.’ So they’re going to get a chance to play their starters this week, and we’ll see what happens.” Cullen Jenkins was similarly unimpressed: “We always play to win,” he said, referring to the alternate strategy employed by the Cardinals. “So I don’t know what that would be like.”

So it appears that Whisenhunt’s approach to the final game, and his comments afterwards, may have motivated the Packers at least as much as they motivated his own team. On Wednesday, Whisenhunt began walking his comments backward: “The only thing I was chafing at is the approach of my football team and how we handled it. I was disappointed with some of the things we did in the game and how we played. It was obvious to me Green Bay was more physical than us, and that was very disappointing to me…. I could see where (McCarthy) would think I was irritated, and I was. But it certainly wasn’t at Coach McCarthy or the Packers. It was more about how we performed.”

If that’s how Whisenhunt felt, why didn’t he say it the first time? It’s amusing that he began this whole thing by making excuses for his players, and his position has now evolved to the point where he is publicly chastising them. Maybe this is all part of some grand motivational strategy that will become apparent next Sunday. More likely, Whisenhunt just didn’t know where his words were leading him. Playing to lose is always problematic from a public relations standpoint.

Will any of this make a difference on Sunday? Maybe, maybe not. These two teams are evenly matched, and it should be a heck of a game. But it does not appear that the Cardinals have any more of a chip on their shoulders than the Packers do right now.

Once in a great while I try to offer up some detailed analysis around here. I will soon know who is going to win Sunday’s game. There is one key all the reporters are missing…

… my ice fishing trip in the morning.

I am a terribly unlucky guy. I can’t win a bet to save my life, can’t flop an ace when I need one, and certainly am the opponent you will play when your quarterback Tom Brady throws for six touchdowns in fantasy football. Once in awhile I catch a break, but for the most part it’s all or nothing, usually the latter.

This oddity extends to my personal life too. I seem to go on streaks amidst the devastation. I’ll catch a break here, a break there, and seemingly everything is on a roll in the right direction. Much like bad things, these moments of victory always seem to come in threes. I’m due another one of these mini trios of triumph and I expect to powers to be to fully let me know tomorrow morning where the cards (no pun intended) are falling this week.

I will hit the frozen ice on the cranberry bogs of Wisconsin around 6 a.m. Thursday morning. It will be refreshing to hit the brisk Wisconsin air, but more importantly to hit the many bluegills that reside in this red stained mini piece of heaven. It’s always the same at the bogs, you either hook your limit in an hour, or you go home empty handed and dejected. In my life, there is no better way to forecast the future.

Unfortunately, it’s so simple for me that I almost don’t want to go. If I don’t hammer them tomorrow I will know without a shed of a doubt the Packers are going to lose on Sunday. I will also probably lose my wallet on Saturday. Yet, I take this trek still knowing full well that the hopes of Packer nation firmly rests on my shoulders. It is a duty I willingly accept, but the burden I carry along with me is prodigious.

I promise to bring my best game and do my part to bring the trophy back to Titletown.

I’ll let you know who to put your money on tomorrow night.

It all comes together tonight. The first ever LIVE and full version of “Around the Lounge.” You’ve all seen Around The Horn on the four letter network, now we are going to do it lounge style. Be prepared to “Shut your Box and Go.”

It’s pretty simple. There are four guests and myself as host. Each guest has the opportunity to give their opinion on a wide variety of Packer topics. You the guest, along with myself, will decide who stays for the next round and who will be asked to “Shut their Box and Go.”

The winner will be given the floor for sixty seconds to say whatever the hell they want to Packer nation.

Feel free to chime in on the live chat, and most definitely leave a comment for our guests in our comment section (don’t worry it won’t refresh your page so comment away).

Tonight’s four guests?

I’m going to keep quiet on this one, but I can tell you there will be plenty of time to take your shots at Nagler tonight.

See you then.

Show: 8 p.m. Lambeau Time

If you miss the show, you can watch it later on-demand by clicking the icon on the player below.