Well, it finally caught up to them. I had been amazed — I still am actually — that Dom Capers was able to put a really good defense on the field week after week when player after player went down with injury. I was impressed that McCarthy’s offense managed to put points on the board without it’s starting RB, TE and RT (all on IR).
But, when Aaron Rodgers went down with another concussion against the Lions, that’s probably all she wrote for the Packers playoff hopes. The Lions was a must win game for the Pack, and they didn’t. They have little chance of beating the best team in the NFL on the road with Matt Flynn under center. It was going to be hard enough with Rodgers holding things together. Now, it will take a minor miracle to pull it off. That would leave the Packers at 8-6 with games left against the Bears (who get the toothless Vikings outside the dome) and the Giants. Both of those teams currently hold tie-breakers over the Pack. A loss to the Patriots and wins by those teams this week will almost certainly leave the Packers looking to the draft again in April.
As much as I’d like to blame Thompson (and if you go by record and playoff appearances alone, the guy hasn’t had what you’d call a great run as a GM) because his personality bugs me, but I can’t. No GM in the world could have properly prepared for all of the injuries that have befallen the Packers. Now, he could have done something different than 3 fullbacks and 4 tight ends with just 2 running backs to start the season. Although, we’ve gone through almost all of the TE’s. But, the fact that the Packers have sustained as many injuries as they have, and they still have a winning record shows you some depth exists and some good coaching.
If they were all healthy, I have no doubt this team would not have lost 2 overtime games or dropped this last game to Detroit. Wait ’til next year I’ve heard people say. Well, Nick Barnett will be a year older and Desmond Bishop can play. Charles Woodson will be a year older and Lee and Underwood can’t play. Donald Driver is nearing the end and Jones and Nelson are inconsistent. Clifton is almost done and Bulaga is manning the other side of the line. Ryan Grant is getting close to that age that running backs lose it. And then there’s that pesky Collective Bargain Agreement thing. There might not be a next year. I doubt either side will let that happen, but it’s possible.
Next year, next year, next year. Hmm, starting to sound a lot like the Brewers. I’ts been since 1997′s season that I got to watch them go to the Super Bowl. I’m tired of next year. I want this year. Unfortunately, I’m probably not going to get my Christmas wish.
