The Who Dat? Nation has finally reached the top of the mountain.

They did so as the New Orleans Saints pulled off a dramatic 31-17 upset of the Indianapolis [...]]]> (Before we begin: I wasn’t going to write a recap of this game at first. Then I realized that we’re roughly nine months away from the next meaningful NFL game. That changed my mind.)

The Who Dat? Nation has finally reached the top of the mountain.

They did so as the New Orleans Saints pulled off a dramatic 31-17 upset of the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday night in Miami.

Since plenty of other commentators have weighed in on what this means, not just to the Saints but to the city of New Orleans as a whole, I’m going to focus strictly on the game itself. There’s plenty of enough to talk about there, anyways.

The Saints’ turnaround from “Aints” to champions was keyed by two people – head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees – and it’s really no surprise those two were the reasons the Saints were victorious Sunday.

(Just a quick, completely uncalled for reminder: Vikings’ fans STILL have no idea what this feels like)

Payton rebounded from his conservative approach in the NFC title game two weeks ago on Sunday with a masterfully aggressive gameplan. It wasn’t always smart and it didn’t always work – the decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal late in the second quarter was baffling, to say the least – but by being aggressive, he showed his team he had confidence in them at every single turn. In sports, that stuff matters.

It certainly mattered on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Payton and Co. shocked the nation by going for an onside kick. After a lengthy pile-up (which had to have been the craziest pile ever), the Saints came away with not only the ball, but the momentum. And when Brees led the offense down for a score – giving the Saints a 13-10 lead – it was official that, no matter what Indianapolis did to counter that, the Colts would be behind the cliched eight-ball the rest of the way.

In the biggest games of your life, you turn it loose. Payton did just that.

Of course, it’s easy to turn it loose when you have a signal-caller like Brees.

As Adam said in giving his prediction, New Orleans’ hopes would rest on Brees’ shoulders. By going 32-of-39 for 288 yards and two touchdowns (no interceptions), Brees showed he was more than up to the task, turning in the closest thing a quarterback can to a perfect game. Playing behind a dominant offensive line (seriously, was he pressured more than a handful of times?), the game’s MVP found every single open patch in Indianapolis’ Cover 2 defense. He spread the ball around to eight different receivers and showed that, if anyone doubts he should be considered the game’s best quarterback, they should doubt no more.

Payton and Brees have become the league’s elite coach-quarterback combo. When you have that, more often that not, you’re going to be the best.

The Saints were Sunday. And it’s absolutely deserved.

Other random thoughts on the Super Bowl

• Peyton Manning had his chance to become the best quarterback ever in this one and he blew it. Sure, he completed over 66 percent of his passes for 333 yards, but it was a very non-discript 333 yards. And with the game hanging the balance, Manning made a terrible throw to Reggie Wayne that Tracy Porter (officially my favorite non-Packer) picked and took to the house for the game-clinching score. Manning is still top 10, but he’s nowhere close to where he could have been (plus, Brees has surpassed him as the best in the game today). Somewhere, Joe Montana is smiling. His status as the best ever is safe.
• I tried to tell you The Who should be stopped. If you doubted me then, you can’t now after watching their abysmal halftime performance. They just can’t get it done anymore. Can we officially declare the 1960s are over, for God’s sake? Can the NFL get a band that actually, you know, appeals to its target demograpic (me, for example)? How about Pearl Jam? Or Kings of Leon, maybe? Why does the halftime show always have to be classic rock radio?
• Sort of a down year for the commercials. That said, I had two favorites (for different reasons). The funniest was the David Letterman/Oprah/Jay Leno promo for Letterman’s show. Hilarious. The best was the Megan Fox ad for…well, I don’t even know what it was for. Megan Fox in a tub? Yikes. Here’s how you know it made an impact. Adam and I were having a conversation. We stopped when the commercial came on. When it was over, I said, “What were we talking about?” He stared blankly at me before responding, “I can’t remember.” That’s the effect Fox has on men. I doubt we were the only guys experiencing this.
• I love, love, love that Boomer Esiason and Dan Marino were the two former quarterbacks-turned analysts for CBS’ halftime show. Two guys who know a little something about Super Bowl-winning quarterbacking right there. They know as much as you and I do about that.
• Esiason had another gem, too, when talking about Brees holding his recently-born son on the field after the game was over. Esiason: “It’s really a great moment between a father and son.” He said it as though every father and son experiences that. Yeah, I remember when my dad and I did that after he won it back in ‘81. We talk about it all the time. And, again, what would YOU know about that anyways, Boomer?
• Next year, the Super Bowl is in Dallas. How ’bout the Pack goes down there and wins it, shoving it right in Jerry Jones’ cosmetically-altered face? How fun would that be? Just saying…

-Chris Lempesis

It was all set up.

One of, if not the, greatest non-Super Bowl playoff wins for the Green Bay Packers was about to happen.

Then, in the blink of an eye, a snap of the finger, there was the mob of red jerseys celebrating in the endzone.

Huh? What? How?

Once again, we found out sea changes happen just [...]]]> It was all there.

It was all set up.

One of, if not the, greatest non-Super Bowl playoff wins for the Green Bay Packers was about to happen.

Then, in the blink of an eye, a snap of the finger, there was the mob of red jerseys celebrating in the endzone.

Huh? What? How?

Once again, we found out sea changes happen just that quickly in the postseason. Once again, one happened Sunday.

And once again Green Bay was on the losing end.

Karlos Dansby’s 17-yard touchdown in overtime, off an Aaron Rodgers fumble, gave the Arizona Cardinals a 51-45 win, ending the Packers’ season. Green Bay finishes with an 11-6 record.

It had been an epic display of grit from the youthful Packers up until that point. Trailing 31-10 early in the second half -  and having trailed 17-0 earlier in the game – Green Bay powered back. The offense became unstoppable, scoring 35 points in the final two quarters (21 in the fourth alone).

Then, when it seemed like it just wouldn’t be enough, Neil Rackers whiffed on a 34-yard field goal with 14 seconds left.

Well, sure, that was great. But you knew they wouldn’t win the coin toss. Then, though, they did. They did win the coin toss! Tails never fails!!

Green Bay was a lock to go down the field and put the winning points on the board. Arizona’s defense hadn’t stopped the Packers in hours. And this time, we didn’t have a turnover-prone quarterback.

But there was the back-breaking turnover. The jerseys change but the results are the same, apparently.

As brilliant as Rodgers was for much of the game (28-of-42, a team-record 422 yards, four touchdowns, one interception), the two mistakes he made came at perhaps the two worst times to make them. His foolish interception, on the first play from scrimmage, led to a 7-0 Cardinals lead. That got the crowd fully into the game and gave a shot of life to Arizona, as a team. And as much as you might want to blame the offensive line for the sack that led to Rodgers’ fumble in overtime, the fault really lies with the young signal-caller.

He held on to the ball far too long – again – and when he was hit, he failed to hang on – again. Rodgers truly has the skills to become an elite quarterback in the league. Honestly, I think he’s pretty close right now. But he still waits for plays to develop longer than allowed at times and he needs to develop better ball security when he gets hit. At this point, those are about the only two things holding him back and it’s a damn shame they both came to light on the game-ending play.

(Please note: If you are a parent, spouse, family member or friend of anyone involved with the Packers’ defense, you should probably stop reading…now)

Of course, Rodgers and Co. were the only thing keeping Green Bay in the game. The defense wasn’t doing a damn thing, that’s for sure.

Where was the group of hard-charging, quarterback-bashing, turnover-forcing animals we’d gotten so used to seeing as the season progressed? Did they even get on the plane?

The performance of Green Bay’s defense was an out-and-out joke. They generated zero pressure on Kurt Warner, couldn’t cover the middle of the field and forced a putrid five third downs (oh yeah, Arizona converted three of them). They couldn’t tackle and, at times, looked like they weren’t even trying to tackle, instead going for ball strips on countless plays. The ball strip approach, by the way, worked exactly once – on Charles Woodson’s strip of Larry Fitzgerald in the second quarter. But yet they kept at it. Not really sure why.

As bad as all that was, the worst aspect of the atrocious performance was that the league’s second-ranked run defense was shredded to the tune of 156 yards. No pressure in the run gaps and no containment of any kind. A unit that shut down Ray Rice, Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson (twice!) couldn’t stop “Beanie” Wells and Tim Hightower? Are you KIDDING me?

Warner, even without the injured Anquan Boldin, was brilliant, no question (29-of-33, 379 yards, five touchdowns, no inteceptions). If there’s any doubt he’s a Hall-of-Famer, it died Sunday. And the receivers/backs found the open spaces and ran tough. Tip your hat to them for that. But Green Bay’s paper tiger defense made it a whole hell of a lot easier for them, time and time again.

We’re left with no other option than to think that there are some major weaknesses on this defense, weaknesses that must be addressed in the offseason.

As mighty as the offense was, there are holes on that unit, as well. Daryn Colledge, for example.

We will discuss how the Packers should address these deficencies in the days and weeks ahead. For now, though, none of that matters.

All that matters is that a brilliant, but ultimately wasted, comeback means we have to chalk up another playoff heartbreaker on our collective resume. Owens’ catch in ‘99. Losing at Lambeau for the first time in ‘03. Fourth-and-26 in ‘04. Favre’s OT interception in ‘08.

And now, losing the highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history.

What a long, cold offseason it looks to be.

-Chris Lempesis

But what they showed should make the defending NFC Champs mighty nervous.

Without giving it all away, the Packers were still able to earn a dominating 33-7 road win over the Cardinals in the regular season finale for both squads. The Packers, who [...]]]> The Green Bay Packers didn’t show the Arizona Cardinals everything they could do Sunday.

But what they showed should make the defending NFC Champs mighty nervous.

Without giving it all away, the Packers were still able to earn a dominating 33-7 road win over the Cardinals in the regular season finale for both squads. The Packers, who finished the regular season 11-5, now turn their focus to next week’s wild card matchup, once again against Arizona. 

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Lambeau Time next Sunday.

Offensively, Green Bay didn’t do much more than it normally does. Donald Driver wasn’t quarterbacking some weird version of the wildcat offense or anything. Nor were the Packers simply calling for dive plays or five-yard out routes.

Green Bay ran some multiple-receiver sets, some short-yardage packages and its usual array of run plays. What the Packers did while running them, though, is an entirely different story. Simply put, they dominated Arizona’s defense.

Aaron Rodgers (why can’t he be in the MVP race if Judas is? Can someone answer me that, please?) picked Arizona apart, completing 21-of-26 passes for 235 yards and a score (no interceptions). Playing behind an increasingly improved offensive line, he continues to throw with a newfound confidence. If the old saying is true that a team goes as far as its quarterback takes them, the Packers could be in for a nice little run here.

The receivers attacked Arizona’s secondary and Ryan Grant (11 carries, 51 yards and a touchdown in just one half of football) is running harder than I’ve ever seen him run. Please, Mike – don’t forget about Grant come next Sunday.

Yes, the Cardinals weren’t blitzing a ton (that’ll change next week) and they might not have played with much fire (Minnesota’s win earlier in the day pretty much locked them into the No. 4 spot so they had little to play for).

But with the way Green Bay came at them Sunday, it’ll be up to them to up their level of play come next weekend. Because Green Bay’s will stay the same, if not improve.

Things bode just as well for the Packers’ defense. It’s true that Kurt Warner only played the first quarter. But he was the only player, really for the entire Cardinals team, to get pulled extremely early.

Against Arizona’s starting offensive line, Green Bay generated pressure without blitzing more than a handful of times. Once Dom Capers jacks up the pressure gage next Sunday, Warner will feel the heat, quick release or not.

The Cardinals didn’t really try to run the ball. But when they did, they got nothing.

And the most exciting thing to come out of the defensive performance? The Packers showed they can indeed cover Arizona’s lethal receiving corps. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, before he got hurt (a possible knee/ankle sprain, something to keep an eye on in the week ahead), were blanketed for much of the afternoon.

Charles Woodson (if he isn’t Defensive Player of the Year, they should just stop handing out the award), Tramon Williams and Atari Bigby all came up with picks. Again, if those guys could do that with little blitzing, imagine what they could do if Warner has to throw quicker than he’d like.

These things come together to form a picture of a team that cared, a team that wanted to win Sunday. The Packers know they’ve got a great deal of momentum at the perfect time. More than that, this team seems to understand – believe it or not, some don’t – that you don’t get those two things at the same time very often. They were intent on keeping that going.

The Cardinals played things differently. They knew they were at home next week against the Packers no matter what. No point in killing yourself over a “meaningless” game. That vibe radiated off their entire team Sunday.

The problem with that, though, is that Arizona will now have to try to flip the switch in a very short amount of time. To go from not caring to caring is a big step in the NFL, especially in the postseason. The Cardinals did it last season, yes, but it’s hard to imagine they could do it again.

Luckily for the Packers, they don’t have such concerns.

The light turned on for them a long time ago. And it sure doesn’t seem like they plan on letting anyone turning it off.

-Chris Lempesis

You know what? I’m going to say that one again, this time with feeling:

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS ARE IN THE (EXPLETIVE DELETED) PLAYOFFS!

YES!!

Sunday’s 48-10 home demolition of the woeful Seattle Seahawks – what’s happened to THEM? – combined with a New York Giants loss puts the now 10-5 [...]]]> The Green Bay Packers are in the playoffs.

You know what? I’m going to say that one again, this time with feeling:

THE GREEN BAY PACKERS ARE IN THE (EXPLETIVE DELETED) PLAYOFFS!

YES!!

Sunday’s 48-10 home demolition of the woeful Seattle Seahawks – what’s happened to THEM? – combined with a New York Giants loss puts the now 10-5 Packers back in the posteason after a one year absence.

The game itself was a mini-vacation to bizzaro world – A.J. Hawk and Jarrett Bush had interceptions and Brandon Jackson and Ahman Green combined for four touchdowns, after all – so we won’t really be focusing on that.

Instead, let’s take a look ahead at the possible playoff opponents for the Packers. Things won’t fully shake out until late Sunday afternoon next week – the numerous scenarios are truly mind-boggling as Gene and I figured out on the phone Sunday night - but for now there are four possible opponents for Green Bay. And here they are, ranked by least-to-most fearful:

1. Arizona Cardinals, 10-5, winners of the NFC West – The Cardinals, who will play the Pack next week, present some difficult matchups, no question about it. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin form the best receiver tandem in the game, Kurt Warner can pick defenses apart with his quick release and the defense is much better than it gets credit for. Plus, this group knows how to win in January. It’s still weird to say that about the Cards, but it’s true. On the other hand, the Cards don’t present much of a threat in the ground game, offensively (27th in rushing) or defensively (19th in run defense). The Packers’ ever-improving run game could take advantage there, allowing Green Bay to eat time up and keep the offense off the field. When Arizona’s offense is on the field, Warner is pretty immobile and prone to turning the ball over at times. The Packers could be able to tee off on Warner, as he plays behind a somewhat shaky offensive line.
2. Dallas Cowboys, 10-5, second place in NFC East – The Cowboys clinched a spot with their win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday night. A win over Philadelphia next week will give Dallas the division. The Cowboys seem to have pulled themselves out of their usual December nosedive, Tony Romo is playing better ball as of late and the front seven can still wreak havoc for opposing offenses. Plus, as Gene likes to say, the mob refs will be in the house for the first playoff game at Jerry Jones’ new palace. Don’t discount the trouble that could cause. On the other hand, Green Bay already proved it could beat Dallas (a 17-7 win in early November saved the Pack’s season). Outside of Jason Whitten and Miles Austin, Dallas doesn’t have much in the way of gamebreaking talent on offense. Quick throws and timely running can stifle the Cowboys’ pass rush. Finally, with all the pressure that will surely be on Romo and head coach Wade Phillips, don’t you think a quick 10-0 or 14-3 deficit would cause Dallas to fall apart fast? I sure do.
3. Minnesota Vikings, 11-3, winners of the NFC North – Believe it or not, the Packers could be in for round three versus Judas in the first round of the playoffs. Just thinking about that almost makes my head explode. Can you imagine? Anyways, obviously we know about the troubles Minnesota presents. In two wins over Green Bay this year, the Vikings got stellar efforts from Judas, the receivers and the offensive line. The defense was pretty good, too, particularly in rushing Aaron Rodgers. On the other hand, this would not be the same Vikings team Green Bay saw earlier. Judas is doing his usual December flopping act (plus, there’s trouble in paradise between him and head coach Brad Childress). Adrian Peterson is still being shutdown far too often. Percy Harvin’s medical issues take away a key Judas target. Most importantly, the defense is not the same monster it was. The front four is tiring considerably as the season goes on and E.J. Henderson’s gruesome knee injury took away the leader of the defense. Most importantly, the Packers proved to themselves in the second half of the second game that they could indeed play with Minnesota. They didn’t know that before, in my mind. A third meeting would give them a chance to see that through.
4. Philadelphia Eagles, 11-4, first place in the NFC East – Without question, the worst possible matchup for the Packers in the first round. Donovan McNabb can still avoid pressure with the best of them and is usually great in January. The defense thrives on pressure and turnovers (much like Green Bay). What scares me the most, though, is the overall offensive speed Philly has. I’m not knocking Green Bay’s defense or anything, but let’s be honest: It’s not the fastest group you’ve ever seen. You saw Minnesota take advantage of that twice already this season. I mean, I see the name DeSean Jackson and I see six catches, 131 yards and two scores against the Packers’ defense. Jeremy Maclin is also a burner and Brent Celek has emerged as a top-five tight end this season. On the other hand, the Eagles haven’t really beaten anybody special as their four biggest wins have come over New York (twice), a Matt Ryan-less Atlanta and Denver. There might not be a playoff team in that bunch if Denver misses out. Philly is also not much of a threat to run the ball, healthy Brian Westbrook or not, and head coach Andy Reid can get tight in big games. A game with the Eagles would almost surely be a high-scoring affair, which could play into Green Bay’s hands because of its ability to run the ball.

Anyway you slice it, the Packers will be in for a fight. It’s the playoffs, after all.

But ever since the loss to Tampa Bay – seven weeks ago, essentially a lifetime in the NFL – the Packers have shown an ability to fight, an ability to battle back from adversity. They’re mentally prepared for what they will face.

So, in the end, maybe we shouldn’t worry so much about our young, sometimes bipolar, Packers. Maybe we shouldn’t worry at all.

Our squad is in the playoffs. The season is already a smashing success.

I know I’m smiling.

-Chris Lempesis

The Packers claimed neither, though, dropping a gut-wrenching 37-36 road decision to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Green Bay now sits at 9-5 on the season and while the Packers still hold the top wild card [...]]]> A sixth consecutive win and a spot in the postseason were there for the taking for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

The Packers claimed neither, though, dropping a gut-wrenching 37-36 road decision to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Green Bay now sits at 9-5 on the season and while the Packers still hold the top wild card spot, things are definitely tighter than they were heading into the weekend.

Unacceptably bad kicking from Mason Crosby and shoddy, ineffective defense wasted a great, gutsy performance from the offense.

We have to begin with Crosby. In short, it’s time for the Packers to suck it up and get rid of the third-year kicker.

His miss on a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter marks the fourth game in a row where he’s missed a kick of less than 45 yards. Those points ultimately made the difference in the final score. You can say it should have never come to that – and, in part, you’d be right. But in close games, you have to get points when points are there. And on a 34-yard field goal, they’re there.

I just wrote on Friday that the Packers had been able to cover up for Crosby’s mistakes as of late. Well, they weren’t able to Sunday. It’s unfair to ask a team to cover for the mistakes of a kicker, which is why a new kicker needs to be in the fold. Do not stand up there and tell us you still have confidence in him, Mike, when he doesn’t have any in himself.

Despite Crosby’s miscues, the team still had multiple shots to win this game.

The offense did its part.

Aaron Rodgers, after a sluggish start, finished with 383 yards passing, three touchdowns and no interceptions (he also had one rushing score). He was dead-on with most of his throws in the second half. The receivers rebounded in similar fashion and were great in finding open spots, hanging on to the ball and making defenders miss. Jermichael Finley (nine catches, 74 yards and a great, leaping touchdown) continues to look like a future Pro Bowler and the offensive line held up against a tough, hard-charging front seven. You can argue that the team should have run the ball more – eight carries for Ryan Grant? – but when you put up 36 points, 22 of which came in the fourth quarter, that should always, always be enough.

But the defense, so good over the past five weeks, ultimately let Green Bay down.

There were, of course, multiple reasons Big Ben (I’m refusing to type his last name) threw for 503 yards and made Packers fans have awful flashbacks to Bob Sanders’ defenses of last season.

One was the overall effort. It wasn’t there. Outside of Clay Matthews, Nick Barnett and Cullen Jenkins, the defense simply did not play with the same passion it had played with recently. The Steelers outhustled Green Bay for much of the game. The Packers looked gassed at the end, but really, they didn’t look that sharp at the beginning of the game, either.

Secondly, Dom Capers did not call as good of a game as he had been doing as of late. Coverage was emphasized over pressure far too often. Against a bad offensive line, such as Pittsburgh’s, Capers needed to focus on bringing the heat. Big Ben is hard to bring down, yes, but you cannot let him sit back there and pick you apart, either. If you’re thin in the secondary – as Green Bay is minus Al Harris but with Jarrett Bush – you have to make up for that by bringing pressure. Eight defensive backs against five wide receivers should play into your favor – but not if more than one of those defensive backs stinks.

That was the case through and through on the Steelers’ game-winning drive, especially on the game-ending touchdown pass to Mike Wallace, and it brought back too many images of the coverage-heavy defenses Capers ran earlier in the season, when the pass defense struggled.

Finally, Pittsburgh’s ability (or maybe it was Green Bay’s inability) to find the right matchups for its playmakers played a huge part in the defensive woes. B.J. Raji on Heath Miller? Bush on Hines Ward? Barnett on Santonio Holmes? How did these things continually happen? I’m not sure, but I do know that Capers’ unit was continually outsmarted until the defending champs finally walked out victorious.

In the end, as much as this loss hurts right now (and believe me, it really hurts…I mean, Adam texted me that he was so sick over it he wasn’t even able to drink whiskey, which, believe me, says something), it might not hurt the Packers’ chances that much.

They are still the top wild card team and have games against a decrepit Seattle team (at home) and an Arizona team (on the road) that might not have much of anything to play for left on the docket.

Win even one of those games and the postseason should be a lock.

Still, the troubles seen Sunday must be corrected – and now – to avoid them coming back to hurt Green Bay in the more meaningful games that, hopefully, lie ahead.

-Chris Lempesis

I was waiting to say it. I wanted to say it, but I didn’t want to rush. It’s a problem I have.

Now, [...]]]> (Before we begin: I’d normally apologize for this recap going up so late. But there was a reason for it tonight. I wanted to wait and see how the Philadelphia/New York game turned out.)

I was waiting to say it. I wanted to say it, but I didn’t want to rush. It’s a problem I have.

Now, though, I think we can officially say it: Reserve a spot for the Green Bay Packers in the tournament. They’re going to the playoffs.

The Packers’ 21-14 road win over the hated Chicago Bears on Sunday – their fifth win in a row – puts them at 9-4 on the season. Couple that with losses by the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants and Green Bay now has, essentially, a two-game wild card lead on both teams with just three games remaining.

The game with Chicago was itself a showing that a Packers postseason appearance will not be a fluke.

As I’ve done so many times over the past five weeks, I’m going to start with the defense. When you’re No. 1 in that area, you kind of have to.

Outside of two drives where Jay Cutler was, in a word, perfect, Green Bay’s defense shut Chicago down. Drive after drive, the group continues to play at an elite level. The best thing about that is that it’s happening at all three levels. The defensive line was without Ryan Pickett (hamstring) – and his absence was noticeable – but the group still did its job, particularly in the run game as Matt Forte was held to just 51 yards rushing.

The linebacking corps was perhaps even better. Nick Barnett is officially back to 2007 Nick Barnett, Clay Matthews had a sack and drew two huge penalties on Bears left tackle Chris Williams and A.J. Hawk was – gasp! – pretty good in multiple facets.

And if those two groups are good, what the hell do you say about the secondary? Charles Woodson made numerous big plays (and IS your 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year), Nick Collins had the game-changing interception (his fifth in sixth games as he continues his “Pay me Ted! Tour”) and the oft-picked on Tramon Williams came up with a big sack on Chicago’s final drive.

Opponents almost have to be perfect to have success against this defense. That can take you a long way in January.

The offense wasn’t great, stumbling and stammering at times, but the group did some nice things Sunday, things that can also take a team a long way come next month.

No. 1, of course, is that the offensive line protected Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers was only sacked twice and pressured very few other times. Sunday wasn’t his best effort (just 180 yards and no touchdowns), but that’s because the focus, offensively, was on running the ball.

The unit did that pretty damn well, too. Ryan Grant had one of his best days in awhile with 137 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. He continues to run with grit and determination. Grant, like Barnett, is looking a lot like he did two years ago and his resurgence has been an underrated part of this team’s recent successes. And if he keeps this up, the Pack could have an edge in those cold-weather playoff environments.

One final thing that we saw Sunday that bodes well for Green Bay in the postseason: The bona fide matchup nightmare that is Jermichael Finley.

At one point during the game, I said to one of my friends that if you were to build the perfect weapon in a lab somewhere, there’s a good chance you’d build Finley. If your defender is quick, Finley uses his size and strength to beat him. If he’s big and strong, Finley uses his athleticism to gain an edge. He had five catches for 70 yards (one fumble lost) as it was clear the Bears could not figure out how to stop him. He’s one of Rodgers’ top reads on almost every play. At this point, I’d say that’s a smart approach. He’s another x-factor for the Pack come January.

And if none of these things make you feel extremely excited about where this team is heading, keep this simple fact in mind: This is a game Green Bay loses last season.

Once the Bears went up 14-13, last year’s Packers would have deflated a bit. The defense would not have kept fighting and the offense would have fallen out of synch, likely done in by poor playcalling.

Not this year’s Packers, though. This team kept its wits and kept battling until it was able to turn things its way and come out with a win. That should tell you all you need to know about this Green Bay squad.

The talent has always been there. A potent dose of resiliency has been added to the mix.

January’s coming. And the Packers will be a tough out. Bank on that.

-Chris Lempesis

Halfway through the 2009 NFL season, the Green Bay Packers were anywhere but where they wanted to be. It looked like another lost season as question marks – or just downright negatives – far outweighed any positives.

Four wins in a row to start the second half [...]]]> I promised you a full game recap…and here it is.

Halfway through the 2009 NFL season, the Green Bay Packers were anywhere but where they wanted to be. It looked like another lost season as question marks – or just downright negatives – far outweighed any positives.

Four wins in a row to start the second half of the year? How ’bout we just figure out a way to win four games the rest of the season??

However, four wins in a row are exactly what the Pack have gotten as a result of Monday night’s 27-14 home win over the Baltimore Ravens. Green Bay sits at 8-4 heading into the final month of the season, one-game up on the New York Giants for the final wild card spot.

That the Packers have arrived at their current destination is a result of a remarkable turnaround in numerous areas, many of which were on display against the Ravens (6-6). Unfortunately, some of the key reasons for the team’s 4-4 start were on display, too.

There has been no bigger turnaround than that of the offensive game planning for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. After a first half of home run chasing – and the subsequent beating that Rodgers took when said home runs could not be found – head coach Mike McCarthy overhauled the passing approach. The focus for the past four games has been on short, precise throws that allow Green Bay’s playmakers to do what they do best: run after the catch. We saw that in full bloom Monday night as Rodgers completed 26-of-40 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns (two interceptions, as well). That’s also led to increased time of possession for Green Bay. We saw that Monday, too, as the Packers held the ball for just over 35 minutes.

The five men who protect Rodgers have also had a big hand in the winning streak. We collectively ripped the o-line to shreds for their performance over the first eight weeks. That was justified, of course, as they were terrible. But, somewhere over the past four weeks, this group has come together. A lot of it has to do with consistency, as the same group has played together almost the entire time over that stretch. But just as much has to do with the group raising their play as one. Monday was a culmination of sorts for the five as Rodgers was rarely harassed and sacked just once.

And then there’s the defense. Oh, wait, my mistake. Let’s try that again.

And then there’s the No. 1 ranked defense IN THE ENTIRE FRICKIN’ LEAGUE!!

We always knew the group could stop the run. After all, the great Adrian Peterson had less than 100 yards in both his games against the Pack, games that both took place in the first half of the year.

What the group couldn’t do, seemingly, was rush the passer and get off the field on third down. I think it’s fair to say that’s not true about this Green Bay defense anymore, don’t you?

While the third down percentage against the Ravens wasn’t as low as you’d like – Baltimore converted on six of 13 attempts – the pass rush absolutely was there. The Packers defense harassed the hell out of Joe Flacco, sacking him three times and pressuring him countless others. The kids led the way Monday. Clay Matthews looked like a future superstar, B.J. Raji (RAJI! IT’S BACK!!) showed why the team took him ninth overall and Brad Jones made us all forget about Aaron Kampman.

It wasn’t all positive, however. The penalties are continuing to come at an alarming rate. Actually, I’m not even sure if 11 penalties for 175 yards can be described that way. How ’bout a vomit-inducing rate?

Some of those came as a result of some over-officiating, in my opinion. But the false starts and holding calls on the offensive line had nothing to do with the refs. The group has improved, overall, but the o-line has to stop holding so often. Or, at the very least, figure out the damn snap count.

The troubles on special teams are also still popping up far too often. Mason Crosby missing a crucial field goal, this one a 38-yarder in the fourth quarter Monday? Not good enough, young man, and not the first time that’s happened this season. This team will have a new kicker next season. Bank on that.

Perhaps even worse are the post-touchdown kick coverage units. This unit HAS to learn how to maintain the momentum created by the offense by getting downfield and holding opponents’ returners to minimal gains. It happened again Monday, again in the fourth quarter. That’s unacceptable, Shawn Slocum.

The silver lining in there is that a lot of these problems are solvable. Most of them are mental issues. The line can learn to stop committing false stars. Crosby can kick; he just needs to get his confidence back up. And the kick coverage units just need to remember to stay focused and be smart. They’re good most of the time; they just need to be good a hair more.

That the Packers have won four in a row, despite these current issues, speaks to the true talent level of this team.

Clean these things up and there’s really no limit to how good this team can be.

-Chris Lempesis

In other words, this particular post is going to be short.

Don’t worry, though – I’ll make it up to you later tonight. Consider this the abridged version of what the game recap will ultimately be.

There sure was a lot of stuff to come [...]]]> As I type this, the clock has just struck 1:41 a.m. Lambeau time.

In other words, this particular post is going to be short.

Don’t worry, though – I’ll make it up to you later tonight. Consider this the abridged version of what the game recap will ultimately be.

There sure was a lot of stuff to come out of the Green Bay Packers’ 27-14 home win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. The win was Green Bay’s fourth in a row and it improves the Pack’s record to 8-4 heading into the final quarter of the season.

Yes, I just used the word “stuff.” Yes, I’m that exhausted.

The following is a list of the good stuff and the bad stuff to come out of the contest. First, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way:

-The penalties. Good God, the penalties! Some of it was caused by some refs looking for more TV time, in my opinion (see: the pass interference calls). But a lot of it was caused by sloppy play. The offensive line penalties are completely inexcusable.

-The drops by the wide receivers. If you want to be an elite group, you can’t make mistakes like that, cold ball or not.

-Mason Crosby. The Packers WILL have a new kicker next season. Be sure of that.

-The post-touchdown kick coverage units. You’ve got to hang on to the momentum, fellas. This has to stop.

-Ryan Pickett’s hamstring injury. Apparently, it’s a pull. Hope it’s nothing too serious. Pickett has been outstanding this season.

Okay, now it’s time to focus on the positives. Because we at OBOD are all about the positives:

-The offensive line. Great job pass protecting against a defense that was bringing heat all night. We’ve ripped these guys to shreds for much of this season – and rightfully so. But even the most cynical observer has to admit this group is coming together.

-Jermichael Finley. The kid is a freak.

-Clay Matthews. Ditto.

-B.J. Raji (RAJI!! IT’S BACK!!). Double, 300-plus pound ditto.

-Aaron Rodgers. A shaky start, likely caused by the long layoff. But he pulled it together when he needed to. Once again, he just makes plays when he has to. You know who else did that? Oh yeah – YOU know who.

-Nick Barnett. Ray Rice = zero impact. That was mostly due to No. 56.

-Brad Jones. Aaron who?

-Charles Woodson. Stopping Willis McGahee for a loss near the goalline in the fourth quarter changed the entire course of this game. You can say it now: NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Screw Jared Allen.

See you all later tonight. Time to grab some zzzz.

-Chris Lempesis

The trio was the driving force in Green Bay’s 34-12 road win over the Detroit Lions on Turkey Day. The Packers now sit at 7-4 and are right [...]]]> As dicey as it looked for a minute or two there, Donald Driver, Charles Woodson and Aaron Rodgers were intent on giving us Packers fans a happy Thanksgiving.

The trio was the driving force in Green Bay’s 34-12 road win over the Detroit Lions on Turkey Day. The Packers now sit at 7-4 and are right where they need to be heading into the final month of the regular season.

Since two-thirds of the trio plays on offense, let’s begin there. Rodgers (28-of-39, 348 yards, three touchdowns, zero picks) and Driver (seven catches, 142 yards and a touchdown) were a lethal connection throughout the contest, even during the first half in which the unit struggled, particularly in the red zone. Short, intermediate or deep (the pair of 50-plus yard connections were things of beauty), Detroit had no answer for the young signal-caller and the cagey veteran wideout, who is still every bit an elite player.

The offense overall is looking better and better, as well. The much-maligned o-line is improving, Ryan Grant is running as hard as I’ve ever seen and the depth at the skill positions is really starting to come through. The group could click a little more consistently from time-to-time, but there’s no reason to think it can’t. A great thing indeed.

Now to Woodson. If you read this site at all, you know my love for the man. Today, the entire nation got to see why. With five tackles, two interceptions (one returned for a score), one sack and one fumble recovery, Woodson was a force in every area a defensive player can possibly be. The biggest thing he showed, though, was his unfailing intelligence. The guy just knows what to do in every situation. And Troy Aikman was absolutely right: Woodson should be a strong candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He may or may not get it, but that won’t change the fact that he’s having a season unlike any corner I’ve ever seen.

Woodson is keying a unit that is rapidly improving from week-to-week. The established vets like Woodson and Nick Barnett are continuing their strong play. Players like Nick Collins, who struggled earlier in the year, are coming on strong. And the youngsters, like Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji (how ‘bout that run play that he absolutely destroyed today?), are picking up the pro game at the right time.

Sure, I could get all negative and mention some things that didn’t go well. The offensive playcalling was pretty unbalanced at times and Mason Crosby continues to make me think a new kicker will be in the fold come next season.

But, hey, why focus on that, right? It’s Thanksgiving, I’ve got a beer in my hand and the Packers are starting to look like a team that could do some special things this season.

Eleven days until Baltimore. Time to rest. Gobble-gobble, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis