Visit to McCarthy's Hometown...........Kenny Mayne

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Pack Lose a Heartbreaker in OT, Falling 51-45 to the Cards


WOW what a game. Neither Defense showed up and the Packers at one point found themselves down 31-10. The Packers turned over the ball 2 times in their first three possessions on Offense.

Then the dust settled and the Pack came roaring back scoring at will. Probably the best call of McCarthy's career came early in the 3rd quarter when after scoring, the Packers fooled the Cards with an onside kick, recovering it with ease. The surprised Cards didn't even know what hit them. A few minutes later Aaron Rodgers and the Packers scored again, putting up 14 points in less than 5 minutes.

But the Packers Defense, ranked #2 in the league after the regular season, just could not stop the Cards highpower attack. Both teams traded scores in what turned out to be the highest scoring playoff game in the history of the NFL.

The Packers eventually would tie the game, but the Cards had just under 2:00 minutes to score and win the game. Neil Rackers, the Cards kicker, who had only missed two field goals all year, blew a 34 yard FG to win it at the end of regulation.

The Packers then won the coin toss in OT, and on the first play in OT, Aaron Rodgers just missed a wide open Greg Jennings that would have been 6 points and a Pack win for sure. That's a pass that Rodgers will play over and over as he watches the playoffs from home!! The play brought back memories of Favre to Jennings against Denver in OT, and the Packers game against the Bears in week 1, when Greg Jennings scored on a bomb with little time on the clock.

A few plays later, Rodgers was nailed by the Cards Mike Adams who grabbed his facemask and Rodgers fumbled, then kicked the ball in the air, allowing Karlos Dansby to pick it up in the air, and run in for the game winning play in OT.

NO CALL BY THE OFFICALS, and a lot of unhappy Packers fans!!! The play has been the subject of debate over the past few days, with most people in favor of the Pack. Too bad for the Pack that this controversial play ended the Packers season. Now TT and the Pack get to focus on what some consider the Packers brass does the best at and that's the draft!!! Plenty more to come as the offseason never ends for the Green & Gold.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

PLAYOFF FOOTBALL STARTS SUNDAY FOR THE PACK
























The Regular Season is over and the Packers have made the Playoffs as a Wildcard. They've been playing great football of late and have been playing as a TEAM. As the Packers prepare for their Playoff game on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, we take a look back on a few games and also talk a little bit about where the Pack is today on both sides of the ball.........enjoy!

So looking back, Pack should be the #2 seat. Think about (3) specific games that the Packers SHOULD have won period.

Game# 1: Bengals……….Bengals ended up being a hell of a team. If we had the mind set that they weren’t the Bengals of old, we might have stepped up our game enough that we wouldn’t have lost.

Game#2 Bucs………..Although this game ended up being a wake up call to the Pack, no way should they have lost it especially after being up and letting a rookie QB come back and kick our butts. Should have won, but good for the team to lose that one.

Game#3 Steelers………Sure GB gave up 500+ yards passing to Rothisbur……….whatever, Nice Pick Cower!!!! The Pack were winning that game as ugly as it was for our Defense. We then go into classic late 4th quarter prevent and give up an amazingly perfect pass on seriously GREAT coverage by Bell (he’s a bum anyway). I mean C Wood couldn’t have protected it better, it was just a GREAT pass and an amazing catch by the WR to win it. Should have won game 3 out of the 3 games on my list.

So with that said, the Packers could have won the division and had a 1st round bye. Not complaining, just stated facts. The facts are as successful as an 11-5 season is, we seriously could be 12-4 or 13-3 easily if it wasn’t for a few freak plays. Just goes to show you that on any given Sunday.

I think going into the playoffs right now, on the AFC side, the Colts and Chargers are the scariest teams who are playing well. Colts have a lot of injuries but are getting it done. Just a solid team all around. Packers brass should pay close attention. The Chargers are by far, hands down, the hottest and scariest team in the NFL right now. Their D is clicking at the right time and playmakers are stepping up. On Offense, Rivers is having an MVP year and is doing it quietly!!!! Lots of weapons, scary team.

On the NFC side, again two teams are scary and are playing amazing football. One is Philly. They have very dangerous weapons on Offense in Brent Celek, TE, Desean Jackson, WR (probably one of the most explosive players in the league right now), and don’t forget about Vick, McNabb (playing solid ball), & Christ………Brian Westbrook (concussions or not, it’s freakin Brian Westbrook).

The other team is our very own Green Bay Packers. Now I’m not just saying the Packers because I live and breathe Green & Gold, they seriously are on scary team clicking at the right time. Their Offense looks like it did in preseason when we all thought nobody could stop us. Finley is lights out period……..enough said!!! Jennings is clicking now after a slow start, Grant is rushing the ball extremely well (as he always does late in the year when you need it the most), Driver is our go-to-guy on any down and still playing at a VERY high level. The O-Line is finally clicking and playing well. I attribute that to the arrival of Mark Tauscher. Before he was signed and then got a game or two under his belt, we were on the way to A-Rog becoming the next David Carr. A solid QB with a ton of talent who got his lights knocked out more than any QB in history. Thank god we got it together. Now that’s just on the offensive side of the ball. That doesn’t include Brandon Jackson’s pass blocking or 3rd down success, Hall/Khun/Quinn Johnson’s exceptional blocking play, Lee’s ability to block, and Nelson finally coming alive on ST.

That was just O. The Packers Defense is tops in the league!!!!! #1 against the Rush!!!! A +23 (or something like that) turnover ratio (SICK!!!!!!!), the play of our LB’s, specifically the rookies Matthews & Brad Jones who seriously both could/should be in the Pro Bowl (well Matthews for sure, Jones needs some playing time but has made all of Packer Nation forget Kampman). Hell even Hawk has been more successful than previous year’s. Barnett has come back from injury to have another GREAT year worthy of Pro Bowl. Jolly, Jenkins, and late in the season Raji have been HOUSES!!!!!!!!! Great underrated players!!!! And our Secondary needs no explanation!!! C Wood, Defensive Player of Year (HANDS DOWN!!!) and Collins another Pro Bowl year with 6 INT’s………

Need Crosby to step up his game!!! Need ST, return game to wake up…………..like it did a bit on Sunday. ST, can be the difference in the game. Especially with field position. Packers only glaring weakness is SPECIAL TEAMS!!!! STEP IT UP BOYZ

Packers are hot!!! Playing well as a TEAM. We’re a dangerous team who needs to play smart, get TO’s, and play penalty free (or as close to it as possible).

BRING ON THE PLAYOFFS BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO PACK GO!!!!!!!!!!!!