Month: December 2016

Looks like The Green Bay Packers avoided the Grim Reaper and have put the NFC on notice.

Pete Carroll, as reported by the Green Bay Press Gazette said:

“This is such a rare occurrence for our team, we’ve been playing for a lot of years and have not seen a game like this. We don’t remember those days. We’ve had a remarkable run. The thing just snowballed on us; it just turned out to be a terrible night.”

This puts Green Bay where everyone thought they would be.  A top tier team with a chance to win it all.  This shows their recovery wasn’t because they played the Eagles and the Texans.  It is because their receivers are playing better and their defense is healthier.  They no longer let opposing quarterbacks throw touchdown passes on them at will.  They have the Bears next weekend, then finish with the Vikings and the Lions.  The Lions at 8-4 play the Cowboys, Giants, before finishing the season against Green Bay.  The Lions have a tough schedule leaving many to think the Packers can get in by winning out.

This is sports and anything can happen, but in my opinion, the Packers are going to the Super Bowl.  The best way to prevent this is: collusion.

Both the Cowboys and Giants play the Lions in the next two weeks.  If either team beats the Lions, and the Packers take care of business beating the Bears and the Vikings, the winner of the Lions/Packers game would win the division and are in the playoffs.  After treating Seattle yesterday, like a Fast and Furious movie treats cars, not one team wants to see them.  The best way to keep the Packers out would be for the Giants and the Cowboys to tank against the Lions.  That would seemingly ensure the Packers were out.   They would avoid the hottest teams in the league and everyone would sleep better keeping them out.  They still might be able to get a wildcard, but this is the NFC’s best shot.  All of the teams would prefer the road to the Super Bowl not include the Green Bay Packers.

Aaron Rodgers playing this well against the Seattle defense?  I’d rather play against Dak Prescot, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Eli Manning, or anyone else not named Brady.

Packers Fans I want you to win tomorrow and think you will, but…

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are up against the Grim Reaper this Sunday.  If the Packers win, they have a great shot at making the playoffs. They need the Lions to lose two games, including the head to head matchup in week 17.  The Packers have won their last two games which is encouraging, but hardly tells us anything, because of who they played.

The Packers beat the Texans and the Eagles.  Osweiler may be the worst QB in the league.  He is the new Matt Flynn, but instead of the coaching staff realizing he can’t play before the season, they have started him all season long.  Osweiler beat the Patriots last year with a good performance including another game or two.  So the Texans decide to give Osweiler a massive contract, and in return the Texans now have the worst yds/attempt of anyone in the league as well as 30th in Net Passing yards/Game.

The Packers also beat the Eagles who are 2-7 in their last nine games.  Pro Football focus ranks Philadelphia’s receivers as #29th in the league.  Which, explains why the Packers were able to win that game handily.  The Packers secondary looked abysmal against teams with good receivers.  The prior 4 weeks they had given up at least 31 points and lost 4 straight.

The Packers’ defense was too hurt to compete, but are getting healthier by the week.  This week will be the test whether or not the “Pack are back”.  If they are back I agree that no one will want to face them.  We know Aaron Rodgers is incredible and when the Packers are playing well together they can beat anyone on any given Sunday.  But…if that defense is still giving up 31 points to teams Death will visit them Sunday.

Red in the Shawshank Redemption tells us, “Hope is a dangerous thing, hope can drive a man insane”.  Since week 6 when the Packers were chewed up by the Cowboys they have been on life support holding onto hope.

Mythology also tells us that the Grim Reaper visits to sever all ties between the soul and the body.   The Seahawks come to town this weekend to sever any hope that the Packers had of making the playoffs.  I feel each football season has a soul and The Grim Reaper is taking the 2016’s Packers’ soul and delivering it to Hades.

It is not unheard of though, for people to avoid the Grim Reaper.  We know Bill & Ted did it in their excellent adventure, but hope seems dim.  The Lions are winning more than expected and with a Packers loss tomorrow their death is imminent.  My advice to Packer fans, is to let 2016 go with a loss on Sunday, but don’t let it destroy your enjoyment of the NFL season.  It’s ok to enjoy watching another team after your team’s soul is gone, football is too short to only enjoy 13 weeks of it.  Find some other players you like and cheer for them.  You aren’t cheating on your team, but rooting for players.  The distinction is important.  There is no one more fun to cheer for and root for than Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Khalil Mack.  Aside from this Thursday (everyone knows Thursday night games suck) they are the best watch in the NFL.