MLF over rules Mennenga. Clearly it should happen more often.

So, are the Special Teams suffering from..."Mennengitis"?

Game Balls:

Aaron Rodgers/Davante Adams - I guess this is just an automatic game ball at this point. There is no QB/WR tandem that is playing as well as these 2 are right now.

MVS - This IMO was MVS's best game as a Packer! He caught everything his way. And it wasn't just him catching the ball it was how he was catching the ball. He caught everything with his hands. He made the great back shoulder catch for a TD. That is a play that MVS hasn't really made before. IF he can make that a consistent part of his game, he will become very hard to defend. His 3rd and 14 catch was also very impressive but also very important at the time. The only negative that I saw was the holding penalty. Lets be real though, that happens to every player. He is one of our best blocking WR's.
A side note about MVS. I think he might be one of those types of WR's that needs an early catch to get in the game mentally. I would like to see them trying to find the ball early in the games on easy plays.

Tonyan - He didn't have a monster game. He had 5 catches for 36 yards and 1 TD. It was big moments that he had catches. 2 of his 5 catches came in the 4th quarter. He also had another in the drive at the end of the 3rd quarter going into the 4th. That play was a 3rd down play that set up his TD catch. But when the game was one the line he got them the first down on 3rd down to seal the win.

Crosby - I thought the Packers should have punted the ball and pin the Lions back. Especially after they had to move the ball back. I was wrong. Crosby absolutely drilled that 57 yard FG! And not only that, the next kickoff the coverage unit absolutely sucked and who was there to stop the return man. Crosby!

Lame Calls:

Special Teams coverage - Can't we have 1 game where we aren't allowing a huge return? They better get this cleaned up because in the playoffs you have to play well in all 3 phases. 1 phase lets you down, you are out of the playoffs. They better figure this thing out quick!!!

Notes:

Tavon Austin Debut - I really like the looks of Austin in our offense. He adds a spark to it. I love Ervin in our offense, but i kind of feel like Austin might add a bit more. He is more explosive. Austin could be a really, really good fit in our offense. A player to really keep an eye on as we get closer to the playoffs.

Vernon Scott - A player I really hope they get on the field more. I hope he replaces Redmond in the Nickel/Dime packages. Scott is just a better player. He takes really good angles. He hits harder. He plays better coverage. I hope we start to see him over Redmond. I think he offers a greater upside.

Dean Lowry - It feels like his game has improved the last few weeks. I could be wrong but it feels like he has improved.

NFC NORTH CHAMPS! A playoff spot clinched and earned the number 1 seed as of today. Yesterday couldn't have gone any better for GB!

The NFL needs to do *something* about the defensive holding penalty. I'm not sure what, but games should not be decided principally based upon which team is better at "not holding."

Short yardage: Well we made all of 3rd and 1"s this week I believe, that's a nice a change. Also the pass to Tonyan on the play to get the first down to end the game. We run that play lot and it seems like its always successful, never big yards but it gets what its designed for.

Lowry was a beast in this game, making 4 tackles and a sack. His game is shaping up just in time for a playoff run. It was great to see the Packers shut down the lions run game early and often. Their run D is getting better and his play is part of the reason. Let’s hope he continues with this type of playing.

Grateful for the NFC title and higher seed. Can't lose sight of the fact that we squeaked by a lesser team without its top two corners and top WR. Almost letting them back in the game in the 4th quarter with mistakes and penalties in every facet of the game is inexcusable. If 'good enough' is the motto - then we are the best.

I thought Coach Lafleur was going to fire Pettine right on the spot with the 12 men on the field. Pettine looked lost behind his call sheet. Maybe Pettine and Mennenga are spies.

This team is ruining my marriage.

""that's a lot of faith and belief in his abilities.....and I'm just glad he made us right." "

A lot of self awareness and humility on the part of LaF in that quote.

Can't judge much by playing a bad d like Lions. But their offense is ok. It seems that Pettine has started bringing on more pressure. That definitely got to Stafford. But it does seem we might need more press or man coverage. It wasn't bad but certainly not great and not SB level.

I didn't watch the questions after the game but where's the guy that asked 'how he can stand playing MVS' a few weeks back? Maybe now he could ask how he can stand ST play/coaching?

It is true that our best defense is a great offense, but the problem is if in the playoffs our offense doesn't get the ball enough because the defense allows seemingly endless drives that consume the clock.
Against the Colts, we were up 28-14 at halftime; but then our offense was hardly on the field the rest of the game -- and we lost in overtime 31-34.
The Eagles offense started the game against us by holding the ball more then 11 out of 15 minutes in the first quarter.
Playoff defenses are going to stop our great offense at times; and then playoff offense are going to be more difficult to keep off the field.
If our offense has a couple of three-and-outs, all of a sudden we're stuck watching our defense give up first down after first down in an exasperating exhibition of football follies.
We shouldn't have to put our blood pressure to the test like that

What I wrote above is worth repeating, but I didn't mean to.

Well written summary of the game Ken. I laughed my "Lass" off reading it. You hit every nail square on the head! To me watching these games is like sitting in the dentist chair getting a tooth drilled without novocaine. We just have to face it. The offense has to score 30 and then just hang on baby! Thats the MO of this team this year while last year was just win ugly. I don't like it anymore than the next fan but its alot better than the alternative of getting your heart ripped out at the end. Go Pack!!

Game balls to MVS for his catches as well as his blocking. His contested catches are great. If he could focus as well on the easier throws he's be a great addition. The offensive line for pass protection. Crosby and MLF for the confidence to get points.
Lame calls to the overall special teams plan again. Poor lane discipline once again nearly cost a game. Special teams once contributed to a Super Bowl win and now may prevent playing there. Lame call to Kings tackling.

“To the surprise of absolutely no one, Green Bay's defense then allowed the door to reopen.” I believe that what we are seeing with teams like us and the Chiefs playing soft coverage with leads is simple math. The coaches look at the probabilities, and the time consumption of drives and decide it is now time to sit back in coverage and chew up the clock. What throws off the calculus is the big play on special teams...which seems to happen repeatedly these days.

Adams is a beast! Only can imagine what his season would look like if he didn't miss two games? NFL records. Happy for his Packer's record of 8 straight games with a td. Hopefully will tie AJ Green's record of 9 next week.

St. Brown, Black and Redmond were the main culprits on the long kick return! How in de hell is St. Brown our outside cover man on the kick off team??? He doesn’t want to hit anyone! He raced down the field and danced with a would be blocker....absolutely horrible!
Redmond took a bad angle and Black could not get off a block!
Kick off cover guys need to be soft in the head....that play in football is not for wimps! We either start directional or pop up kicking or we need new personnel!

JUST WIN BABY !
10-3 Let's go!
Love the chemistry.

The difference between a good team and a bad team, in the NFL, is sometimes just a couple players. The Packers have struggled a lot in Detroit, over the years, even with the great Favre teams. To win a road division game is always tough and I never look at records for those games as it seems you can throw them out the window. A solid road win,IMO, against a motivated team in their house as alot are playing for their jobs next year. In spite of our dreadful soft defensive play I feel we can be very dangerous in the playoffs if our ST play was even just average

Home field advantage!! I don't agree that the O line was outstanding. Passing was, even though Rogers was hurried a few times against a 4 man rush. Run blocking was mediocre, 3.9 against a less than stellar and beat up D, and this is with some hard and elusive running from our backs. It's just puzzling that we aren't running the ball better with our great passing attack .

I know I should be happy but I’m dreading the Titans game. If at any point during that game we line up with 6 defensive backs, Pettine should be escorted from the field immediately and checked into the nearest hospital with a non injury related concussion. Which I never knew existed until I saw fox scolling it about frank gore Sunday.

It sure would be nice if Preston Smith would make more than one play a game.

Fun game!