…AGAIN!
For the second time in as many years, the NFC North crown will go to the winner of a head-to-head match up in the last game of the regular season. And once again, the Green Bay Packers will be playing in that game. Last year it was against the Bears at Soldier field, where the Pack prevailed in what is arguably one of the greatest comebacks in the Aaron Rodgers era. This year, it comes down to a single game at Lambeau Field against the Detroit Lions, a team that beat us earlier this season. In that game, the offense wasn’t particularly sharp, much like they haven’t been in the last two weeks while going 1-1. The games weren’t blowouts by any means, with our defense keeping us within winning distance each time.
But that has been against some pretty bad offenses, and when we faced a formidable defense in Buffalo, we lost. Detroit is similarly good on that side of the ball. Yesterday, Rodgers started the game already under the weather while also taking some painful shots from Buccaneer defenders. Hopefully he will be able to get healed up this week, as much as can be expected this time of year anyway, and playing before the home crowd with the offense put up the kind of numbers we saw against the Bears, Eagles and Falcons.
For while both teams are already in the post season, this game comes down to the difference between a first round by and at least one playoff game at home, or going on the road in round one. Personally, I wouldn’t be that disappointed with the wildcard berth, except that would mean that the Lion’s would get their first win in Wisconsin since 1992, because when Green Bay won their last Superbowl they were on the road throughout the playoffs, and I’m still disappointed with how the team handled the last time they had a first round bye.
Regardless of the outcome of this game though, the road to Superbowl would appear to run through Seattle, a daunting task for any team right now.
Badger State Sports 
Comments
Since a win would mean a first round bye this game is gigantic and it would increase the Packers chances of winning the Super Bowl. Sure, a first round bye means the road to the Super Bowl will take one less win but given the current state of the team, a bye week would allow for key players like C.Matthews and A.Rodgers (amongst others) to heal up and be at or near 100%. It also doesn’t hurt that this particular team seems to play like gangbusters at home and average on the road. Give a rested and healthy Packers squad a home game in Round Two and I’d be shocked if they didn’t advance to the NFC Championship game. From there, as you say, it’s likely Seattle but boy oh boy… one slip up and that NFC Championship game could be in G.B.
I’ve always been an advocate of the first round bye, and realize how coveted it is by NFL players. So much so that we have even tried to incorporate that particular “prize” into our fantasy football leagues. I’m just still hurting from being stung after the 15-1 season. McCarthy completely mishandled that and was largely responsible for the embarrassing lose to the Giants. I know it’s different this time in that Rodgers won’t be sitting out of the last game of the regular season, and they came out of their bye this year to lay the wood on the Bears. But this is a team that is predicated on being “in sync”, and they surely won’t be facing a team that’s anything like the Bears.