Did the Bucs loss galvanize this team?

[b bulldog]

I would be the first to admit that any loss is a bad loss but I think this team is better as a result of that loss and I think this team will make the playoffs. The Packers are a good team with some promising young players and an excellent QB. I do think that round three is a distinct possibility.

[Fosco33]

Well, we were hoping to be 7-4 at this point (thinking we swapped Cowboys and Bucs outcomes).

Gotta beat SEA and CHI, then at least 1 of 3 - or more if lose to CHI/SEA (BAL, PITT, ARI).

Still need to play a LOT better on ST to make a run here.

[denverYooper]

I would be the first to admit that any loss is a bad loss but I think this team is better as a result of that loss and I think this team will make the playoffs. The Packers are a good team with some promising young players and an excellent QB. I do think that round three is a distinct possibility.

It was definitely a slap in the face and it looks like they're responding.

[red]

i think that lose definitely lit the fire under this teams ass

we've for sure seen a totally different defense since that game

that loss might have been the biggest blessing for this team by the end of the season

[imscott72]

that loss might have been the biggest blessing for this team by the end of the season

You may be right. There definitely is a sense of urgency that wasn't there earlier in the year.

[CaliforniaCheez]

No the Bucs kicked tham in the pouch

and screwed up a lot of NFL tiebreakers for the Packers.

[lionstar]

Rationalization is the second strongest human drive. It's never a positive to lose! The Pack should be 8-3 right now!!

[TennesseePackerBacker]

The most important thing here is that if we must lose a game it has to be to either Baltimore(don't see that happening) or the Steelers(40/60). We can't afford another NFC loss as that is generally a crucial tie-breaker for wildcard teams.

Baltimore- will probably be a tough game that comes down to a touchdown or less. Baltimores biggest weakness is their secondary. I feel we match up favorably with them and we get them at home(Baltimore plays possessed at home).

@ Chicago- always a tough game for us in Chicago at the end of the year. We have the better talent, but you never know if Cutler will just have a field day or not. Other than the Steeler game I think this might be one of our toughest left.

@ Pittsburgh- without a doubt our toughest game left. Depending on how many they lose it could only get tougher. I still feel as if we match up pretty well with the Steelers, but this game is pretty much a toss-up.

Seattle- to get seattle at home is huge. They are a completely different team on the road and it shows. Hopefully they have already packed it in by now and this game should be a breeze...but on any given Sunday...

@ Arizona- Again, this should play out well for us. Unless Zona totally tanks and is fighting for a playoff birth on the final week they should be resting plenty of starters, including Kurt Warner.

Our end stretch works out pretty favorably. We'll really have to tank to miss out on the playoffs IMO.

On a sad note, only 5 more weeks of regular season football left :( I'm going to miss you when your gone NFL. My girlfriend on the other hand will probably throw a party.

[Scott Campbell]

If our lines continue to improve, we can win a bunch of games. But it's hard to say because we just beat one of the league runts today.

[PackerTimer]

Rationalization is the second strongest human drive. It's never a positive to lose! The Pack should be 8-3 right now!!

I don't know if they would be 8-3 if they would have beaten the Bucs. At the time I think they were able to, to an extent, cover up what they were doing wrong because they had lost to the Vikes and the Bengals. Two good team. After losing too the Bucs the problems they were having couldn't be covered up anymore. They had to stop talking playing better and they had to do it. I do think that loss changed this teams mentality.

[Partial]

Nothing to do with that imo, has to do with Tauscher stepping in and Clifton stepping up, as well as the D gelling.

[ThunderDan]

Nothing to do with that imo, has to do with Tauscher stepping in and Clifton stepping up, as well as the D gelling.

Amazing how when the protection improves Rodgers goes back to preseason form!

[pbmax]

Nothing to do with that imo, has to do with Tauscher stepping in and Clifton stepping up, as well as the D gelling.

Amazing how when the protection improves Rodgers goes back to preseason form!
Don't for get Lang. The Packers have another starter there. And Sitton really stood out in this game. The field camera is great for the O line.

Also, McCarthy gave Rodgers more responsibility and reads and the ability to change more routes short. More importantly, he took them when bigger stuff was not there. Called more screens and lo and behold running them again and again has made them better.

Run game came to life as well, though not versus Lions.

[mraynrand]

I think the Tampa game was the result of the hangover from losing to the Vikings and Favre for the second time. The organization had a ton invested in that decision and seeing it work out to the Packer's benefit. It was a terrible blow. Even without Favre, the absolute worst loss any team can suffer is a home loss to a Division rival. Look at the difference: With a win over MN at Lambeau, the Pack wold be 8-3 and the Vikes 8-2. Instead of being one loss away, the Packers are 4 games back in the loss column for the Division. You cannot lose Division home games - especially to rivals - they are devastating.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I think the Tampa game was the result of the hangover from losing to the Vikings and Favre for the second time. The organization had a ton invested in that decision and seeing it work out to the Packer's benefit. It was a terrible blow. Even without Favre, the absolute worst loss any team can suffer is a home loss to a Division rival. Look at the difference: With a win over MN at Lambeau, the Pack wold be 8-3 and the Vikes 8-2. Instead of being one loss away, the Packers are 4 games back in the loss column for the Division. You cannot lose Division home games - especially to rivals - they are devastating.

Ty pretty much agrees with Rand on this. After the loss, you could pretty much count on us having a hangover, especially since the game was so hyped, the return of Bert, the constant media attention, the finality of realizing we had been swept, etc.

Ty was hoping/praying that even in our doldrums the Bucs weren't good enough to pull it out.