Packerlifer
Cheesehead
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- Sep 4, 2008
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Smiles had to cross the faces of just about every Packers' fan when the schedule came out and we looked at our Week 5 opponent. If there was a "gimme" game on the Packers' schedule this season this was it. The Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field.
A 4-12 team in disarray in 2007 against a 13-3 club that was runnerup in the NFC Championship. A team with a rookie head coach and quarterback. A dome/artificial turf team outdoors on natural grass. Easy.
Well, few if any are smiling now after the Pack has dropped 2 straight and looked bad doing so and the injuries have begun to pile up. And the Falcons? They come into this Sunday's game with the same record as Green Bay at 2-2. Granted, their wins have come against clubs that are a combined 1-6 so far but guess what: so have the Packers.
This is as much a "must win" game as any the Packers have had yet in this still young season. Lose this one and things could really unravel.
Unfortunately, the Falcons have a recent history of coming in to Green Bay and being a spoiler against the Pack. Six years ago a Falcons team led by rookie qb Michael Vick came into Lambeau and became the first NFL club ever to beat the Packers in a playoff game in Wisconsin 27-7. The previous season the Falcons were at Lambeau for a midseason game and won 23-20. That game ultimately cost the Packers the NFC Central Division title.
Both defeats may also have prevented Green Bay from getting back to the Super Bowl one more time with Brett Favre. The '02 playoff loss came after a 12-4 season in which the Packers had the team and the situational opportunity in the league that year to reach the SB and win it.(That was the season Tampa Bay beat Oakland in the SB.)
Had the Packers won the divison in '01 instead of going to the playoffs as a wild card team they would have had a first round bye and hosted Philadelphia in the divisional round instead of going to St.Louis. (Where they lost 45-17.)
Now here come the Falcons again, with the Packers in a crucial situation that could determine the final measure of their season. The Packers must win this game but not only win it but be convincing if not dominating in doing it.
The Packers need to perform like a team that is still an elite contender in the NFC. A struggling win, though better than a loss, may not be much better as far as what it does for the team's development and caliber for this year. We need to "clear out the carbon" that has been fouling the engine so far this season. But with the team's injury situation that may not be easy to do. But if this team is still playoff caliber and a title contender this game will pretty well tell.
A 4-12 team in disarray in 2007 against a 13-3 club that was runnerup in the NFC Championship. A team with a rookie head coach and quarterback. A dome/artificial turf team outdoors on natural grass. Easy.
Well, few if any are smiling now after the Pack has dropped 2 straight and looked bad doing so and the injuries have begun to pile up. And the Falcons? They come into this Sunday's game with the same record as Green Bay at 2-2. Granted, their wins have come against clubs that are a combined 1-6 so far but guess what: so have the Packers.
This is as much a "must win" game as any the Packers have had yet in this still young season. Lose this one and things could really unravel.
Unfortunately, the Falcons have a recent history of coming in to Green Bay and being a spoiler against the Pack. Six years ago a Falcons team led by rookie qb Michael Vick came into Lambeau and became the first NFL club ever to beat the Packers in a playoff game in Wisconsin 27-7. The previous season the Falcons were at Lambeau for a midseason game and won 23-20. That game ultimately cost the Packers the NFC Central Division title.
Both defeats may also have prevented Green Bay from getting back to the Super Bowl one more time with Brett Favre. The '02 playoff loss came after a 12-4 season in which the Packers had the team and the situational opportunity in the league that year to reach the SB and win it.(That was the season Tampa Bay beat Oakland in the SB.)
Had the Packers won the divison in '01 instead of going to the playoffs as a wild card team they would have had a first round bye and hosted Philadelphia in the divisional round instead of going to St.Louis. (Where they lost 45-17.)
Now here come the Falcons again, with the Packers in a crucial situation that could determine the final measure of their season. The Packers must win this game but not only win it but be convincing if not dominating in doing it.
The Packers need to perform like a team that is still an elite contender in the NFC. A struggling win, though better than a loss, may not be much better as far as what it does for the team's development and caliber for this year. We need to "clear out the carbon" that has been fouling the engine so far this season. But with the team's injury situation that may not be easy to do. But if this team is still playoff caliber and a title contender this game will pretty well tell.
