2010 NFC North Discussion Thread

The Game Room
421

How incredibly exciting. The run to the playoffs, with every game, no, every snap, being huge. And … the Packers get fucked by injuries again. This time, their starting DE, Cullen Jenkins is out, their starting OLB Frank Zombo is Doubtful (he won’t play), and some unknown dude named Aaron Rodgers is likely out too.

I know it’s not cool to blame loses, or a whole fucking season, on injuries, but for fucks’ sake this is just ridiculous.

So the Packers get to play one of the best teams in the NFL, at their home, practically crippled with injuries. I’ll be watching and rooting for a huge upset, but mostly I hope we don’t see the team just up and quit. If we can avoid a Bears like blowout, it’ll be a moral victory. Which means fuckall.

On the completely opposite side of the luck spectrum, the nigh but completely healthy Bears get to face another team not just on their backup, likely not their rookie 3rd stringer, but a street free agent (wasn’t Sage Rosenfels available, oh wait, he’s in NY now). After watching the Patriots bitch slap the Bears, I was hoping that the Vikings could continue the demasking, but it’ll be hard to do without a QB. A nice article on the luck factor. I’m hoping the weather is simply awful because the Bears runnnig game doesn’t really scare anyone, Adrian Peterson is really good, and the game is bound to be ugly anyway. I expect the Bears to put 11 in the box to stop the run, and dare WebRamsey to do what the great QB’s like Tyler Thigpen, Drew Stanton, and Jimmy Clausen couldn’t do, and beat them.

And the Lions get the Bucs, who are, much to my surprise (and due in large part to being 5-0 in games decided by less than 3 points), in the playoff run too. With some bad injuries to the Bucs, and the increased use of Stefan Logan, I’m hoping the Lions can pull off a win, but, in the end, it won’t really matter much.

It could be a really ugly weekend.

422

2 minute warning. I must say, no matter the results, I’m damn impressed that the Packers didn’t roll over, despite all the injuries (by the by, Nick Collins is injured now), they’re still playing hard and well.

C’mon Packers.

423

First start for a QB cost them in the end. He played a helluva game, but blew it at the end. Hard to be pissed at him though. Great game.

424

The Pats didn’t bother to give a shit until the last quarter.

Congratulation to the Chicago Bears for winning the division.

425

The Packers should write a thank you note to Matt Dodge for giving back control of their wild card playoff destiny.

Lots of coulda-woulda-shoulda in that game. Dropped INTs, and not being able to punch it in from the 1 being the most critical beyond the disaster on 4 & 1 at the end of the game. McCarthy’s job is probably safe this year, but I’m guessing he’ll spend all next year on the “hot seat”. I’m already on the fire Mike bandwagon, but I’ll caveat that I was also on the fire Bielema bandwagon after the Badgers’ 2008 season so I’ve been proven wrong before. But MM’s had a much longer time to build a rep for not winning the close games.

426

While Dodge certainly screwed up, he can hardly be considered the one to blame (or thank). He isn’t the one who failed to tackle Brent Celek, or be preapred for an onside kick that shoulda been expected or not spying Vick or not covering on the punt. An easy scapegoat but the game was tied at that point and given the way things were going, I doubt the Giants were winning that game in OT.

427

Well, since the Giants and the Bucs both lost also, it looks like the Packers can still make the playoffs if they win out against the Giants and the Bears. They need the Vikings to win tonight to have a shot at the division though. But it’s nice to know they control their own destiny.

428

The Lions are on the verge of taking over their rightful spot as leader of the NFC North.
I suggest the Lions should kidnap Calvin’s family and return them when his career is over. Suh’s family should be kept in the same compound.

429

With the Bears clinching the division last week, the only intradivisional battle is for the cellar, where the Lions are playing hard and building for the futute and the Vikings have packed it in for the year (and I suspect for quite a few years). Lions will have a shot to continue to improve and get a much needed road win against Miami, while the Vikes will get their asses handed to them by the Iggles.

It will be interesting to see how the Bears do in the runup to the playoffs, whether they play hard, and/ or lose two in a rowagainst tough teams. I’d love to see them tank these last two weeks when they play good teams.

The huge game this weekend is the Packers v. Giants, which is all but a playoff game for both teams. If the Packers can beat the Giants, and when they go on to beat the Bears, they’ll be in the playoffs. The Giants pass rush is scary, especially with our inconsistent o line, but I like Eli to throw a couple picks and the Packers to win. Do not miss this game.

430

The Packers will get their asses handed to them. They just aren’t that good. Their O-line is terrible, and Rodgers is already goofy from two concussions, and the coaches are not going to let him run much, which means he’s going to be throwing a lot of balls away and taking sacks. They have no running game either (especially since they have to put some brakes on Rodgers), and their defense can’t stop the pass. The Packers were doing nothing against the Lions even when Rodgers was in the game. I think the Giants win by double digits.

431

Your prediction ha almost certainly guaranteed a Packer win. Thanks!

432

I believe I speak for Giants fans boardwide when I say “Nooooooooo!!!”

433

Don’t quit your day job Dio.

434

They got some help from the officials.

435

I don’t even know what to say about that.

436

Well, there was the interception made like 4 feet out of bounds for one thing.

437

Wait, you were serious? Do you know Manning threw three more interceptions and they lost by 28? That interception happened when the game was already over.

438

I expect Dio is is just yanking our chains.

439

It wasn’t over at that time. That gift from the zebras allowed them to put it out of reach, but it was still only a two possession game at point with plenty of time left. The zebras became alarmed that the Giants might come back, and so found a way to award the Packers the ball.

There was also that ridiculous taunting call earlier in the game which turned a tackle for a loss into a first down.

440

Nevermimd.