The Pack is Back...

Go Pack, Go!   10/3/2021 Lambeau Field dwm photo

...in the Divisional round of the NFL play-offs, this time matched up against the top-team in the National Football Conference, San Fransisco 49ers.

Green Bay dominated Dallas on their home field, scoring the first 27 points before the Cowboys put a point on the scoreboard.

I had high hopes for the Packers but I didn't think Green Bay would look so good while Dallas looked like a team that hadn't played in a while.

Jordan Love won a play-off game in his first year as starting quarterback for the first time in team history.  Brett Favre didn't do it and neither did Aaron Rodgers or Bart Starr.

Running back Aaron Jones scored three touchdowns and gained more than 100 yards rushing.

I liked that Coach Matt LaFleur was aggressive in his approach starting with taking the ball when his team won the toss.  The defense played well.  Two interceptions of the Cowboy quarterback were turned into touchdowns.  When Dallas scored at the end of the first half, knowing they would get the ball to start the second, I wondered if momentum was changing sides.

The Packer defense limited the Cowboys to a field goal then answered with a touchdown of their own, giving them 34 points and a lead they wouldn't lose.

It's a big win.  It's important experience for a young team and especially an up and coming quarterback who opened a lot of eyes around the league with his performance over the last 12 games.  He had a perfect quarterback rating until his final pass was dropped.

Does Green Bay have a shot at beating San Francisco?  The answer is yes but it's unlikely the 49ers will make the mistakes Dallas did and they have a much stronger line-up than the Cowboys.

Green Bay was the first #7 seed to win a play-off game.  The odds will be stacked against them.  A win for the Packers needs a similar formula to this game, a fast start that builds a lead and an aggressive, consistent defense that limits the Niners to 24 points or less.  

I'm excited to have the opportunity to watch, Go Pack, Go!

Shot during my tour of Jerry's World. 1/31/2019 dwm photo