Pivotal Game Sunday

[PackFaninBucLand]

It's way too early in the season to talk about make or break games but this one is certainly a big one.

In my opinion there are three scenarios. One, we win. If the Pack can pull it out, how good is San Diego? We know they're banged up and the Bears and the Pats kept LT in check as well as Rivers and the passing game. We will have to have a similar game plan. Defensively, they're hurting on the line and their secondary is suspect. If we win, don't expect a blowout.

Two, we lose but keep it close. This outcome could still be an issue because we're desperately trying to regain the Lambeau mystique. A close loss would still keep the Pack motivated as it would be a good measuring stick against arguably one of the better teams in the NFL especially having beaten the Bears, albeit on their own turf.

Outcome three could be a season changer and certainly a challenge to McCarthy and staff because it is one in which the Pack lose badly on the lines of last year's blowout loses to the Pats and Jets. This would be a case where all of the Packer coaches, players, and fans have to wonder what we're really made of. Were the Eagles just not that good, after all? Did we just beat up on the weak, injured Giants who hung with us through three quarters.

Now is the time for the Pack to step up and continue to play with attitude and direction and to put the ghosts of the past few years behind - where they belong.

 

[Greg C.]

Coming into the season, I saw this as a measuring stick game, but I'm not quite so sure about it anymore, following the Chargers' blowout loss to New England. I think the game will only tell us a lot if one team thoroughly outplays the other. But if the Packers win narrowly, people will just think that the Chargers really aren't that good anymore, and if the Chargers win narrowly, people will say that the Packers played them tough and they're still 2-1, so it's not that big a loss. And maybe they'll be right. What's most important to me (besides winning) is that it's a well-played game.

Good to see you here, by the way. It's been awhile, hasn't it?

 

[evad04]

I think it's pretty simple: San Diego had to play the best team in the NFL (Patriots) and one of the best in Chicago. San Diego didn't do all that well against playoff caliber teams last year... but they blew through non-playoff teams.

So what is Green Bay? I guess we'll have to wait and find out. We stayed in a lot of close games last year to teams that we were relatively on par with. When we played really solid teams (Chicago week 17 notwithstanding) we were creamed. But so far this year we've been tested and came out on top.

Whereas before... like two weeks ago... I was dreading this game, I'm actually REALLY looking forward to it. HUGE test for our defense and HUGE test for our offensive line. I love it.

 

[longtimefan]

If Gb wins by 50 or by 1, I still think people wont give Gb the credit they deserve

 

[tromadz]

If Gb wins by 50 or by 1, I still think people wont give Gb the credit they deserve

especially here at packerforum.com

 

[shanks2122]

i agree even if green bay wins the analists will say something along the lines as the chargers arnt that great this year they should have stayed with schotinhiemer(i know i slaughterd his name) or maybe LT is loseing a step. Green Bay will only get respect, in which i think they deserve some already, if the win the division(yes it will take that long for people to give them respect)

 

[longtimefan]

or if they beat the Bears it will be the Bears didnt care bout the game, it was meaningless

 

[tromadz]

or if they beat the Bears it will be the Bears didnt care bout the game, it was meaningless

Yeah, there was a holiday somewhere, im sure.

 

[DoddPower]

I honestly think that this is almost a more important game for the Charger's then it is for the packers. Don't get me wrong, it's huge for us as well, but if they lose again, it could really set them down a bad path for the rest of the season.

If we lose in a close one, we can still be proud because we kept up with one of the "better" teams in the NFL despite being so young. If only a few mistakes land us a loss, then all we have to do is fix a few things and we could be good enough to beat almost anyone.

The charger's are in the hot seat right now . .

 

[evad04]

It's week 3 guys. let's not get ahead of ourselves. The Chargers already have a win against one of the NFL's best teams.

A LOT of crazy things happen in a season. The Packers seem to be at 1-3 after four weeks every year and most of the time we end up with at least 10 wins. We could win 4 in a row and then drop 4 in a row (ala Viqueens). No one knows.

Of course... I HOPE we win every week, but we'll have a better idea where this team is in about 10 weeks.

 

[longtimefan]

It's week 3 guys. let's not get ahead of ourselves. The Chargers already have a win against one of the NFL's best teams.

A LOT of crazy things happen in a season. The Packers seem to be at 1-3 after four weeks every year and most of the time we end up with at least 10 wins. We could win 4 in a row and then drop 4 in a row (ala Viqueens). No one knows.

Of course... I HOPE we win every week, but we'll have a better idea where this team is in about 10 weeks.

Why not just say 15 weeks

I think normally by weeks 4,5 you can get a good feel for a team..Sometimes a team will suprise you like the Pack did last year..

 

[Gattocheese]

You can say that i am negative all the time about the packers, but the real situation is that i set my bar low, so when we go high i extremely enjoy it. I chose the pack to go 6-10 this year, any better and i will be thrilled.

As far as this game goes, if the pack wins, they will not get the credit they deserve for it. But if the pack wins i think the organization and the team will be riding on some really high spirits which could in turn help us out down the stretch. Winning this game can put us at the confidence and energy level we need to push threw other games. Its really a pivotal game for us.

Now me being me, i am seeing the Bolts over the Pack 24-14. Let me be wrong 3 weeks in a row!

 

[umair]

i think this is a winnable game for us. if our d can stop the run they have nothing on us.

 

[warhawk]

I think we all know this is a big game against a team that will have a winning record and a good chance to go deep in the playoffs.

They were also exposed last Sunday to a vulnerability that could allow the Packers to bring them down. Their pass defense is soft and where they are soft we are good. Short slanting routes and over the middle to the TE. We will bring them in and then go deep.

Now two weeks ago the Bears did not fare that well because this is not what they do best. They are more of a power team that does not want to rely on Rex to pick apart a defense. They are also spotty at pass protection and he gets hit alot. They went right into the teeth of what the Chargers are best at.

I think we need to run blitzes that also cover the running lanes and put somebody on LT because we will get beat if he can break loose. He has been taken out of the last two games and Rivers then has tunnel vision on Gates.

If we can force them to beat us with Rivers and Gates we can win.

 

[porky88]

It's a BIG game but its' still WEEK 3. The Packers lose this game and beat Minnesota next week, they come away 3-1 in the first month which is good. I don't care what anyone says. 3-1 is a great start to the season.

The Biggest games of the year is against Chicago. Those are the games the Packers must be competitive in. This game is a good test but remember the AFC is stronger than the NFC. San Diego should win this game because they are a superior team in a far better conference. If Green Bay can be competitive, it'll show good signs of improvement but a win is a win and a loss is a loss.

 

[Pack93z]

The charger's are in the hot seat right now . .

Absolutely, and if we can jump on them early, the panic button might be tempting for Norv and company to push too hard.

If we neutralize LT like the Bear and Pats did, which I think we can with the front 7, then we have the mismatch in this game. Let Rivers try to beat us and put Spider Monkey to play Gates deeper shadow for the game.

If Harris's elbow is not hurting to bad, line him up with Gates on all passing downs and put Bush outside with Wideout.

 

[DoddPower]

The charger's are in the hot seat right now . .

Absolutely, and if we can jump on them early, the panic button might be tempting for Norv and company to push too hard.

If we neutralize LT like the Bear and Pats did, which I think we can with the front 7, then we have the mismatch in this game. Let Rivers try to beat us and put Spider Monkey to play Gates deeper shadow for the game.

If Harris's elbow is not hurting to bad, line him up with Gates on all passing downs and put Bush outside with Wideout.

.

Hmm, you know what, that's not a bad idea. The only problem I can see with that is the height advantage the SD wide-outs would have. I believe both of them are like 6'5, with Bush only being 6'. A nickel back against a wide out who is 5 inches taller could be trouble. However, I could see this being an effective strategy on occasion, especially to mix it up and keep them guessing.

 

[matteogb4]

this is a crucial game for us.

if we play a close game, i don't care if we win (better) or lose...we have to improve...we are the youngest team in nfl.

last year we struggled with top team like bears, pats and jets.

 

[millertime]

I could be wrong, but when we played the Saints last year, didn't we keep the same guy covering Reggie Bush the entire game. (I think it was Ahmad Carrol, but I could be wrong.)

It worked against Reggie, maybe it could work against LT???