Will they make the playoffs?

[brandon2348]

Well whether it's psychology or scheme or coaching or players it's pathetic. I mean Detroit tried "over and over" to give that game away to us. I am very disappointed with the way things have gone south lately. I just don't see the same passion, energy, urgency overall as a team right now. Were actually wasting what is gonna be Clay's best year of his career.

A lot of things are bothering me right now from "the play calling" to "Davante not living up to the hype" to "Lacy being out of shape" to "Rodgers just not just looking like Rodgers" to just name some as I could go on and on.

Hopefully on an optimistic side we can get Monty back and get this turned around and get "hot" at the right time. Now is the time because backs our starting to get "pushed to the wall."

 

[Mondio]

That was my comment right after the game, 2 teams that looked like they really really didn't want to win and in the end Green Bay didn't want to win more

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

and 2 teams walking off the field, one saying "WTH...we won?" the other saying "WTH.... we lost?"

 

[TJV]

The 6-0 start may have erased the sting of the loss in the NFCCG, but I think the effect of losing in the way that we did had a direct impact oh how TT approached the off season and his re-tooling the team for this year. IMO he was complacent in addressing some glaring needs on both sides of the ball and his lack of wanting to participate in the FA market proved it. I have less of an issue with the 2015 draft, then I do with the way he didn't sign any FA's to fill obvious (IMO) voids. This complaceny though would have probably been even more profound, had the Packers won the Super Bowl, so maybe I am wrong to pin it on that one game and should have tabbed it as "TT being fat and sassy" at the end of the season with the players he had.

Again, whether we like it or not (and many of us obviously don’t like it) not signing significant UFAs is Thompson’s modus operandi. He acted no differently during the most recent off season than he did during the 2013, 2012 (unless you count Saturday and Hargrove as “significant”), 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007. And if they had won the Super Bowl, which UFA wouldn’t have Thompson signed compared to the ones he didn’t in the last off season?

As far as not buying into any weight of being the favorites, I respect your opinion, but I think it has psychologically effected their play as well as the play of opponents ("these are the Green Bay Packers we are playing"). The Lions showed us yesterday what a team with very few fan/media expectations are capable of and the Packers showed us what happens when you don't respect the team you are playing. So IMO, the weight of "why aren't we winning?" seems to be squarely on the face of many players.

Respectfully, did it psychologically effect their play during the first four, five, or six games of the season? Did it affect the play of their opponents’ during those games? Certainly after the debacle at Denver, the “weight of being the favorites” (which previously “resulted” in a 6-0 record) was lifted and then that lifting was reinforced with the loss at Carolina, wasn't it? It looks to me like you’re straining to explain what’s happened. I understand the desire to do so, but IMO the way the Packers started the season contradicts your theory. And while I agree the players are certainly to blame I also include the coaching staff.

 

[DMANDTM]

Yeah, getting Philbin would be one of the few options that are left on the table since the trade deadline is past.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Past behavior explains current behavior but it doesn't forgive it when it is wrong, wrong IMO. This is how I have always felt about TT and his obvious disdain for the UFA market. But he is consistent, I will give him that. But that is another debate.

As far as pressure to perform at a high level and how it has effected the players throughout the season. This is all subjective, but saying because they went 6-0 they proved they had no pressure or could handle it, I would argue that in most of those games, against inferior opponents, they still did not play up to their potential in the win. The KC game maybe being the one exception. Even the fans and media were starting to wonder about our D and the power outage on Offense after the 6 wins, no pressure? The past 2 games even takes the point further IMO. You are assuming that the loss to Denver and then again to Carolina somehow magically lifted the pressure to win. If anything, it put more pressure on the team and the players to prove to themselves and the world that they are legit.

I'm sticking with my very subjective theory, the Packers thus far have handled the pressure of being expected to win in every game this year poorly. This is on the players and the coaching staff.

 

[TJV]

To each their own but if you still believe:

The weight of being "the best team in the NFL" appears to be growing on their shoulders. ...

... after the debacle at Denver, the loss at Carolina and the humiliation of losing at home to the worst team in the league, I think the reality of the Packers 6-3 record along with the existence of three undefeated teams argues extremely strongly against that notion. After the last three games, they aren't even a good team, let alone the best team and I have confidence every single member of the Packers organization can read the standings.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I agree with most of that TJV, the weight of being the best is clearly gone (was referring to prior to the Denver game). Now all that is left is the weight of "what happened and how do we fix it?" remains. Everyone, including the players are scrambling for that answer right now.

I don't see getting this off their back completely before the game in MN. I also see the Vikings viewing this game as a statement game, so maybe that pressure on the Visqueens will work to our advantage? Until the fans, media and the team realize that the Packers are a better then average team, not a great one, the pressure is there. Once the Packers get back to playing up to their potential, things might level off. Personally, I'm looking forward to a new team taking the field on Thanksgiving night.

 

[JP Doyal]

You know playing without the Passion might be a huge factor. Look who had good games yesterday. Perillo and Abbrederis. They are both hungry.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

You know playing without the Passion might be a huge factor. Look who had good games yesterday. Perillo and Abbrederis. They are both hungry.

I'm not sure its lack of Passion with guys like Rodgers, Matthews, etc., because most of them love the game. What I was going after may encompass that though, I think mentally, our key players are pressing too hard or not hard enough. Hard to argue that our team isn't physically talented, so all I can conclude is that mentally, there is something not clicking on an individual and team basis. Collectively unfocused?

 

[JP Doyal]

So pressure might be the culprit? Pressure to always be the best?

 

[PackerDNA]

As badly as they've been playing, they're 2 games up on the #7 seed, so it'll take some work to fall out of a playoff spot.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Here's how I felt about the Packers Super Bowl chances recently:

• After San Diego win, 6-0: 99% confidence. The Packers are playing great this year and the NFC looks horrible. Packers are the clear favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
• After Denver loss, 6-1: 98% confidence. The Packers took a beating, but the Broncos have a great defense and were playing at home coming off of a bye week. Manning had an extra week to rest his old body. It was just one bad game.
• After Carolina loss, 6-2: 95% confidence. Second consecutive road game against a Super Bowl contender. The Panthers have a stout defense and solid running game which always gives the Packers fits.
• After Detroit loss, 6-3: 8% confidence. These guys stink. The offense is stale and the coaching staff doesn't seem to be making any changes. The Lions have the 26th ranked defense and dominated the reigning MVP and one of the league's best offenses.

 

[Mondio]

That 2 game lead could be gone by the time I fall asleep from too much Turkey with the way they've been playing.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If the season ended today, I doubt there would be many of us that would be sitting here saying "ok, let the playoffs begin, now the REAL Packers will show up". Fortunately, the next 7 games will provide the Packers the time to figure things out and either be ready for the playoffs or left wondering what changes in the off season are needed. Optimistic me says "this team is talented enough to beat any team on any field, all they have to do is clean things up and mentally get back in it." Pessimistic me says "the Packers Defense is average at best and the offense won't find its way with the players they currently have". I'm staying optimistic, but I'm not scanning Craigslist anymore for Super Bowl tickets.

 

[desertdog55]

At the beginning of the year I said yes.....now, absolutely not. At this point I don't see how they win two more games. One of two things are really wrong with this team....either the WRs are all running the the wrong routes, too slow, or AR is just not right. He was either over or underthrowing a lot of the passes. We don't have a decent TE. Our O Line is suspect....Lacy is not right. I love the Packers, but I predict they finish third in the division behind Minn and Chicago.

 

[Gibbo100]

http://realsport101.com/realsport-roundtable-who-will-win-the-nfc-north-2/ interesting roundtable discussion on whose going to win the division.

I think we are in with a shout!

 

[PackerDNA]

I think this team is too good to have a total extended meltdown that results in missing the playoffs, but if they can't find solutions quickly, it's possible .

 

[Snoops]

Bunch of Debbie downers!! Just cuz we in a slump don't mean ****... We still haven't played Minnesota this weekend we control our own destiny real fans aren't panicking we have 7 games left seven!

 

[Half Empty]

Oh, great, now we can have another discussion about what constitutes being a "real fan".

 

[Patriotplayer90]

Bunch of Debbie downers!! Just cuz we in a slump don't mean ****... We still haven't played Minnesota this weekend we control our own destiny real fans aren't panicking we have 7 games left seven!

We are fans of the team and the sport, not the business side of things (aka Ted Thompson). Now we either don't have the players, or the coaches aren't doing their jobs well enough. I think it's a combination of both, and that's on him.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

With the onset of winter, I have put all of my fans away for the season. This could be the same case for what the last month did to those seasonal Packer fans. Look on the bright side, game tickets might be cheap and easy to come by in December.

 

[OldSchool101]

There's a lot of football left, as Packerlover said the Vikes have a relatively tough schedule Over the 4 weeks. Our schedule just got easier while there's is getting tougher. That also puts additional emphasis on this Sunday. A win increases our playoff chances dramatically this week while another loss, we begin to rely on help from other teams and that isn't a pretty proposition.

 

[PackerDNA]

Home field is already all but gone. Lose this one, and the division is in serious trouble, along with a bye and even so much as a home game.

 

[Sky King]

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Let's put a stop to the nonsense of what constitutes a true Green Bay Packer fan. Now you know. This should end the argument once and for all: