I haven't been blogging on the Packers much lately because I've been struggling to find something - anything - to say about the disappointment this team has levied on their fans, but thus far I've come up empty.
Tallying 16 more minutes of possession than your opponent and not coming up with the win?
There's no explanation for that. Not that there's been any forthcoming from Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy.
There have been a ton of excuses, but no explanations.
This team has redefined heartbreak with ever loss this season and after the dismantling of the Bears a few weeks ago, fans know what the team is capable of. Instead of a repeat performance, we've been forced to suffer two of the most embarrassing defeats any team has seen all season.
Special teams play needs to be discussed and dissected by the coaching staff. Our lack of yardage on punts and kick-offs has been disappointing and other than the odd return-for-touchdown, the Packers have been unimpressive.
The thing is, they have a blueprint for how to be successful - just watch tape of what every other team has done to us.
Forget worrying about stopping the run when the quarterback is behind center - it's not hard to score points when your opponent is playing with half a field every time they get the ball.
Between the mediocre net yardage from punter Derrick Frost and the inability to tackle anyone, the Packers are digging themselves a hole they're rarely able to get out of.
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Despite dominating possession on Sunday, the Packers had a meager lead at the end of the fourth quarter and were unable to put seven points on the board when it mattered most. Settling for a field goal, they then gave up a huge kickoff return to leave the Panthers just 30-or-so yards needed to get in easy field-goal-range.
The Panthers didn't bother with that, though. Instead, they exploited our supposedly strong secondary for 50 yards and put the ball on the Packers one-yard-line with a catch by Steve Smith.
That was Smith's second huge-yardage catch and came on the heels of two seperate 70-yard catches given up during the Saints game the previous Monday night. What happened to our stellar secondary? It's not like we didn't know they were going to throw in those situations. Despite the fact that we suck against the run, the Saints lead the league in passing - so that was inevitable - and Carolina was short on time. Everyone watching the game knew those passes were going to be made.
Why didn't Mike McCarthy?
