Monday, October 04, 2010

Packers vs. Lions...Whew!

Sometimes, Packer fans, the only thing that can be said about a game is: Whew!

The Green Bay Packers narrowly hung on to garner a 28-26 victory over the Detroit Lions in Lambeau Field yesterday. For those who watched it, it was painful. We will not recount the ways; you can find all that coverage and angst elsewhere this time around. For those who didn't see it, consider yourselves blessed.

My prediction of a blowout in favor of the Pack was clearly off the mark. Apparently, there was still a bit of a hangover from the Monday night loss to Da Bearz. And, also apparently, Detroit does have more ability than perhaps they've been given credit for. When some of the people they are currently missing from the lineup return, they could actually be a dangerous team now and then. They are very close. But, as their mistakes revealed on Sunday, not yet close enough.

What can the Packers take out of this game? Besides the "W" and a share of the lead in the NFC North with Da Bearz, who lost to the Giants last night (yeah!), the Pack might also be able to recognize their vulnerability on defense to the dink and dunk offenses that show up during a game, their difficulty handling scrambling quarterbacks, and the fact that they can win a game -- or, at least, put one away -- with the running game when they need to. Granted, there's nothing flashy about it, and there is little to no threat of a Packers' running back taking one to the house from a long way out. But they can grind it out. Perhaps, that's at least one area of good news emerging through the ugly games of the past two weeks.

Other than that....whew!