Pack wins and still loses.

The Pack will beat a pathetic Lions team tonight at Lambeau. Of course, they should have beat this same pathetic Lions team the first game of the season in Detroit. So anything could happen.

But the way this season has gone even when the Pack does something right -- like win -- they will still lose. In this case, by winning, the Packers will drop out of the Reggie Bush Sweepstakes, otherwise known as the 2006 NFL Draft. With a Monday night game next week against the Ravens, followed by a Christmas Day game at home against Da Bearz, and a New Year's Day game at home against Seattle, the Pack could wind up the year at 3-13...or 4-12 at best, counting wins today against the Lions and on Christmas versus Da Bearz. Either record will ensure that the Pack loses the number one pack next April.

The moribund Houston Texans (1-11) wrap up their season with home games against Arizona and Jacksonsville and on the road at San Fran...what a thriller that last one should be. With 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter of today's game against the Titans, the Texans were tied 10-10. They lost in the last 30 seconds, 13-10, retaining their death grip on the number 1 pick.

The Jets took themselves out of the running with a win today against Oakland, going to 3-10. San Fran plays at Seattle in today's second round of games; they will be 2-11 after that game. They finish with two road games -- Jacksonville and St. Louis -- and at home against, as noted above, the Texans. Yawn.

The likely scenario, as it looks now, is that Houston will get the number 1 pick, the 49ers will get the number 2 pick, the Jets will get number 3, and the Pack will get number 4. Under that scenario, no Reggie Bush and no Matt Leinart. The Pack would likely trade down for additional picks.

The Pack beats the Lions today. And loses drafting an impact player that makes a difference immediately. You always have to try to win. But again, the irony of this season -- where the Packers have been so close but not quite good enough game after game -- is that they will have once again been so close, but not quite bad enough either.