Can Packers shut up the champagne poppers?

[roroco 75]

With 4 games left - Oakland, Bears, and Lions at Lambeau and the Chiefs are Arrowhead, they will be favored in every game from this point on. The Giants gave them a good game, but I don't believe they didn't show a game plan will work for other teams. They should you can keep up with the Packers if their receivers drop a lot of balls (I am looking at you Finley). The Packers defense is their achilles heal, but with Rodgers and crew scoring at the clip they are, is there any team that can de-thrown them this year?

 

Now, I am a Packers fan and I would like a perfect season, but as long as the trophy stays in GB, I would be happy. But I would love to shut those Fins up and never again hear about champagne popping.

 

 

So what say you.. Do they go undefeated in the regular season? Playoffs? Beyond?

[beemo 0]

I'd give the remaining teams a chance as any to beat the Packers, but I think you'd have to say odds are the Packers run the table. Arizona beat the Cowboys, but then the Cowboys aren't as good as the Packers and that was even aided by Garrett's dumb timeout. I'd say Oakland and the Lions probably have the better chances for an upset, especially the Lions being a division game and having Suh back by that point.

 

From an FF perspective, I was rooting for the Giants tonight. A loss means a better chance of Rodgers and company resting for the playoffs instead of going for a perfect season. I don't have Rodgers. I'd like his owner not to have Rodgers, too.

[Drizzay 648]

God, I hope not. That fan base is insufferable enough the way it is.

[sportsfreak2744 0]

Two things:

 

1. I would love those "champagne poppers" to choke on their corks and understand that a football team from today's era would blow their doors off.

 

2. In '07 the Pats beat the Giants 38-35 in the regular season. We all know what happened next...

[ZeroTolerance 582]

As much as I would love to see the 72 Dolphins choke to death on their corks, the last thing the football world needs is a fan base like the Packers waving that over their heads for the next several decades.

 

Though it would have been worse if the Pats had done it.

[p00h 85]

based strictly on the games played today, I'll say this. I'll take a stout defense and a mediocre offense to the playoffs any day against a high octain offense but less than average D. Pats won by a mere td against the hapless colts, at home no less. Doesn't bode well for a playoff run. And while the pack played a far better team than the colts, they can't keep pulling these games out of their butts every week, and especially not when it starts to get cold, and the competition becomes stiffer. Remember this, their home field is a blessing and a curse all the same. Any given week in the playoffs they can have conditions that might render rodgers fairly useless. What then? Niners come in with a strong D and a great running game and walk away with a win thats what. When in doubt, go with the strong D and running game over a flashy passing game any time...

[IMMensaMind 460]

based strictly on the games played today, I'll say this. I'll take a stout defense and a mediocre offense to the playoffs any day against a high octain offense but less than average D. Pats won by a mere td against the hapless colts, at home no less. Doesn't bode well for a playoff run. And while the pack played a far better team than the colts, they can't keep pulling these games out of their butts every week, and especially not when it starts to get cold, and the competition becomes stiffer. Remember this, their home field is a blessing and a curse all the same. Any given week in the playoffs they can have conditions that might render rodgers fairly useless. What then? Niners come in with a strong D and a great running game and walk away with a win thats what. When in doubt, go with the strong D and running game over a flashy passing game any time...

 

There will be no field conditions that will render Rodgers fairly useless. He's far too good.

 

I believe that Green Bay will go undefeated, which will be a cool accomplishment that will stand a very long time.

[remote controller 133]

I would have loved to have been in the room with Mercury Morris today!

[roroco 75]

Two things:

 

1. I would love those "champagne poppers" to choke on their corks and understand that a football team from today's era would blow their doors off.

 

2. In '07 the Pats beat the Giants 38-35 in the regular season. We all know what happened next...

Well... As it is, the Giants are going to struggle to make it to the playoffs. So i don't think we will see a repeat of that year.

 

My only concern is that they are going to lock home field advantage soon. If I were Dom Capers - which I am not - I would be playing with the defense a bit to see if they can create new looks to sure up the defense in the playoffs. He might take even more risks than he is right now.

[GridIronAssassin#1 0]

I don't see anybody in the AFC stopping the Pack. So, I think history will be set. Undefeated season, and superbowl victory.

[stonewall 647]

Lotta things can go wrong for the Packers, with an injury to Rogers being the worst.

 

Besides that, they stand a chance to make history. I can only see 2 strikes against them. 1. They have no real legit running game.....but the same was true last season. 2. They have no pass defense.....and this could come back to haunt them.

 

Time will tell.

[p00h 85]

I don't see anybody in the AFC stopping the Pack. So, I think history will be set. Undefeated season, and superbowl victory.

 

this comment makes no sense FYI. They have to beat a couple of teams in the NFL playoffs before they get to the SB, if that's even what you meant. Also, there's 4 games before the playoffs, against both AFC and NFC.

 

 

their D is not that impressive. I don't think its a slam dunk they go 16-0, let alone 19-0. That defense is not good enough for Rodgers to just overcome with more and more pts...

[roroco 75]

this comment makes no sense FYI. They have to beat a couple of teams in the NFL playoffs before they get to the SB, if that's even what you meant. Also, there's 4 games before the playoffs, against both AFC and NFC.

 

 

their D is not that impressive. I don't think its a slam dunk they go 16-0, let alone 19-0. That defense is not good enough for Rodgers to just overcome with more and more pts...

They have been so far.

[donhaas 18]

That defense is not good enough for Rodgers to just overcome with more and more pts...

 

Besides the last 18 straight games, of course

[TD Ryan2 314]

It's only week 12... I don't think you realize how far away 16 is and then 19-0. The Pressure is just starting. Each game going forward is like 3. Until that last one which is like a whole season into one game. And even then, SO WHAT! You've stressed and grinded to undef. reg season, nothing special there... Now, you're carrying all that over into the pressure of the playoffs. Like I said, it's only week 12. You're still 2 seasons worth of stress away from the HOLY GRAIL.

[Busted by the Feds 9]

Didn't the Pats shut the champagne poppers up when they went 17-0 ? The most the 72 Fins won was 16-0 even with a Superbowl win . The Pats went one better with 17-0 and even 18-0 after that . Who knows what would have happened to the '72 team if they played 3 more games ?

[WR Guru 31]

I can't see anything other than a very bad weather game stopping them from an undefeated regular season. High winds might do it, since that is the worst thing for a precision passing game - far worse than cold or snow - and they have absolutely no running game to speak of.

 

As far as the playoffs, I don't know. As much as Green Bay is just a one-dimensional team, it's one GREAT dimension and I just don't see a real complete team out there anywhere. I can't imagine another high scoring team with no defense (Saints, Patriots) taking down Green Bay in a shootout. It would have to be one of the stronger defensive teams (Baltimore, San Fran, Pittsburgh) doing just enough to slow Rodgers down while making some big plays against that burnable Green Bay defense. The Giants were almost there today, but could not do enough to disrupt that passing game.

[donhaas 18]

That last drive by Rodgers yesterday was pretty sick....

 

 

 

Overall, way too many dropped passes on offense and blown coverages on defense....

The Packers have yet to play a complete game.... Their best ball is yet to come

[jgcrawfish 232]

Bear in mind that the Steelers were one drive short of winning that Superbowl last year, and I think Green Bay's defense was playing better then than this year. The Parckers are the odd's-on favorite obviously, but I think the Saints have a chance and the Steelers have a chance. I'm not a believer in San Francisco yet (although if they beat the Steelers next week that will probably change my mind). Houston had a chance but no way they can do it with a rookie @ QB even with their running game. Baltimore could possible do it, but you never know which Ravens you're gonna get and Rodgers vs Flacco may be the biggest mismatch short of Alex Smith. The Patriots don't have the defense to even think of stopping the Packers and the Packers Def matches up pretty well against the Pats offense, so I say no chance. If it's not the Saints, Steelers or maybe Ravens, it ain't gonna happen.

[oldspice dwarf 0]

As a Ravens fan, I would love to see the Ravens beat the Packers in the SB, although i am not sure we could. However, almost as much, never having to hear about that f-ing Dolphins team that won 12 games a hundred years ago would be nice too...

[donhaas 18]

Bear in mind that the Steelers were one drive short of winning that Superbowl last year, and I think Green Bay's defense was playing better then than this year.

 

Also bear in mind that the Packers were playing most of that game without Woodson, Sam Shields, Driver and all the players they had on IR last year including Finley...

 

I'm not sure how you can mention that you think the Packer defense is playing worse without mentioning that their offense is playing much better....

 

12-0 > 10-6

[GobbleDog 822]

As a Dolphin fan I hope not and don't think they will.

 

But I'm also surprised there hasn't been another undefseason in nearly 40 years. It's bound to happen eventually, but I don't think this Packers team will be the ones to do it. They're not well rounded enough.... too much Rogers, but no running game or defense.

[jgcrawfish 232]

Also bear in mind that the Packers were playing most of that game without Woodson, Sam Shields, Driver and all the players they had on IR last year including Finley...

 

I'm not sure how you can mention that you think the Packer defense is playing worse without mentioning that their offense is playing much better....

 

12-0 > 10-6

 

And the Steelers lost Pouncey and were starting rookies @ wideout at the positions they should have been able to exploit if they had a more "mature" roster. Quit making excuses. Your team is 12-0 but still looks beatable...just be happy and shutup.

[GridIronAssassin#1 0]

The NFL has never seen someone play the quarterback postition at the level Rogers is playing it. Aaron Rogers is the reason the Packers go undefeated and win the superbowl. One could argue very effectively, it's one man team. You take Rogers away from Green Bay, and they'd be just like Indy was this year. It's that simple. Lots of people try to make football sound like it's more complicated than that, but we can see what's happening right before our eyes.

[donhaas 18]

And the Steelers lost Pouncey and were starting rookies @ wideout at the positions they should have been able to exploit if they had a more "mature" roster. Quit making excuses. Your team is 12-0 but still looks beatable...just be happy and shutup.

 

I am happy... you're reasoning was just stoopid... sorry.

 

And then you make some obscure excuses and follow it immediately by saying "Quit making excuses!"

 

 

This year's Packer team is way better than last year's team

 

 

Congrats on being a drive away last year, though -- a drive that never really got started

[chroniciguana 13]

There's one variable everyone seems to forget. A thing as simple as a twisted ankle on an opening drive and Matt Flynn is under center the rest of the game. Put a Flynn-led Green Bay against the rest of the schedule and how does it look? Don't wish anything bad to happen to Rodgers, and I hate even mentioning it, but stuff happens. Look around.

 

Minus "stuff," Green Bay runs the table with Rodgers. New England showed that pulling a New England the final game is bad ju ju. They'll take the record and the trophy.

[rosslive99 1]

 

This year's Packer team is way better than last year's team

 

 

I don't agree. I think the offense is better, having Finley back, combo running of Grant/Starks (even though it not a great run game, still serviceable), Rodgers is playing even better (if that was even possible), and the receivers have deepened with the emergence of Nelson (who I didn't believe in, but he's quickly changed my opinion, guys a baller. That catch yesterday where he turned, looked for the sideline and stayed in was just gross!)

 

But.

 

That defense has regressed. I think they are still high in takeaways and what not but they just give up far too much yardage and too many big plays. And honestly I just can't for the life of me figure out why considering they still have relatively the same personnel. Love Matthews, Hawk, Woodson. But that unit just doesn't seem to be shutting opposing offenses down the way they did last season.

 

Having said all that are they maybe just putting things together to ramp it up a notch for when the games really matter in January? Possibly. Can they turn that side of the ball around and just become lights out and start winning games by 2 and 3 tds. Absolutely. But as a fan of the Packers you can't tell me on this day 12/05/11, that you trust that defense at the end of a game up 2 points to get a stop to ice the game against a good offensive team on the other side.

[Arsenal 3]

Its definitely not a slam dunk to go 16-0. Especially now that they have clinched the division and will be wanting to rest people that are banged up and make sure they are ready for a playoff run. They also will probably play more base offense/defense in order not to show too much, which doesn't exactly play to their strengths.

 

Those last two division games in particular could easily be lost - they will likely have nothing to play for aside from history and their opponents will know them well. Even if Chicago/Detroit is not still in the playoff hunt, they will be highly motivated to hand a division rival their first loss of the season.

[donhaas 18]

I don't agree. I think the offense is better, having Finley back, combo running of Grant/Starks (even though it not a great run game, still serviceable), Rodgers is playing even better (if that was even possible), and the receivers have deepened with the emergence of Nelson (who I didn't believe in, but he's quickly changed my opinion, guys a baller. That catch yesterday where he turned, looked for the sideline and stayed in was just gross!)

 

But.

 

That defense has regressed. I think they are still high in takeaways and what not but they just give up far too much yardage and too many big plays. And honestly I just can't for the life of me figure out why considering they still have relatively the same personnel. Love Matthews, Hawk, Woodson. But that unit just doesn't seem to be shutting opposing offenses down the way they did last season.

 

Having said all that are they maybe just putting things together to ramp it up a notch for when the games really matter in January? Possibly. Can they turn that side of the ball around and just become lights out and start winning games by 2 and 3 tds. Absolutely. But as a fan of the Packers you can't tell me on this day 12/05/11, that you trust that defense at the end of a game up 2 points to get a stop to ice the game against a good offensive team on the other side.

 

 

There's been a ton of garbage time yards and points against the Packers this year.... Let's get that straight... Throw the rankings out....

 

I care about the Packers defensive ranking for the first three quarters (unless it's a close game; which it usually is not)... Are they making stops/forcing turnovers to get the Packers a nice big lead? Yes.

 

Are they better than last year? No... Do they have the potential to be? Of course... It's almost the exact same personnel with a year's more of experience .... The Collins loss was big... I will give you that.

 

 

As for overall... Did you watch the Packers lose to the Redskins and the Dolphins last year? Just awful

 

This team is much better.... and they still haven't come close to playing their best game yet

[rosslive99 1]

There's been a ton of garbage time yards and points against the Packers this year.... Let's get that straight... Throw the rankings out....

 

I care about the Packers defensive ranking for the first three quarters (unless it's a close game; which it usually is not)... Are they making stops/forcing turnovers to get the Packers a nice big lead? Yes.

 

Are they better than last year? No... Do they have the potential to be? Of course... It's almost the exact same personnel with a year's more of experience .... The Collins loss was big... I will give you that.

 

 

As for overall... Did you watch the Packers lose to the Redskins and the Dolphins last year? Just awful

 

This team is much better.... and they still haven't come close to playing their best game yet

 

Yea I don't really care about rankings and all that BS, I'm just really going off the eyeball test and end results. I'm not trying to piss in your cornflakes or anything, I don't have any negative feelings towards the Pack. Rodgers is my favorite player outside of anything Cowboys so I root for him. I just think he's freakin amazing, and I respect the hell out of him coming from the position he was in following a Green Bay legend like Farve, not an easy thing to do.

 

I respect the hell out of the Packers, think they have a great team, and regardless of if their defense is shut down or not they are easily the scariest team in the NFC if not the NFL. Good time to be a Packer fan for sure as they should remain pretty stellar for the foreseeable future considering the relatively young age of the team.

[roroco 75]

The way the NFL ranks defenses is garbage. Yardage is a good marker, but points and turnovers are far more important. The Packers still let too many points on the board, but they lead the NFL in interceptions. As long as Rodgers continues to not throw picks, and the defense continues to pick... They will be very hard to beat.

[donhaas 18]

Yea I don't really care about rankings and all that BS, I'm just really going off the eyeball test and end results. I'm not trying to piss in your cornflakes or anything, I don't have any negative feelings towards the Pack. Rodgers is my favorite player outside of anything Cowboys so I root for him. I just think he's freakin amazing, and I respect the hell out of him coming from the position he was in following a Green Bay legend like Farve, not an easy thing to do.

 

I respect the hell out of the Packers, think they have a great team, and regardless of if their defense is shut down or not they are easily the scariest team in the NFC if not the NFL. Good time to be a Packer fan for sure as they should remain pretty stellar for the foreseeable future considering the relatively young age of the team.

 

Well... I think many of your points are valid... I just think people get carried away all the time with blanket statements like "The Packers defense sucks" and then everybody repeats it and it becomes fact.

 

At home this year they have performed really well at times.... And they will be at home for 5 of the next 6 games (hopefully)... the exception being the KC game.

[rosslive99 1]

Well... I think many of your points are valid... I just think people get carried away all the time with blanket statements like "The Packers defense sucks" and then everybody repeats it and it becomes fact.

 

At home this year they have performed really well at times.... And they will be at home for 5 of the next 6 games (hopefully)... the exception being the KC game.

 

That's very true, I don't think they "suck" by any means lol not when you still have players like Matthews, Woodson, Williams, Hawk...I think they'll ramp it up when the playoffs roll around. I think they will need to, cause while I'm sure Packer fans would love to go undefeated and all that, the main mission I'm sure is to just repeat. The disappointment of losing a playoff game or the SB I'm sure would far outweigh losing some regular season game at the end of the season with everything already lined up for the post season. It's incredible the amount of games they have won in a row going back to last season considering how difficult and flukey NFL games can be, hell look at my Cowboys, win a game they shouldn't have with the opposing coach calling a timeout they needed when they didn't have one. To losing a game they should have won by calling a timeout they didn't need to call LOL!!

 

But that's why I love this game and why an undefeated season is such an impressive accomplishment