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It is the first time since 1991 the Lions beat the Packers twice in the same season.
It is the first time since 2008 the Packers finished with a losing record (7-9).
It is the first time in 8 seasons the NFL playoffs will not include Green Bay.
As T. S. Eliot might have described this year's Packers, "they finished... 'not with a bang, but a whimper.'"
It's been a while since we (I can say we, since I am one of 400,000+ owners), started the post-season this early.
Some fans are running around waving hands in the air demanding to fire the entire front office and cut the players this band thinks are the reason for a bad year.
The 2017 season did not match team goals. It did not meet fan expectations. From a longer view, maybe that of a fan who can clearly remember Packer teams from the 1970s and 80s, this season is a reminder of how high up the mountain the franchise has traveled.
I remember seasons where anything approaching as many wins as losses felt real good. Even more if one of those wins was over the Chicago Bears or Minnesota Vikings.
Clearly, however, for the Packers to get back into serious contention to win Super Bowl XLII, XLIV, of XLV, action is necessary.
Signing wide receiver DaVante Adams is a good start. It is also good news they signed center Corey Linsley to an extension. I agree with the Packer's philosophy to hold on to the real good players who are drafted and developed by the team. It is part of the culture and undoubtedly helps create an identity shared by those on the team and the fans who love them.
The 2018 draft offers multiple opportunities to bring in more talented football players. In addition, I hope the team takes another step in bringing in some veteran players with tread left on their tires who can fill in existing gaps and provide a solid example to the younger players.
The urgency of this mission relates to the most important member of the team. Aaron Rodgers just turned 34 last month. He is at the top of a very short list of best quarterbacks in the National Football League. Rodgers talks about playing into his 40s, and I hope he can. He is fun to watch.
But, at 34, the mission for him is to maintain his strength, health, and abilities as long as he can. It is the responsibility of team executives to surround him with players who complement his talent on offense and create a defense good enough to be a factor in games. We can't count on scoring 30+ points every game, so it is vital the defense can stop the opposition.
General Manager Ted Thompson has done an excellent job in my opinion. I recognize I don't have all the information he does when it comes to forming a team, and his record is solid. He restored stability after Ron Wolf retired and was replaced with a coach - General Manager.
Each is a full-time job. Mike McCarthy is a great coach. It seems it is time for him to bring in some new voices as assistant coaches - especially those who can coach young players to succeed on the field early in their career.
If now is the time for Thompson to pass the baton, I think the Packers have a couple of guys ready to step in and go.
Elliot Wolf, son of Ron Wolf who returned the Title to Titletown when he brought in Coach Mike Holmgren, QB Brett Favre and Defensive End Reggie White to kick off this run of excellence, is intriguing. At 35, but with years of experience in player evaluation and acquisition, he could offer both a fresh start and strong Packer connection.
Russ Ball, in charge of the Packer Salary Cap, and Brian Gutekunst, Pro Player personnel director offer two other in-house candidates. There are others on the Ron Wolf talent tree who could be great as well.
At this point, Thompson, 64, hasn't said what he plans to do. While a great scout and draft manager, Thompson isn't as strong when it comes to serving as the face of the team. Coach McCarthy has taken that role most of the time in explaining team moves.
At the annual Shareholder meetings, the General Manager provides an overview of the past season and shares a summary of how the team looks heading into the next year. The first time I heard Ted was in his first of second year and he looked like a deer caught by headlights. He was much better ten years later when I got to another meeting. That's not in his wheelhouse, so other than the Shareholder presentation and a couple other press conferences in the year, he might as well be the Wizard of Green Bay.
If the time is come to thank him for his service and find a replacement - his successor will find an anxious fan base who expect a perfect team and a General Manager who will share his vision for our team and how he plans to get there.
It will be an interesting longer than usual off season. Next year starts today. The NFL Draft begins April 26. Let's go Pack - Go Pack, Go!
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