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| Go Pack, Go! Lambeau Field 11/16/2014 dwm photo |
Yesterday's game left us mopping our brow in relief when we were redeemed with second half offense, defense, and special teams that allowed Green Bay to escape Detroit with a win.
Their 13 - 3 record ties San Francisco at the top of the National Football Conference, but losing to the 49ers during the season means the Pack may have to beat the Niners at their place to reach the Super Bowl.
In my Fearless Forecast before the season, I had the Pack at 12 - 4, which any Cheesehead would have signed up for on the spot. So, one more win, then, a week to prepare for the Divisional Round game in Lambeau; and two wins away from Super Bowl LIV - sounds awesome; Go Pack, Go!
Before we focus on the postseason, let's first think about the 2019 season.
After two losing seasons and firing a long-time and very successful coach - the Packers hired a young assistant to take the reins in Matt LaFleur. There were high hopes, but who knew what kind of coach me might be? It turns out he was pretty good.
General Manager Brian Gutekunst engineered a draft that brought in several key players from college and signed four free agents who helped immediately.
Two of those players - Z'Darius Smith and Preston Smith (not related) - brought talent and energy the defense was lacking. Adrian Amos, who joined the Pack from Chicago, solidified the defensive secondary; and Billy Turner was a steady player at right guard on the offensive line.
Third-year running back Aaron Jones reached his potential - scoring 19 touchdowns and rushed for more than 1,000 yards - something the offense has been lacking since Eddie Lacey left town.
Best of all - Green Bay has been one of the healthiest teams in the National Football League. It makes a difference if your best players are on the field.
This Green Bay squad didn't remind me of the 1996 team led by Brett Favre and Reggie White who looked invincible while leading the league in scoring while giving up the fewest points. The 2010 Super Bowl champs were strong, but relied on the offense led by Aaron Rodgers to carry the day - which they did.
Winning 13 games is an accomplishment in itself - it is also noteworthy that they swept the NFC North (2 wins over Bears, Lions, and Vikings) for the first time since they lost only one game during the 2011 regular season.
The 2019 version of the Packers needs contributions from all three phases to win.
Now the fun begins - Go Pack, Go!
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