Same old story, both in Minnesota and on the road overall!
The Packers suffered a severe blow to their playoff hopes as they fell to the Minnesota Vikings 24-17 on Sunday night.
A game that was tied at 14 at halftime got away from the Packers as they couldn’t convert on short-yardage plays and couldn’t force a single turnover the entire game.
Perhaps the key moment of the game came in the third quarter. Aaron Jones was stopped short of a first down, and Mike McCarthy had to call a timeout before going for it on fourth down. Jones was stuffed again, and the Vikings took over at the Packers’ 44-yard line, driving down for a go-ahead field goal and a 17-14 lead.
The Packers got the ball back and were forced to punt after a sack on third down, which has been a common theme lately. Minnesota got the ball back in great field position, which they converted into a touchdown and a 24-14 lead.
Tramon Williams was a good player for Green Bay in the past, but he has been a major disappointment this year. The lone turnover of the game came when he touched the ball on a punt and fumbled it away. The Vikings were not able to turn it into any points as they went for it on fourth down and failed, but they were able to burn some valuable time off the clock.
The defense was not good today. Kirk Cousins took them apart. Aaron Rodgers is still struggling to convert on the deep ball. The Packers were only able to get a single field goal in the second half, just like they did in Seattle. All of that adds up to a 4-6-1 record and their playoff hopes on life support.
All six losses have been on the road. Their only hope is to win out and get help from other teams. It’s not likely to happen the way they have been playing, especially in the second half of games.
It’s becoming more and more obvious that McCarthy is on his way out after this season. He definitely needs to go, but firing him is not the only answer. We need some new players on both offense and defense. Rodgers needs to get back to the basics and work on his mechanics in the offseason. He has not been the same player we have seen in previous years. We need him back playing like an MVP next year for starters.
The season started off with a bang this year with that thrilling comeback win over the Bears. They had little to cheer about since then. Speaking of the Bears, it’s scary to think what Khalil Mack and the rest of that defense has in store for the Packers and their feeble offense. That game could get ugly down in Soldier Field.
The Packers still have five games left in their season. No matter what the playoff situation is, the team still has a duty to go out there and give their best effort on the field. The Packers play their next two games at home. Next week is a Noon (Central Time) start against the Arizona Cardinals. Take care Packer fans and stay warm.
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
