The Green Bay Packers are the ‘real McCoy’

Catching a Green Bay Packers headline the other day, it dawned on me.

After living through “The Lean Twenty-Five,”  a term describing the Packers between Vince Lombardi’s dynasty and the Wolf-Holmgren era beginning in 1992, we were somewhere near 25 years of lackluster and championships.

It wasn’t until watching Brett Favre a few games, it became a dream to think, “If this kid (Favre) keeps playing like that,” after a come-from-behind game Favre won in the final seconds, jumping around, laughing, finding a catch when none was to be found, scrambling for a first down… along with all the antics and attention grabbing psyche only Brett could produce on a football field and get away with, the beginning said it all for him, “if only this kid can keep at it…”

The rest is history, and we continue on as “winners.”

It was a beautiful game, if it’s permissible to describe 22 men running around in tight pants, in any kind of weather for  a few hours, trying to knock each other out of their way to move a ball that is not even round!

But there are other words and events last week that come to mind. Like the beauty of that not even close to round ball, as guys just like Aaron Rodgers can do with that ball:  Like put it through a 5-gallon bucket with the bottom cut out, at 50 yards, not just once or twice but four times in a row without missing.

Even better than that, throw on the run, to hit his receiver right between the “8” and “7” fifty-some yards away, while those numbers are flying downfield on that hot day, just outside of the swampland in the far southern end of Florida, to beat a darn good Miami Dolphin ball club last week, with three seconds left to go.

That tear in my eye, and the thought I can’t escape from after watching that game, “Man-oh-man, are we lucky to have a team like this!”

It seems the Packers Nation is spoiled, winning and winning, as a premier team that still can have hope to take the crown, after controversy came to town, at the start of the season, through a couple losses that should have been victories, with one being a blow-out, that we soon forgot about when the team came back together.

And Rodgers was right.

A recent headline said, Rodgers not happy with recent events or something to that effect.

All it meant was the head coach Mike McCarthy made a comment that the team was back on track, and Rodgers disagreed, saying he and his team still have a few things to prove.

LOOK OUT!

Rodgers does not just sound like a man on a mission, he is.

Those were fighting words, and they sound just like sweet music to my ears.  You bet we do, all you “Negativity Peoples” who doubted the Packers offense and team, after a couple early season problems brought out the “boo-birds” and negative press on the team.

It seems number 12 has a chip on his shoulder now because of you guys.

Good for him.

Tell it like it is, Aaron.

This is one of the most talented teams the NFL has ever seen, and don’t forget it.  We just lost our ways a couple games, and didn’t put it all together.  As for having Mike McCarthy (MM) saying he was pleased we came together as a team once more, and he was satisfied that we are playing good  once more, you know the coach was correct about that.

They both were right, and here’s why.

McCarthy has it his way, the team is winning again.  Aaron Rodgers still has to prove a few things, and that is the best place to have your ace quarterback thinking.

In comparison, how well would the team be sitting if Rodgers was thinking, ‘well, I have done it all, and that’s that’ …?  No chip on his shoulder there, and nothing to prove either, so we’d tend to think he now won’t be going all out as much as with something to prove.

I do believe he wants a ring on his finger and a trophy on Lombardi’s home turf again.  Only then will Rodgers rest.  To the credit of MM, Rodgers is taking on your work, so take it easy, coach.  Enjoy the ride.

What we saw last week Sunday from the Green Bay Packers, was one of the best games of NFL football the Packers have played in a few years. All the elements were in place, and all areas were doing their jobs. Things were challenged, early and late in the game, yet with a little luck and some darn good talent coming on in a big way, the team rode out the storm to come out on top.

Just as I said the week before, this team has been slow coming together, but are making progress. That came on the heels of a very good performance. Then, only  a week later, we see a game that panned out even better. The trend is definite, with the only question now being, “Where will it end?”

The nay-sayers are out there, with comments such as they lose to a Detroit team that doesn’t have a shot in the world for a chance to take the SuperBowl, then come back … And the negative press gets its act going, on which team will come out for Carolina?

The answer is the same team as always.

Well, say the nay-sayers, they are topsy-turvy, and we just don’t know who will show up yet. Let’s not talk about  “blind faith” here, but when a trend is set, and results continue to move in one direction, you have a value that should be good enough to set the points to, as in points won by.

How else does the betting industry determine who will win and lose? In Green Bay this week, we heard a head coach and his best quarterback disagree on an agreement. Rodgers was one not to take the praise now, but needed to show the world a few things.

Hang on to it and don’t let go until you are there and it’s done. Without that dream, the whole reason for the sweat, the pain, or the sacrifices made to yourself, your family, and even your maker, to play the game of football would be useless.

This approach has made many boys men. In hearing Aaron Rodgers friendly spite back at his coach, we’re hearing just that.

This is a taste of things to come, according to Rodgers this week. In that taste, the entire team is a new team alright. Now that we have all that, there’s nothing left, the frosting is on the cake. I think that is what M M was saying. Aaron Rodgers has the same cake with a new flavor in mind. That is about the best position any team in the league could be as we move from the one-third to the one-half way point of the season, and the record grows.

First place in the NFC North is in command, and you can bet the Packers will keep it this year. We all have our ups and downs, and this team is no different than any other. It’s when the downs are still better than the opponent, you know you have a special thing going on. It’s beginning to look like that is taking it’s form in Green Bay.

The growing pains we see year after year are the same, and in seeing them work their way into the season that grows longer there is a misunderstood element to just how good some teams are.

In a game that grows faster and stronger overall each year, the problems mount. The complexity of today’s game makes getting a team together harder each season.  This year, the defense in Green Bay takes the biggest change, which in turn has been described as “ups and downs” not week by week, but quarter by quarter for the Packers.

Calling it a weakness, even in the face of a victory such as this Dolphin victory, on Miami turf.  In one breath, a victory, and the next, the team leads the NFL in interceptions, and the next breath, they held Miami to under 100 yards for the first half, yet the team defense takes discredit in allowing the Dolphins to score in the second half, almost taking the game in the end, as if the defense fell apart.

The offense was not scoring series for series in the second half and took no slack for it. The same defense held in the end to allow the Packers the ball for a full two minutes, and a score in those two minutes to win.

In looking at any team, let’s see the “Big Picture,” a term that never goes out of style. It’s been around for a long long time, and is used again and again due to its relevance.

In coming together this season, the bright spots shine, along with the mistakes. As long as the bright spots dominate, we’ll do alright, and that we did. The big picture then is one of victory and that’s all that matters.

The changes defensive coach and guru Dom Capers has built is a reflection of his years in the league making something with little, then making something from a talented, focused bunch we have now.

Things click and the D dominates.

We are seeing them stand up to better and better offenses around the league as time goes on now. In that, there is no down side to this victory.

Miami is a strong team also working on the upswing, and they will have a good year in the end.

They simply didn’t have enough guns to beat Green Bay. Not many do, and the big picture doesn’ tell  lies.

The Big Picture looks like this Packers team is the real McCoy for 2014.