Week 9 Playoff Picture (Only 8 Weeks to Go)

[Upnorth]

So, the Packers still control their own destiny?

You nailed it!
So how big does the Giants game look now? The way Eli is playing our secondary will need help.

[CaliforniaCheez]

You nailed it!
So how big does the Giants game look now? The way Eli is playing our secondary will need help.

Not so big if they beat the 49'ers this weekend. This weekend it is Go Giants and Go Bears.

A two game cushion on the 49'ers and 3 games ahead of the Lions with 7 games to go will be a large advantage.

[King Friday]

Great tribute, and man do we have a tough division so far!
What I dislike about this is that SF will come to GB in January. They Run first and stop the run. Of any team beating us I really only fear SF in poor weather right now.

I tend to agree, although I'm not convinced SF is good enough to beat the Giants/Lions/Saints/Bears in the Divisional Round. SF really isn't going to be tested too much during the season, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them be upset because they won't be as battle hardened as the other NFC contenders.

[King Friday]

Not if you listen to Skip Bayless. Apparently, the Packers aren't going to win if they have a bad defense and average to good running game.

He said that last year too...how's them apples Skippy-Bo-Peep?

[Smidgeon]

Not so big if they beat the 49'ers this weekend. This weekend it is Go Giants and Go Bears.

A two game cushion on the 49'ers and 3 games ahead of the Lions with 7 games to go will be a large advantage.

+1 I've been rooting for cushions in the rankings. That way if there's a game where the ball bounces the other way (or the refs call too many ridiculous pass interference or roughing the passer calls), the Packers still have a lead for home field.

[smuggler]

Actually, Bayless is right. In the playoffs, we will need to tighten up a little on D to be able to withstand the 3 game gauntlet and win the SB.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Actually, Bayless is right. In the playoffs, we will need to tighten up a little on D to be able to withstand the 3 game gauntlet and win the SB.

Wait, we have to go on a winning streak DURING the playoffs to win the SB? Aw shit.

[channtheman]

Actually, Bayless is right. In the playoffs, we will need to tighten up a little on D to be able to withstand the 3 game gauntlet and win the SB.

Oh believe me, I think our defense is suspect and we will eventually lose at least one game because of them if they do not get better. However, the way Bayless implies that the Packers suck because the defense is bad is laughable. Does he not know we are the only undefeated team in the league?

I do think our defense will begin to tighten it up, though, and we will not lose this year or in the playoffs or in the Super Bowl. 19-0 Baby!

[smuggler]

It sort of depends on Mike Neal. If he can come back and provide a boost or really any impact at all (the other guys aren't doing much) then that improves Raji's effectiveness and sets us up nicely for the postseason. If Neal can't do that for us, I don't see any releif, since a lot of the gambling our DBs are perpetrating is due IMO to the lack of pressure the line is generating. Get burned all day long and force some turnovers, or let offenses methodically march the field and score on every drive. Pick your poison. That's what we're dealing with right now.

[Smeefers]

It sort of depends on Mike Neal. If he can come back and provide a boost or really any impact at all (the other guys aren't doing much) then that improves Raji's effectiveness and sets us up nicely for the postseason. If Neal can't do that for us, I don't see any releif, since a lot of the gambling our DBs are perpetrating is due IMO to the lack of pressure the line is generating. Get burned all day long and force some turnovers, or let offenses methodically march the field and score on every drive. Pick your poison. That's what we're dealing with right now.

If the success of our defense rests in the hands of Mike Neal, I'm hanging up my coat and going home. There's a lot of other players on this D that need to step it up. I don't think it's a one guy fixes it all scenario either. I also don't think it's a packers only problem. Defenses around the league are giving up crazy numbers. If that wasn't the case, then there wouldn't be 3 QB's on pace to blast Dan Marino's single season passing yards record out of the water. (I'm looking at you Drew Brees. Seriously? 3k in 9 weeks?)

[Guiness]

It sort of depends on Mike Neal. If he can come back and provide a boost or really any impact at all (the other guys aren't doing much) then that improves Raji's effectiveness and sets us up nicely for the postseason. If Neal can't do that for us, I don't see any releif, since a lot of the gambling our DBs are perpetrating is due IMO to the lack of pressure the line is generating. Get burned all day long and force some turnovers, or let offenses methodically march the field and score on every drive. Pick your poison. That's what we're dealing with right now.

I can't see Neal being terribly effective. He hasn't played in some time, and barely at all at the pro level. It's going to take him a while to get up to speed on the field.

[Fritz]

If Neal can get his muscles strengthened in the next few weeks, then play a couple late-season games, and if he can avoid any more injury, he could help significantly in the playoffs. The few times he's been on the field, he looks and plays like a man amongst boys.