Packers Snatch Defeat from the Jaws of Victory in NFC Championship

Fans of the Green Bay Packers witnessed a game yesterday that will go down in Packers' lore...for all the wrong reasons. The team played 56 minutes of good, not great, football against a Seattle Seahawks team they had on the ropes, waiting for a knockout punch that never came. In the end, the beaten and bruised champ rose from the canvas (or turf, in this case) and wound up delivering the sucker punch that ended the game and the Packers' season. The Packers lost in overtime to the Seahawks, 28-22.

The post-mortem on this game will go on and on. For Packers fans, it will live forever. There is no way of setting this monumental collapse aside. It was (insert hashtag here) an epic fail. The Pack all but had their ticket punched to the Super Bowl in Arizona. But unlike in recent weeks where they could close out a game in the waning minutes, the Packers let Seattle hang around, let them back into the game, and then could not hold on for the win. As a result, Seattle is going to its second straight Super Bowl and the Packers are going home for the off-season to ponder what could have been.

What went wrong?
Where do you start to list the series of apparently little things that all added up to the loss? Here's just one writer's list:

• Mike Daniels' 15-yard taunting penalty after Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix's first interception. Instead of first and goal from the 4-yard line, it was first and goal from the 19.
• Failure to punch the ball in on two runs from the 1-yard line.
• Head coach Mike McCarthy settling -- twice -- for field goals on fourth-and-goal rather than going for the touchdowns.
• Getting only six points off five Seattle turnovers.
• Giving up a touchdown off a fake field goal to reignite the Seahawks' hopes.
• Giving up a third-and-nineteen pass completion for a first down.
• Morgan Burnett's interception with about five minutes remaining when he went to the ground rather than pick up, possibly, another 15 yards of open field and field goal range.
• TE Brandon Bostick's decision to not follow his assigned blocking role on an onside kick but rather to attempt to make a play on the ball instead, leading to a recovery -- and quick go-ahead touchdown -- by Seattle with about 2 minutes left in the game. Oh, the designated "hands" on that side of the field and position was Jordy Nelson. Bostick was supposed to block so Nelson could get the ball.
• Giving up 15 points in 44 seconds to let Seattle take the lead late in the game.
• Allowing Seattle to drive 87 yards in six plays for the winning touchdown in overtime.

These are just a few of the miscues that came back to haunt the Packers.

Lost in all this was the exceptional performance of kicker Mason Crosby who went 5 for 5 on the day, keeping the Packers in the game, including a tying 48-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining to take the game to overtime. Had the Packers won, Crosby should have been the game's MVP.

Epilogue
A great season for a very good Packers team came to a crashing -- and crushing -- end. The Packers were the better team for most of the game. Or so it seemed. But all those little things that they did or didn't do added up in the end to a loss to a team that was ripe for the picking. Hats off to the Seahawks for never giving up, despite dismal play most of the day. Their coach played to win, the Packers coach played not to lose. We know the rest of the story.

As Wayne Larrivee, radio voice of the Packers noted on radio this morning, anywhere from 25 to 33 percent of this Packers team will be changed for the coming season. That's how it works on average, he said. Some of those players we've come to know and like -- or not -- will be gone. New players will take their place. Whether that new combination will have the makings to be as good a team as this one came to be over the course of the season, only time will tell.

But as Larrivee also noted, the windows of opportunity in the NFL for a Super Bowl run aren't based upon careers, they are based upon seasons. This was a season in which the Packers could have made it to Arizona for the Super Bowl. They would have had a rematch against the New England Patriots, a team they handled in the regular season. A Super Bowl win was perhaps in the cards. But...not.

The Packers, in the end, handed that opportunity to the Seahawks, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Packers vs. Raiders in Preseason Home Opener

The Green Bay Packers play the Oakland Raiders tonight at Lambeau Field, the Pack's first game at home in this preseason schedule. It is the annual Shrine game.

What can we expect? Most of the usual things you expect from the third of four preseason games: more play from the starters, while still seeing plenty of action from those players still trying to make the roster. The first roster cuts need to be made by Monday, taking the roster down to 75 players.

The "more play" from the starters piece will translate differently for each player, of course. While head coach, Mike McCarthy, wouldn't say definitively that QB Aaron Rodgers would play a full half, he did indicate that his playing time had more to do with the number of plays the offense was able to reel off while Rodgers was under center. If the starting offense operates as efficiently as it did in its game last week at St. Louis, Rodgers could very well have an early night.

Packers RB Eddie Lacy in action
(Photo copyright Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Expect also to see more of RB Eddie Lacey who hasn't been on the field that much during either of the two prior games; in fact, he -- like Rodgers and WR Jordy Nelson -- didn't even dress for the first game against the Titans. He's anxious to get some touches and, according to his own comments, make sure his game speed is where it needs to be. No matter how many reps he may get in practice -- including an abundance of sideline work catching passes from running backs coach, Sam Gash -- it's not the same.

Expect to see a lot of Scott Tolzein and Matt Flynn at quarterback tonight, too. According to some sources, it seems likely that the Packers will keep both backup QBs on the final roster. We know all too well what happened last year, and with two able backups behind Rodgers that's a security blanket the Packers need.

The tight end competition is also an area to keep your eyes on. With Brandon Bostick down perhaps through Week 1 of the regular season with a lower leg injury, others will get their chance to show their stuff. Rookie Richard Rodgers is an intriguing prospect there, and second-year player Jake Stoneburner may see more action, too.

At wide receiver, coaches and fans alike got to see last week what rookie Jeff Janis might bring to the table: size and speed. Would really like to see him get some work with Rodgers to see what that pass-catch combination could offer.

The return game, especially on punts, is still a bit of an unknown so we may see a number of players still auditioning for that role. If all else fails, don't be surprised if Micah Hyde becomes the regular punt returner.

What about defense? The defensive line rotation will get a workout to see how that best sets up for the season. The linebacker set is pretty well defined except for the primary back up spots where there is still good competition. As for the secondary, there is some of the best competition for playing time that we've seen in years, which should make that unit as solid as any when the regular season kicks off.

The weather forecast for this evening is hot and steamy. At kickoff, the temperature is supposed to be around 76 degrees, with humidity around 80 percent. This will be more like the sweltering rainforest, not the frozen tundra. Thunderstorms are pegged at 20 percent chance through a good portion of the game.

Yours truly will be at the game this evening, so the usual in-game Tweets will not be made in case you were counting on our pithy insights. Will do a follow-up post here this weekend on the fun and frivolity that took place. Oh, and the game, too, of course.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers drop game to Eagles, 27-13

For the first time since Aaron Rodgers became the Green Bay Packers starting quarterback in 2008, the Pack lost two games in a row at Lambeau Field. And, as we know, Rodgers had nothing to do with either of the losses. Knocked out with a fractured collarbone on the first series of last Monday night's game against the Chicago Bears, Rodgers was on the sidelines today. In his place, veteran backup Seneca Wallace got the start. The entire week of practice was devoted to implementing an offensive scheme that would play to Wallace's strengths. Practice squad quarterback and former Wisconsin Badger, Scott Tolzien, was elevated to the backup slot.

So much for that idea.

Scott Tolzien photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports

For the second game in a row, the Packers starting quarterback was lost for the game. In today's game against the Eagles, Wallace was lost on a third down play -- on the first offensive series -- with a groin injury. Enter Tolzien.

To his credit, Tolzien didn't look flustered. He actually looked in good command for having little to no reps with the first unit during the week. He finished the day 24 for 39, with 280 yards passing, with one touchdown (an NFL first for both him and TE Brandon Bostick) and two interceptions, including a costly one in the endzone and another tipped. Whatever Wallace's status physically, it was announced on air after the game that Tolzien has been named the starter for next week's game against the Giants. (Let's hope he doesn't get injured during the week of practice...which the way the Packers' luck is going is a distinct possibility.) Tolzien had a good arm, some good throws, and it will be interesting to see what he can do with a week's practice with the number one unit under his belt.

What will that first-string offensive unit look like?
There is a question at this point as to what the offensive line will look like this next week. That's because the Packers' season-long injury parade kept on coming again today. Center Evan Dietrich-Smith went out with a knee injury, moving right guard T.J. Lang to center, Don Barclay from tackle to guard, with Marshall Newhouse entering then at tackle. By the end of the game, Barclay was also injured. So who knows who will be starting in front of Tolzien next weekend.

More injuries
Think the injuries to Wallace, Dietrich-Smith and Barclay was enough? Naaaaah. Toss in injuries to Nick Perry, Casey Hayward and Johnny Jolly to the mix. It just keeps coming, folks. Even LG Josh Sitton was quoted as saying that he's starting to wonder if there just isn't something in the water with all the injuries in Green Bay. As bad as 2010 was with injuries, this season might actually be worse. At least in 2010 the Packers still had their starting QB throughout the season.

Everything needed to go right; nothing did
In a game where everything had to go right for the Packers to win, nothing did. The bad omen came early, on a missed 53-yard field goal -- one of two misses on the day -- by Mason Crosby, which clanked off the right upright. Missed interceptions, a fumble recovery deep in Eagles territory that turned into zero points, not much went right on this day.

Defense fails again
For the second game in a row, the Packers defense -- after holding tight for most of the first half -- did very little to help the effort in the second half. There wasn't much of a pass rush again. The secondary left receivers wide open. It was uninspired. And for yet another game, the defense didn't really generate any turnovers of significance. Yes, there was that late fumble recovery on a sack of QB Nick Foles, in the Eagles red zone, but the offense was unable to turn that into points.

Where do we go from here, Packers fans? One could say that if you are a person of faith go to church, synagogue, temple, mosque, whatever. It seems as if Divine intervention is needed at this point, or at least until Aaron Rodgers returns.

Other than that...grab the dramamine because it looks as if it's going to be a bumpy ride for at least several weeks if not the remainder of the season.

Packers finalize practice squad; get ready for 49ers

Following the flurry of cuts and waivers to get to their 53-man roster last Friday, the Green Bay Packers finally nailed down the eight spots on their practice squad. Most of the eight have already been with the Pack, either as rookies this training camp or as practice squad players previously. The eighth and final spot, however, was filled by a two-year veteran cut from the Steelers, Chris Scott, an offensive lineman. Considering that GM Ted Thompson only kept seven offensive linemen on the active roster, adding an experienced lineman to the practice squad gives the team at least a bit of depth. A bit. The Packers also kept seventh-round pick Andrew Datko and undrafted rookie free agent G Greg Van Roten on the squad. Only one defensive player, DE Lawrence Guy, made the squad.

Anyway, here's the practice squad roster:

• QB B.J. Coleman
• WR Diondre Borel
• RB Marc Tyler
• TE Brandon Bostick
• T Andrew Datko
• G/T Chris Scott
• G Greg Van Roten
• DE Lawrence Guy

Noticeable by his absence is WR Tori Gurley who was finally lured away to the ViQueens practice squad. The Packers had paid him more this last year to keep him on their practice squad after the 'Queens had initially tried to sign him to their practice squad. Given the abundance of receivers the Pack had in camp this year, it was apparent that probably only he or Borel and not both would make the practice squad. The Pack opted in the final analysis for Borel.

49ers coming to Lambeau to kick off the season

The Packers had their first practice of the regular season yesterday as they began preparation for the San Francisco 49ers coming to Lambeau Field this Sunday. A few players were held out, including B.J. Raji who sustained an ankle sprain on the first play of the final preseason game. Today is the team's regular day off before they again resume preparations tomorrow.

Currently, the Packers are slotted as 5-point favorites over the Niners, who bring a talented defense into town. San Fran had a very good season last year, but they picked up four easy wins going against the likes of Seattle and Arizona.

We'll be back nearer game day to provide both a game -- and season -- prediction.

Until then...say it with me: It's great to be a Packer fan!