Dismal ending to a frustrating year
The Packers ended their season with a thud as they were blanked 31-0 to the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.
To make matters worse, Aaron Rodgers had to leave the game with a concussion. It’s the third concussion for Rodgers that we know about, the other two coming in 2010, the season where they went on to win the Super Bowl. Concussions can never be minimized as the more you have, the more likely you are to have your NFL career cut short, and it also jeopardizes your long-term health. Unfortunately, that’s the risk you take whenever you take the field in an NFL game, whether it’s in the preseason, regular season, playoffs, or even in a scrimmage.
As for the game, sloppy tackling, dropped passes, and other than a few runs here and there, DeShone Kizer did almost nothing to inspire confidence in any of us should he ever be called upon for extensive action in the future. It also should put to rest any talk about Joe Philbin returning as the head coach next season. It doesn’t matter how much Rodgers and Davante Adams want him back. They are great players, but they don’t make personnel decisions.
Speaking of which, Mark Murphy and Brian Gutekunst have a huge task ahead of them. For starters, they need to do their homework in their search for a new head coach. They need to make a great hire. They need to really evaluate this roster from top to bottom. I think that Rodgers has some MVP-caliber seasons left, but he needs playmakers around him on offense and a top-ten defense, not a mediocre D. Speaking of the defense, they have done a poor job of getting turnovers, and their tackling lately has been pathetic.
Gutekunst has said that he will be active in free agency this year. It’s time for him to put his money where his mouth is. The Draft is still important, but we don’t have the time to wait for the players to develop in three years. The time is now. We have seen how teams can go from last place to first place in just a year. Even though the Packers aren’t in last place, they have just finished their second losing season in a row. We need some significant changes during these next several months or else it will be three in a row at this time next season.
After last season ended, we fired Dom Capers, demoted Ted Thompson, and looked forward to the return of Rodgers after he had his collarbone injury. Many of us thought that we would be in the running in the NFC. As it turns out, we finished with an even worse record this year. This situation won’t be fixed with a few band-aids and some duct tape. We need a thorough evaluation of this entire organization from the front office to the waterboy.
The Packers have the 12th overall pick in the Draft. They also have the Saints’ first-round pick, and all we know is that it will be late in the first round. How far they advance will determine how late it will be. Free agency begins in March, so many of us will be glued to our TV screens and electronic devices around that time to see what they do. They have decisions to make with players such as Randall Cobb and Clay Matthews. Do they bring back Jimmy Graham despite a disappointing year? Do they stick with the young receivers and bank on them to improve significantly in their second year? These are some of the questions that the team must address.
The 100th season for the Green Bay Packers started out with a bang as they defeated the Bears 24-23 on opening night, a game many of us will not forget anytime soon. Not much went right after that. Even the wins seemed less than inspiring. The Cardinals will pick #1 in the Draft, the team that won in Green Bay, leading to the firing of Mike McCarthy. The 49ers (#2) and Jets (#3) are teams that the Packers barely beat, winning both games on the final play. Getting swept by the lowly Detroit Lions is just sad, especially when you end the season with a 31-0 loss at home. I’m ready to put this season in the rearview mirror and look forward to the offseason.
It will take a lot of work, but I think this team can make some noise next season. A lot of it depends on the health of Aaron Rodgers. He also needs to improve his mechanics and get back to putting up MVP numbers. The jury is still out on Brian Gutekunst. The team took a step back last year and we need something to give us a dose of confidence. Perhaps we will get that when they name a new head coach.
I remain optimistic that they will get this thing turned around. I wouldn’t have said this a year ago, but perhaps they can study what the Bears did to turn their franchise around. The Packers need to think outside the box a little bit. The league is constantly changing and they cannot afford to be two steps behind all of the time.
We will wait and see. There will be much to talk about in the coming weeks and months ahead. Take care as we remain loyal to the Green and Gold through thick and thin.
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
