The Green Bay Packers gave the NFL’s best team all it could handle on Sunday night. Unfortunately, all the Packers have to show for their effort is another close loss in a winnable game.
The game was not the blowout everyone expected it to be. The NBC crew after the game said the Packers have nothing to hang their heads about. Fan reaction split into two factions: Pride in how the Packers overcame injuries and almost beat the New England Patriots and hostility for losing yet another close game.
I’m siding with the angry crowd. If the Packers want to make the playoffs, they will treat Sunday’s loss the same way they treated the Lions’ loss.
Yes, the Packers played well, but losing is nothing to be proud of. The only sport where moral victories count is youth soccer. If the Packers are seriously patting themselves on the back after this game, the season is as good as over. They will get rolled against the New York Giants and Chicago Bears (if the Bears game means anything).
What happened in the game’s final minute is inexcusable. Allowing an offensive lineman to almost return a kickoff for a touchdown is inexcusable. Stopping on a slant route and causing an interception is inexcusable. Calling a fullback dive on third and goal from the 1-yard line is inexcusable. Barely getting in the Patriots way as they march down the field for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter is inexcusable.
A good number of the Packers mistakes this season have come while trying to make plays. You can disagree with Aaron Rodgers’ decision not to slide, or get upset with him for fumbling on the QB sneak against the Falcons. The bottom line is he was trying to make a play. You could make the same argument for James Jones’ fumble against the Bears or Greg Jennings’ drop against the Lions.
You could even forgive Mike McCarthy for some of his head-scratchers. Going for it all on Fourth and 1 late against the Lions and going for it, period, on fourth and goal against the Redskins were questionable calls. But McCarthy was simply trying to make something happen — to put his player’s in a position to make a play.
All of these mistakes are bad, but mistakes happen sometimes when trying to make plays. The mistakes made on Sunday night had nothing to do with making plays. They were just stupid and inexcusable.
If the Packers want to make the playoffs, they need to eliminate these blunders. That won’t happen if they spend the week congratulating themselves for only losing to the Patriots by four points.
Even the most forgiving Packers fans will have little pride in an 8-8 record.
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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Good post, Adam. Couldn’t agree more.
Not proud of the loss. But I have to say I am proud of the way certain members of the team stepped in to do their job. (Special Teams-I am not talking about you!!!) To compete in a game where before hand it was suggested, on National TV, that The Packers should just forfeit, is a compliment to the players. They had to know that if they came out flat, and got blown out, everyone would have said, “Well, it’s the Patriots!”, “Rodgers was hurt!”, pick an excuse! The players showed up ready to play, and with just a few costly exceptions, played to a very high level. Higher than what they have shown lately. I am never happy about a loss. But I will choose to believe that in this case, “We didn’t lose, we ran out of time!”
“Not proud of the loss. But I have to say I am proud of the way certain members of the team stepped in to do their job.”
My sentiments exactly.
This fan’s pride goes towards Matt Flynn, the defense, and the running game.
Unfortunately, ST coverage and the O-line continue to be inconsistent.
Nice objective piece of writing. Well done !
God bless ya AL – I wouldn’t change a word of what you said.
I mean Adam! –
With ya Adam. Moral victories still suck as much as any other loss. How the hell is it possible for a team to lose 6 games by 210 pts. total. Lousy Coaching? Yes, I believe so.
Not 210 – 20
Losing 6 games by 210 points would be a bit worse, though. 😉
Just a bit. 😉
😀
Nice write up! It’d be one thing if GB was playing up to, or beyond it’s potential and losing close ones, but its not.
Adam, nice work,I agree with you. My problem is still with coaching. Special teams boneheaded blunders! Quinn Johnson had his eyes closed on that 71 yard return. He opened a wedge for the runner by blocking two of his own teammates.
MM has no feel for the game. The Packers got the ball back with about 10 min. left in the 4th, the Pats D-line was tired after GB had just pounded them with a good running game. What does MM do? You got it, three failed passes for three and out..no time off the clock. Also, the Packers had a chance to run an additional play before the two min. warning, but let the clock run down. As we all know, they could have used those extra seconds. These are just examples of MM’s lack of game management that has become part of his legacy as head coach of the packers.
It all comes down to expectations.
If you’re fine with having a cute little team in a small town with a cool stadium and fun atmosphere, then you probably would be proud of a close loss like last night’s.
If you want a team that has all that and delivers a winning product on the field, then you are not proud of any loss regardless of the circumstances.
I fall into the latter category. People that are in the former category annoy me, but they’re still Packers fans so I love them anyway:)
Adam sez: “People that are in the former category annoy me, but they’re still Packers fans so I love them anyway:)”
I’ve seen those people post on the blogs that we’re haters for not being satisfied with losing. They also call us haters for saying that MM isn’t getting the job done and perhaps needs to be looking for his next coaching job. I just shrug. It’s all one can do when you talk to those “fans.” 🙂
“Those fans” are right when they preach patience and not having emotional overreactions to each loss. However, the Packers have established a pattern of mistakes that needs to be corrected. By pointing this out, you’re not being emotional.
And being “proud” of any loss is a disgrace. When I see people say they were “proud” after Sunday’s loss, it makes me worried about the direction this fan bases is headed.
Ditto! Jim
I try not to let other Packers fans annoy me. We’re all family. The older I get, the less I accept the notion that there is a right way or wrong way to be a fan. I don’t want to be thought of as an elitist.
Having said that, I’m certainly not proud that we let another one slip through our fingers. And I’m really annoyed that it was the same old culprits–special teams gaffe, special teams penalties, short-yardage failure, the inconsistent James Jones quitting on a route. We’ve seen it all before. Again and Again.
Upon further review,I must retract what I said about Quinn Johnson. He was clearly pushed in the back on that 71 yard return. The refs just missed it.
Joe Philbin said the things that didn’t go right on offense were due to execution, not play-calling. Nice job with self-scouting, Joe, and good to throw the players under the bus while you’re at it.
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/112226294.html at paragraph 11.
The FB dive needs to be removed from the playbook immediately. It never works. If you want to run Kuhn in short yardage, line him up at HB, put a blocker in front of him, and give him a running start.
No matter what side of this fence your on as a fan,I’m going to perch my butt on the fence as I’m feeling both ways.
Having said that and not taking the side of the coaching staff(Philbin’s)but how long does it take a PLAYER(S) on Special Teams or O-LINE to be able to get it,even so slightly,what THEY need to do,without having the need of any of the coaches running down the sideline yelling instructions at them as though it’s a Pee Wee game.
To blame coaching is easy and always the direction of the finger pointing,but players need to play with at least the BASIC Fundamentals that from playing football in High School,College and for most a few years now in the NFL,seem to play it with a “DUH” mentality.
So I’m on the fence of “is the coaching that bad or the players just unable to get it done”and the truth lies in the Red Zone for offense and SPTs well, every time they hit the field.
With that said,letting my ultra fanantic fan emerge,there was at least 4-5 blocks in the back on that Connelly return but the refs love NE and didn’t want to erase another record from the books,so there.
Obviously, there’s plenty of blame to go around. But it’s the coaches job to put the players in a position to succeeed. Calling a FB dive when it has yet to work this season is not putting your players in a position to succeed.
In contrast, calling short passes and screens (like McCarthy did most of the game) to help out your inexperienced backup QB is an excellent example of putting your players in a position to succeed.
The coaches are responsible for putting the players in position,I agree to a point,but when does the hand holding to cross the street stop.It seems as though at every intersection this team comes to,even those who have been there before,stand there with their hand held out for someone to guide them across.
Those last 20 seconds was a travesty and too much experience on the field for that to happen,yet NO ONE looked like the Pro but, a lost kid at the intersection with hand held out.
I re-watched that 71-yd kickoff return again last night, and I simply can’t believe the refs missed some of those blocks to the back… ESPECIALLY the one on Crosby. Hell, the ref was standing right there, and it was more than flagrant!
I thought the refs did an overall great job in that game, but that is one play in which I wish they would have been paying more attention.
Adam,
You say that being “proud” of any loss is a disgrace. While that is true, you assume that the loss is what people are proud of.
It’s not.
I am proud of (most of) the players for rising to the occassion. They were clear underdogs in that game – no one gave them a chance – yet they came out with guns blazing and didn’t back down. They put up one hell of a fight, and for that I am proud.
I’m proud of the way McCarthy planned that game. His in-game execution continues to be flawed, but I thought his approach was perfect. And for that I am proud.
I am proud of Matt Flynn for his outstanding performance. Minus the two interceptions (one of which Jones took the blame for), he played better than most expected.
And I am proud of Dom Capers and the “next man up” defense for limiting Tom Brady and Co. to 17 points. That’s a difficult feat to achieve.
I’m not happy about the loss, because I knew they could have won. But I am happy and more than proud with the things they did well. And to be honest, despite the outcome, those things overshadowed what they failed to do.
Besides, this is football. I watch the games to enjoy them, and Sunday night’s showdown was by far the best Packers game of the season to watch.
Chad,
You and I have different expectations. I expected the Packers to do all of the things you highlighted. They’re a talented team filled with players paid a lot of money to play well. To expect anything less would be letting them off the hook. I said all week the Packers had a shot to win because they’re good enough to have a shot to win against any team.
I refuse to set the bar low for this team, then be proud and happy when they jump over it and exceed my diminished expectations.
It’s not so much a difference in expectations as it is a difference in how we view the results.
I think we can all agree on what we expect from this team, and we can all agree on what went good and what needs work. Those things are mostly universal.
It’s *how* we respond to these things that makes the difference.
“It’s not so much a difference in expectations as it is a difference in how we view the results.”
Well put, Chad. I’m often blasted for picking on what went wrong, even during wins. My take is the Lombardi take: “chase perfection and hope to catch excellence.”
I am always looking for improvement. At the same time, while I will never be “proud” of a loss, I have no problem praising a good effort in defeat.
If this was a Limbo contest ,the Packers have the Crown already,as low as the bar has been placed at times,they have amazed even the best of the Limbo Kings,how low they can go.
Taryn, I love your metaphors. Keep ’em coming.
Some people are happy with almost. I guess almost is better than never. Some of us expect more. To those that don’t, good luck with that.
NO LOSS is anything to be proud of at anytime. However, other than Packers fans? no one gave Packers a snowball’s chance on a hot July day of winning this game to begin with because the Pats have been such a dominating team. PACKERS lost another close game, but they showed well on primetime tv, there was effort, heart, passion, fire and those dang MISTAKES with two separate possessions to be able to finish out this game. I chose to dwell on positive aspects of the game and accept ‘moral victory’ of them giving all the bizness they could to those PATS. Each & every week both we fans and our beloved PACKERS who take the field have to keep on keepin’ on any way we can. Do understand the frustration.
I like this, its interesting. Have a good one. Cheers