Hello Wisconsin: The Most Unlikely of Comebacks
By TimBackes
At multiple times this season, I declared the 2022 Packers to be officially dead, without any hope of turning their season around.
And, I mean, you can’t blame me, right?
Think about how the looked at 4-8. They were coming off their worst performance of the season. Aaron Rodgers looked absolutely awful. The team seemed to have no energy or will to live. They came out the following week and were down to Chicago in the fourth quarter by nine.
But something happened then that turned the momentum around, and they haven’t lost since. What’s more, against Minnesota, they looked… dangerous. For the very first time this year, I legitimately bought this team as a playoff team.
The Packers are in a position now that would have been unfathomable barely a month ago: win and you’re in. I don’t think I’ve ever been proven so thoroughly wrong before. I was all aboard the “okay, play Rodgers against the Bears, then see what you have in Jordan Love” train.
Rodgers hasn’t exactly played great football during this four-game stretch, but the team surrounding him has picked it up enough to the point where he doesn’t have to be superman for this team to win games.
There are a few factors that we can point to here:
- The emergence of Christian Watson and the return of Romeo Doubs
- A sudden improvement in defensive performance against a couple pretty strong offensive units
- Keisean Nixon bursting on to the scene as the league’s best return man
- Aaron Rodgers finally has a haircut I can stand to look at
Okay, the last one is only perhaps partially a factor here, but still worth mentioning.
Just when I had removed any emotional investment in this team’s future for this year and was at peace with whatever the rest of the season would bring, this team has me wrapped around their little finger again. I’m fully back aboard the hype train, like the fool I am.
We’ll see what happens!
Wisconsin Beer of the Week
For Christmas this year, my wife got me a “12 Beers of Christmas” box from Central Waters Brewing Company. Central Waters put a pair each of 12 different beers in a box plus a couple special extra beers. The results have been mostly delicious.
Today’s Beer of the Week comes from that box. It’s called Sentimentality, a black IPA.
The black IPA is a style that has started to make a bit of a comeback lately, which I’m personally loving, because it’s one of my favorites. It features a combination of the roasty malted flavor you get from many dark beers with the hoppiness of an IPA.
Most black IPAs have a moderately high ABV, and this one fits right in that usual profile at 7.3 ABV. Here’s the description from Central Waters:
“Brewed out of an excess of nostalgia, this tasty little piece of the past is a smooth reminder that it’s okay to look back. Delicately assembled with crystal rye and roasted wheat, this beer pours deceivingly dark, full-bodied, with a straight up mental… sentimental amount of tangerine and stone fruit character, rounded out with a crisp hint of resinous character courtesy of the whole cone nugget hops. Tasting notes of: black lemonade, sweater weather, peach cold brew, modern cannabis shopping, and drippy pine.”
Really good stuff, Cracked it open on Christmas during the Packer game and enjoyed every last drop. Hoping to see more breweries embracing the black IPA style once more!
Damar Hamlin and the danger of football
The Damar Hamlin injury and subsequent collapse was incredibly hard to watch the other night.
What was even worse were the agonizing moments after. The pained faces on the players. The use of CPR on the field, an absolutely horrifying thought. The stunned silence of the stadium.
Was it a watershed moment for the NFL, or is it something that will be generally forgotten sooner than later? This probably depends in part on the fate of Hamlin himself. As of my writing this (Tuesday evening), Hamlin remains in critical condition but appears to be slowly showing signs of improvement.
It was horrifying to watch. Really. Words can’t really describe.
At some point this is going to reignite the constant discussions over the dangers of football and whether the sport might have an expiration date.
For now, I just hope the guy is okay.
Jaire’s swagger is part of the package
I know there are going to be people even among Packer fans who feel like Jaire Alexander’s personality is a bit over the top. This would more likely be a particularly common opinion among the older crowd of fans.
But I am here to tell you that when it comes to cornerbacks in the NFL, the more swagger they’ve got the better. You have to be able to hype yourself up when you’re playing at the toughest position in the league, one that has been regulated to the point where it is nearly impossible to succeed.
Alexander played his finest game of the season on Sunday, doing his part to shut down Justin Jefferson, who entered the game as an MVP candidate (though an unlikely winner). Alexander was in Jefferson’s head all afternoon, to the point where Jefferson took off his helmet and moved to throw it in frustration, accidentally bonking it into a referee in the process. It was a surprise he was not penalized.
I was also slightly surprised Alexander himself was not penalized for doing the “griddy” right in front of Jefferson after an early pass break up. Alexander did not do it in Jefferson’s face and did it as he was walking away from the play, which likely made the difference. However, I could hear many more old-school Packer fans rolling their eyes disapprovingly.
Jaire is great in large part because of that level of self-confidence that he has. While it hasn’t been his best season, he’s played much better ball lately and this weekend showed exactly why the Packers decided to make him the top paid corner in the league.
Around the NFC North
Once again we’ll take a quick look around the NFC North at what the Packers’ rivals are doing.
- The CHICAGO BEARS are in the driver’s seat for the second overall pick in the NFL draft this year. They’ve certainly got plenty of needs to fill, so I’d expect them to hold on to that selection unless they can get a boat load of picks in return for a move down. Justin Fields remains completely useless as a passer despite being a decent fantasy quarterback for his legs, and if the Bears are going to see much improvement in 2023, Fields will need to show he’s capable of throwing the football in his third year as a starter.
- The DETROIT LIONS have a big-time chance to announce their arrival as an ascending team with a win over the Packers at Lambeau Field this weekend. While the Packers are likely the one wild card nobody wants to face at the moment, the Lions would have to be right behind them. They’ve been on a tear since their rough start to the season and have shown they’re capable of playing with anyone. Big challenge this weekend: playing on the road, where they’ve been generally poor, and playing in the cold, where Jared Goff has often struggled in the NFL.
- The MINNESOTA VIKINGS are frauds. At 12-4, they scare absolutely no one in the NFC, and most teams are probably hoping they draw the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs. All year long they’ve benefited from a fair amount of luck in close contests that simply were not sustainable. They’ve fared quite poorly in DVOA rankings, so they’re not even the 2019 Packers. This is a team that might not win a single playoff game. Also, Kirk Cousins sucks.
Elgton Jenkins is returning to form
Elgton Jenkins had a bit of a rough go of it earlier this season. Playing away from his natural position and coming back from an ACL tear, Jenkins didn’t quite look like himself.
At right tackle, Jenkins allowed 12 pressures in 5 games.
At this point, Jenkins has allowed just four pressures in the last eight games, according to PFF. Jenkins has been stonewalling opponents left and right since returning to his preferred guard position and has once again shown why he’s one of the team’s most valuable players. His contract extension was well-earned, and in time will likely look like an absolute steal.
The Packers were missing both Jenkins and David Bakhtiari in last year’s playoff run. With Jenkins looking like his old self and Bakhtiari finally past his knee issues and returning to form as well, the Packers have a contending-caliber line once again, and you can’t understate how important that is in January football.
Where I was last week
You might have noticed there was no edition of “Hello Wisconsin” last week.
I took a week off over the holiday break, not because I needed a vacation, but instead due to a bit of tragedy in my family.
My dad passed away at 65 just a couple days before Christmas. It was very unexpected, and kind of rocked us all. I’m doing much better now than I was in the days after, but it’s still all very surreal and difficult.
My dad and I always had a good relationship, but we got especially close over the last few years and were fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time together. You might remember that I actually featured him in a CheeseheadTV column over the summer when I was doing the “Cheesehead Origins” series. He was the Father’s Day feature. You can revisit that story here: https://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/cheesehead-origins-fathers-day-edition-my-dads-fandom-journey-through-the-60s-70s-and-beyond
I don’t want to spend too much time going into it because I’ve already given a ton of tributes to my dad and it’s become exhausting to keep rehashing the subject. But he was the greatest man I have ever known and life will never be the same without him.
Please please please, never take a moment for granted with the people you love.
I’ll be thinking of him especially during whatever time the Packers have left this season.
Final Look: Lions at Packers and Week 18 Picks
It all just feels inevitable at this point, doesn’t it?
I’ve doubted the Packers over and over. I declared their season dead at 4-8. I gave them little chance of beating the Dolphins.
At this point, literally everything has gone their way. It just feels like this is a game the Packers are fated to win, and then their fate is what it is in the postseason.
I have a hard time believing the Packers let themselves get swept by the Lions, especially at home and with so much on the line. I’ll take them to win.
Packers 27, Lions 20
WEEK 18 PICKS
CHIEFS over Raiders
JAGUARS over Titans
BENGALS over Ravens
STEELERS over Browns
VIKINGS over Bears
BILLS over Patriots
DOLPHINS over Jets
BUCCANEERS over Falcons
PANTHERS over Saints
COLTS over Texans
49ERS over Cardinals
COWBOYS over Commanders
SEAHAWKS over Rams
EAGLES over Giants
CHARGERS over Broncos
PACKERS over Lions
SEASON TOTAL: 143-97
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.
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Comments (33)
NickPerry
January 05, 2023 at 06:17 am
I'm sorry for your loss Tim. I lost my Father 37 years ago, the day AFTER Christmas, December 26th to a brain tumor / cancer. It's never easy losing a loved one but around Christmas, a holiday which IMO is all about being with family and loved ones makes it extra tough. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Leatherhead
January 05, 2023 at 06:40 am
Chuck Hughes, Detroit, 1971. I was surprised I didn’t hear him mentioned more.
Win and we’re in. I don’t think you should hope for more. An off-season, a draft , OTAs, minicamps, training camp, exhibitions , and 16 games have all come down to winning one game or having all that be over.
jurp
January 05, 2023 at 08:18 am
I found out yesterday that Howard Glenn, playing for the New York Titans, broke his neck while playing in 1960 and later died. He and Hughes aren't the only fatalities if you include practice, after-practice, and after-game deaths (seven of these in total).
https://www.thegamebeforethemoney.com/football-player-deaths/
Most of these were pre-existing conditions or heart attacks, Still, if you factor in the huge number of players over the years, it's somewhat amazing that there haven't been more. It's also more than possible that deaths after games in the early years of the league weren't well-publicized as being connected to the game itself.
IIRC, I believe that having an ambulance on stand-by at every stadium is a result of Chuck Hughes's death. Could be wrong about that, though.
PeteK
January 05, 2023 at 09:16 am
I remember that shocking incident. It was later determined that one of his arteries was 75% blocked which caused heart failure.
dobber
January 05, 2023 at 09:25 am
"Chuck Hughes, Detroit, 1971."
You beat me to this, LH. Hamlin's not the first. He won't be the last, either. Every year, this happens in contact sports...and even in "non-contact" sports, more at the HS and college level than at the pro level. I'm not saying it isn't sad, and that I don't feel for Hamlin and his loved ones, but this is why defibrillators were moved into schools, locker rooms, and training rooms all around the country. I'm glad we're thinking about player safety and welfare.
Leatherhead
January 05, 2023 at 10:58 am
Darryl Stingley?
It does happen in non-contact sports. Stefan Edberg once killed a man (accidentally) at the U.S. Open. Edberg's serve, an ace, came up off the hardcourt and hit the official in That Place. You know. And squarely, at around 100mph. He staggered, fell off his chair and cracked his melon. He died like a few days later. So they stopped letting linesmen sit down, and the deaths have stopped, so far.
I have a doctor friend who stopped letting his daughter do gymnastics after she whacked her leg really hard on that balance beam.
Injuries, even bad ones, and bad luck are part of playing sports. If you're unwilling to accept the risk, you can play shuffleboard. Or ping-pong.
jurp
January 05, 2023 at 03:12 pm
Yeah, there was that poor girl in Columbus who caught a slapshot in the head while sitting in the stands someplace behind the net. She died in the hospital a few days later of an embolism, I think,. That's why the nets behind the goals have been extended. Shame that it took that incident for that to happen.
I was at a WIsconsin TImber Rattlers game with my daughter on a school rewards trip when the batter hit a screaming fastball foul down the first base line. It hit another dad square in the face. He was out for a much-too-long time and was taken away via ambulance, sirens wailing. I never heard what happened to him, though, so I suspect he eventually (mostly?) recovered. His daughter was in shock and taken home by a woman who worked for the team. Lots of tears. Very tough to watch.
NickPerry
January 05, 2023 at 06:44 am
"Alexander did not do it in Jefferson’s face and did it as he was walking away from the play, which likely made the difference. However, I could hear many more old-school Packer fans rolling their eyes disapprovingly."
LOL... As much as I dislike SOME of the talking by Alexander, doing the Griddy had me laughing pretty hard. I'm definitely one of those "Old School" Packers fans though maybe I'm just old! I didn't care much for the oversized cap but with Alexander you take the good and the bad and just appreciate the Packers have him on their team. As long as he's backing up what he's doing I'm good. Hey, the man is entertaining, both on and off the field.
"For the very first time this year, I legitimately bought this team as a playoff team."
I still haven't bought into this team 100%. I have this overwhelming fear Joe Barry will revert back to his soft-zone coverage and will stop doing what has been successful the last 6 quarters especially for the Packers. Dean Lowry's move to IR will squash Barry's need to continue to play Lowry which I know sounds kinda messed up. But at times an injury is what finally gets a player like Slayton and/or Wyatt on the field more while IMPROVING the defense at the same time.
I'm also concerned about that thing called "Hero Ball". We've all seen it too many times to feel 100% certain Rodgers won't revert to it again. But Aaron Jones looked healthier last week, and AJ Dillon is running harder than he has all year AND scoring TDs. STICK WITH THE RUNNING GAME...PLEASE!
I don't think it's a coincidence the Packers O-Line improved once Jenkins moved back to Guard. That's EJs best position. KEEP him there if at all possible. Zack Tom is going to be an All-Pro in this League and teams will once again be kicking themselves for not selecting him while scratching their heads asking how the Packers ALWAYS draft these guys in the 4th round!
LambeauPlain
January 05, 2023 at 07:17 am
Tim, most importantly, my deepest sympathies on the passing of your Dad. I lost my Dad two years ago on Christmas Eve. I think about him every day and especially miss him on Packer Game days for our pre game and post game talks. God's Peace to you and your family.
Football is at the consummate team game. When all 11 do their jobs on a snap you will usually win the play. And when a few do their jobs exceptionally well, the synergies can create chunk plays, turnovers, sacks, scores.
Key synergies I see during the 4 game streak:
1. Running 50% of the time or more (I believe MLF is now 10-0 when they do this?). The Band is back together on the OL and they are creating synergies galore. AJ is sublime in seeing where the best crease is forming, the TEs and WRs join in and make a crease a lane...3rd and shorts, first downs, control time of possession and score. Set up the run to pass!
2. The D's talent is now being used to match best match THEIR skills vs the opponent weaknesses. More man coverage, using ILBs in rush packages, pressuring with the DL as much or more than relying on the Edge guys. There is A LOT of talent on this D! Finally attacking the enemy vs trying to perfect a zone scheme. Turnovers and more 3 & outs. Still giving up yards...but even that has improved over the streak.
3. STs and Keisean "I am not a fluke" Nixon. The blocking on returns has been excellent. That lets Nixon use his great vision and his quick twitch to flip the field, even score. Several starters play STs now too. Rich has done a great job identifying who to get on the ST bus and into the right seats. Lots of synergies going on.
4. Coaching synergies? I have been of the impression the Packers have 3 silos: O, D, STs. However, are the coaches talking to each other...giving advice...offering constructive criticism on the other's performance? I don't know. If MLF is encouraging this, it will make him a better HC. Hope he is.
croatpackfan
January 05, 2023 at 07:42 am
My condolences, Tim, for your loss of beloved father. Keeping him in your heart and remembering him is the best tribute you can give him.
Ferrari-Driver
January 05, 2023 at 07:49 am
Tim, thanks for your thoughts on football, but more importantly I'm sorry for the loss of your dad. My dad died when he was only 48 and what I would give to just go out and just play a round of golf with him again. Your dad will live on in your thoughts and memories as has my dad. Best wishes to you and your family.
stockholder
January 05, 2023 at 08:09 am
Turning it around. The danger signs were there. Tanking , Jordan Love, Injuries etc.
Just stopping the talk of a Rebuild had to happen. Next- Going after Rodgers or his Salary.
I get you see the changes in Rodgers. His haircut, Social Life, Dress, and swagger.
But- Lets not judge Rodgers on his appearance, more than his leadership.
He’s been the face of the packers. And he needed the team to be on the same page.
The blunders of experimenting, Rookies, and changes in chemistry. Hurt everyone.
Like old age. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. "This team was weak."
It needed the fountain of youth. “Players returning to form”. Not a change in leadership.
So look around the NFC all you want. They can’t beat the leadership.
From Top to Bottom. The rewards are obvious. This team wants to win.
gkarl
January 05, 2023 at 08:15 am
Tim, So sorry for your loss, it never easy losing those you love. I'm sure your dad was very proud of you and your family. Thanks for all you do for everyone who follows CHTV and hopefully your continued work with bring back many cherished memories of your dad.
mrtundra
January 05, 2023 at 08:15 am
My condolences on the loss of your father. Mine passed in 2007. Heart wrenching as it was, I remember feeling so grateful for everything he gave me, taught me. I hope to be looked on as being as good of a man as he was. I have some work to do, yet, as do all of us, who loved their father.
Since'61
January 05, 2023 at 08:28 am
Tim my condolences on the loss of your father. I hope that your many fond memories with your dad will provide peace during this difficult time. Best wishes to you and your family.
I didn't think that the Packers would reach a win and in game for the playoffs this season. However, I did post back at the 4-8 mark that stranger things have been known to happen and here we are. Maybe, just maybe, the Packers are getting hot and peaking at the right time. The defense is finally showing the form that we expected earlier in the season and the OL is getting past their early season injuries and inconsistent play.
If the packers can continue to run the ball effectively and play excellent defense they can go a long way in the playoffs. First stay focused and beat the Lions. Then we begin the second season 0-0 like every other playoff team. Go Pack Go. Thanks, Since '61
jannesbjornson
January 05, 2023 at 01:52 pm
I felt comfortable when they started holding people accountable. Notably, Savage and moving Amari. The Message was sent to the locker room. The next message was sent to Barry. I was a bit concerned when Gary went down and I have to give Gutedkunst's group credit for bringing Hollins onboard. He is making a difference. I don't know if he wanted out of L.A. or it was an accounting move by the Rams, but acquiring him resembles the Douglas pickup and Howard Green in 2010. If the O line stays Healthy, they can have a long run.
RCPackerFan
January 05, 2023 at 08:43 am
There are a few factors that we can point to here:
Another factor is the OL has solidified itself. Bakhtiari and Jenkins have returned to Pro Bowl players on the field. Runyan and Yosh have solidified the right side. And when Tom has had to come in they haven't missed a beat. The OL has been great in the run and pass game.
Dillon has stepped up his game providing a better running attack.
Elgton Jenkins is returning to form:
The decision to move Jenkins to LG and move Runyan and Yosh to the right side was a brilliant move. Jenkins struggled at RT. Part of it likely is coming back from the torn acl, and part of it is that he never really played RT before. So learning a new position. But also playing next to someone he wasn't used to playing next to. The decision to move the OL around, has paid off big time. Part of the decision to move Jenkins back to LG was to get him next to Bakhtiari. And they decided to move Yosh and Runyan to the right side together because they had played a lot of snaps next to each other last year. This definitely has paid off as the OL has become a strength of the offense.
Tim I am very sorry to hear the loss of your father. It is never easy to lose a loved one.
dobber
January 05, 2023 at 09:33 am
"The decision to move Jenkins to LG and move Runyan and Yosh to the right side was a brilliant move."
Then many of the posters here (I was not one) are savants because people were calling for it (and inserting Tom at RT) even before Bakhtiari was healthy.
LeotisHarris
January 05, 2023 at 08:46 am
Deepest condolences to you and your family, Tim. I remember that feeling of raw grief when my dad died; felt like I had a hole in my chest with the wind whipping through it. Somewhere in my grieving process I came across the phrase "visited by grief", and that has proven to be an apt description. The waves and memories come seemingly out of nowhere, and they are powerful. Be good to yourself.
I hope this Packer team is about to take us on an incredible ride.
jurp
January 05, 2023 at 08:59 am
First, Tim, my very sincere condolences on the loss of your father. I lost mine in 2009 (he was 82) so I know what you're going through. Holidays and birthdays will be hard for awhile, but things do get better with time. This Father's Day could be tough for you. If possible, set aside some time for yourself, for reflection, remembering happy times, crying. Whatever helps.
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Now to the Packers. As some readers may remember, I've taken much of the season "off" to regain my sanity about this team and lessen my emotional involvement with it. I've been of Coldworld's opinion that we need new management (ESPECIALLY MARK MURPHY) and a new coaching staff (except for Bisaccia) and if the price to get that is losing, then so be it.
The absolute worst thing to happen to this team now, IMO, is losing. Any game. Through the Super Bowl.
Any loss will leave us where we've been all year, with an obviously dysfunctional internal power structure, an aging QB, and a seemingly ineffective head coach. So, let's win the entire fucking thing and maybe we will at least lose Murphy and, I fervently hope, his destructive leadership.
Oh, and along the way, please, please, destroy the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs. I dearly want to read the Daily Norseman when that happens (it was hugely entertaining to read the comments on the third and fourth quarter game threads on Sunday). If you guys think that some of US are overly down on the Packers, read the DN. I swear, if hell ever freezes over and pigs start flying and the Vikings win a Sup... (ok, I can't type that without throwing up in my mouth, but you know what I mean) half of their fan base will want the entire coaching staff fired for not winning with a high enough margin of victory, a quarter of the base will say that they won despite the NFL's longtime bias against them, and the other quarter will complain that the bad calls all went against them and they had to win in spite of the refs. Oh yeah - and a majority will want Cousins to go.
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A couple of other general things:
- The offensive resurgence is definitely due to a number of parts coming together all at once - a stable OLine, a QB who has seemingly reined in himself (only 24 attempts against the Lions to put up 27 points are rather Bart Starr-like numbers), and an OC/MLF calling more run plays and a QB actually running those as runs rather than passes (if rpo were an option, that is).
- Rodgers has, I feel, played with more maturity and professionalism since that 4-8 loss than he has in two years, at least. Kudos to you, Mr. Rodgers!
- We'll see Jordan Love in another teams' colors next year (possibly the Lions if they can move Goff in 23 or 24, or the Bears if they can sign him as a relatively cheap FA), and we'll regret it well into the 2030s. It is entirely possible that the Packers DID draft three HOF QBs in a row, but won't be keeping the last one. Of course, he could be another Blake Bortles, too. I just want to see him get a chance somewhere. But I think he'll be a great one that will cause us all to curse Mark Murphy's name into perpetuity.
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If Hamlin's collapse was indeed due to commotio cardis, then it is extremely unusual in itself and almost never heard of it football, being more an injury in projectile sports like baseball and hockey. It is usually fatal, and the extremely competent medical staffers at the stadium saved his life.
Commotio cardis, in itself, should cause no changes in the sport (other than ensuring AEDs and qualified staff are on both sidelines, which may already be the case), but the way the league handled the event shows that major changes MUST happen in New York. Frankly, Goodell had to have seen how Hamlin's collapse - and the CPR being performed on him - affected the players. And, according to ESPN, which is standing by its reporting, Goodell tried to force the teams to go back out and continue play. How in the hell could he expect ANYONE on either team to be mentally fit to do that? Goodell has been a terrible commissioner for the league, but not for the owners. The man should've been fired for what he DIDN'T do (until forced by the teams) on Monday night. Truly despicable.
So how does the league make up this game if it does indeed factor into playoff seeding? if the teams agree, flip a coin to determine the winner/gets a higher seed. The alternatives are probably a Week 19 featuring a single Cinn-Buff game and the playoffs pushed back a week (not happening due to already in place scheduling) , the two teams play an inter-week game before the playoffs (unfair to both teams and probably guaranteeing an early exit from the playoffs) and doubtful that it would be approved by the NFLPA, or MAYBE a split-squad situation where reserves from both teams, including all practice squad players, play the inter-week game. Again, this would need approval from the NFLPA. Personally, the coin flip makes the most sense...
And this entire scenario should already have been on the books in New York, in the currently non-existent section on "When to Postpone/call a Game". I would suggest that "player collapsing and being non-responsive and requiring CPR" should be Point 1 in that section. The following sub-section would be "How to Make up the Postponed Game (if that is even possible)".
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On a happier note, I'm very old school, Tim, but I think you're right about CBs having to have that swagger nowadays. Neon Deion Sanders, anyone? If it helps JA play at his best and doesn't cost us any penalties, than I say "go for it, Jaire"
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Come on Packers - prove that you're not just teasing us and win out the entire season! Come on AR, prove to me that I (and many others) are wrong when we say that you choke in the playoffs when the going gets tough! Beat the effing VIkings, 49ers, Eagles and whatever stiffs the AFC puts up so that I can post an I APOLOGISE FOR BEING WRONG ABOUT YOU post!
dobber
January 05, 2023 at 09:34 am
"The absolute worst thing to happen to this team now, IMO, is losing. Any game. Through the Super Bowl. Any loss will leave us where we've been all year, with an obviously dysfunctional internal power structure, an aging QB, and a seemingly ineffective head coach. "
So are you saying that winning is masking the underlying problems?...and that they're only problems up to winning the SB?
stockholder
January 05, 2023 at 12:25 pm
Through the Super Bowl.?? No way. Thats outside the division.
One game at a Time! Make the play-offs first.
The packers aren't masking anything.
The problem will be "getting back" what they need/have.
jurp
January 05, 2023 at 03:01 pm
Through the Super Bowl obviously means winning it, as there is no game after the Super Bowl. Duh,.
One game at a time - of course, but it will be a failed season once again if we don't win it all. Making the playoffs means nothing without succeeding by winning the big game. Taryn's Eyes is correct on that point. All 'making the playoffs' does is give you a poorer draft position. In the mid-70s - 80s we would've killed to get a playoff game, and we got one in what, 81? 82? Beat the Cardinals to get beaten by Dallas, I think. Does anyone remember this except us oldsters? I don't even remember the correct year. Does anyone at all care that we made the playoffs in 81 or 82? Hell no. Being excited about being in the playoffs is a waste of emotion. It should be an EXPECTATION that the Packers make the playoffs. Let the excitement begin when we start winning the actual playoff games.
I do believe that the way the team has gelled and with the playcalling we've been seeing that we have the talent to actually go all the way. This sentiment surprises me, given my attitude throughout the year. We'll see if it's a chimera on Sunday night. Sure hope not. I EXPECT the Packers to win. I'll finally be able to get excited when the (presumably) play the Vikings the next week.
jurp
January 05, 2023 at 02:53 pm
No, what I'm saying is that 9-8 with an out before the WINNING the Super Bowl puts us right back in 2023 where we were through week 12 in 2022, with Murphy's dysfunctional power structure making sure that no one is apparently on the same page, with a QB taking up a ton of salary cap, and with a head coach who appears to be out of his depth. And to make matters worse, we will have to part ways with more than a few excellent players (A Jones, Bahktiari, P Smith) and others like Amos to make it under the cap, so we'll have an even worse roster.
Win it all, and perhaps Murphy goes out on top, and possibly AR. I do feel that lately AR is finally playing up to his diminishing skillset - perhaps Clements has gotten through to him. Right now, he's not the problem he was earlier in the season.. Really nice to see him playing with passion again.
jont
January 05, 2023 at 09:07 am
A couple months ago I'd given up hope of playoffs: it isn't going to happen but it would be a memorable run if it did, I wrote. The old truth of football is "you are what your record says you are," and GB at 4-8 was bad.
Well, here we are, and I am eager to see the boys complete the run Sunday night. Turning it around is a major accomplishment and should be appreciated.
For several weeks many here have been writing that anything less than a super bowl is failure or at least seriously disappointing. I get it-- one judges the team against expectations, and almost everybody thought the Pack was going to be strong so 9-8 is not at all good. You are what your record says you are. Maybe a few expectations might have been slightly off?
I definitely want to see another Lombardi trophy, but I appreciate what this team has accomplished, and if all goes well Sunday, the next big run starts immediately after the final whistle.
TXCHEESE
January 05, 2023 at 09:34 am
Tim, prayers for you and your family on your loss. Lost a brother over the Thanksgiving holiday (also 65) and we will all remember him next Thanksgiving with a big hole in our hearts
.
Regarding the scary situation on Monday night, it has to be so tough for these players to push forward for this coming game. My best friend and his brother were both volunteer fire fighters and his brother was killed battling a structure fire when a wall collapsed on him and another team member. He had a terrible time pushing past that, telling me he had panic attacks for several months after that incident, when responding to alarms.
"Aaron Rodgers finally has a haircut I can stand to look at". Amen Brother!
GPG
PeteK
January 05, 2023 at 09:43 am
My condolences on your loss. DIY projects were never the same after my father passed, it was our bonding periods. Fathers are part of our fabric and I was fortunate to have a great one for almost 90 yrs
I know I have mentioned this ad nauseam but here we go again: 1993 we lost to Lions to end the season, but beat them the next week within a last minute 40 yard TD pass from Favre to Sharpe in the wildcard round. Somewhat a Deja Vu all over again.
Checklist: Keep our old friend Williams in check. he's having a great season with 15 TDs. Alexander must repeat last week's performance this time against St Brown who has 100 receptions so far this season. Finally, Hutchinson is peaking and I wonder which side of our line he will be attacking, will be an interesting watch vs Bak, Nijman, or Tom.
dobber
January 05, 2023 at 10:06 am
Between Watson and Jenkins/Bakhtiari: the combination of a real downfield threat making good on his opportunities (Watson) and an OL coming together to create running lanes and time to throw the ball in the passing game led to a stabilization of the offense. I think those two things naturally go together and forced opponents to finally defend the whole field...not just the first 10 yards. It just needs to figure out how to finish drives.
"Jaire's Swagger"
I want the Packers' defense to have swagger and attitude, something that leads to players playing fast and with enthusiasm. It's contagious and others feed off it, leading to them holding each other up and to have fun. Love to see that in the green 'n gold.
"Around the NFCN"
Bears are a bad football team, and they tore it down further this season in return for lottery tickets and cap space. As you state: Fields is a fantasy QB more than an NFL QB at this point. They'll spend heavily on the OL this offseason, but Fields may lose his legs before the supporting cast catches up with him.
The Vikings have led a charmed life in 2022, except when they've gotten beat---they really weren't in any of those four games, and the common denomiator has been DL play winning over their OL. Cook wasn't the threat he used to be. They win with chunk plays, and their defense sucks. Still, their record says they're a better-than-average team, and they can score points. They've got at least a puncher's chance every game they play.
The Lions are the Vikings with an OL and running game. They're front-runners. Their defense has been good enough to win with recently, but they still surrender a lot of yards between the 20s. Goff will still make mistakes if you can get to him, but he does a good enough job when he's protected.
Lions fans are happy to have the prime time slot on Sunday, but many feel it's a disadvantage for them to have the Seattle game done ahead of their game. They'd rather play ahead of that one (or concurrently), and I don't blame them. Still, whatever their playoff hopes are at kickoff, they're going to play hard and the Packers will have their hands full. They're the kind of offense that usually gives the Packers fits--a strong OL and run game, and enough weapons in the passing game to make plays downfield. Packers need to put up 7s against them. Period.
Lastly, best wishes to you and your family during these hard times. We all anticipate losing our parents--but it doesn't mean it doesn't suck when it happens.
jurp
January 05, 2023 at 03:07 pm
Losing to the already-out-of-it Lions and letting the SeaFuckingHawks get in would piss me off on Sunday, but I would enjoy watching them be destroyed the week after they beat the Vikings, assuming that MN retains the 2 seed.
BirdDogUni
January 05, 2023 at 10:57 am
I imagine your father and my father are talking with Vince and Bart about the Packers right now. I don't know how heaven works, but I like to imagine every Packer fan in heaven welcoming new arrivals. I'm sure your father was welcomed with open arms.
Go Pack Go!
Dragon5
January 05, 2023 at 11:48 am
Tim,
While no words can lighten the emotional burden that loved ones incur with death, I commend you for bringing it to light publicly. In many ways you are stirring up feelings not just in me, but thousands of Packer fan sons & daughters across the world, some who will recollect, rekindle, or repair their current relationship with their father.
I was never close to my Dad--while I respected his work ethic and charisma, one of my earliest memories was opening the door to our basement downstairs in shock as I witnessed my Dad holding my Mom in a headlock with a knife to her throat...I was 3; as a result, I grew up quickly. I resented him for most of my life for being a poor husband due to infidelity, a poor father for only engaging his three sons when he needed us to work, and perhaps most of all, knowing that he would throw his latter years away smoking 2+ packs of cigarettes a day. In 2015, after living in SoCal for 16 years, I returned to WI with my own family, hoping to mend a broken relationship before time closed the door. The trigger came 3 years ago in May 2020, when I spoke to him over the phone for all of 30 seconds as he tried to muster a few words suffering from near fatal pneumonia. He suffered permanent lung damage and is stage III COPD, nearing stage IV, his window quickly closing. In a time of darkness, a light shone threw as he quit smoking when he returned home from the hospital. Since that episode I have religiously driven up to Green Bay once or twice a month to help him carry on his 25 acre homestead for which all things taken for granted, not to mention chores, are now a daily struggle. Our bond has grown with each visit, and while it kills me to see him forefeit the best years of his homestead dream, I can appreciate the back-breaking dedication it took to build it, appreciate what a real father-son relationship feels like, and consquently build the best bond I can with my own two sons.
mnbadger
January 05, 2023 at 12:31 pm
Keep your chin up Tim and family. Soon the tears will turn more and more to smiles and laughter.
Thank you for entertaining us, it's the little things like this that help so much when real life issues cause heartache.
GPG!
cdoemel
January 05, 2023 at 05:21 pm
I was born in GB in ‘57, on Langlade right around the corner from Lambeau. We could stand on the front stoop and here the crowd roar! So I guess I’m old? Tho I don’t feel old. I think the swag and attitude of Jaire and Keisean and the like is fun, infectious to teammates, effective and appropriate in this case because it’s mostly backed up and done without malice. Jaire said, “best on best”, not best on trash or something deragatory. Character matters in GB