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Journal Sentinel: With all the injuries here, the Packers could still make the playoffs. Do you expect to make the playoffs?
Thompson: If we win the last two games, I expect to.

JS: Do you expect to win the last two games?
Thompson: We’re trying to beat the Giants. That is our sole and singular purpose right now. Just trying to win one game.

JS: Is that almost a policy of yours…
Thompson: That’s always... That’s the way it is in the summertime, that’s the way it is all the time. You can’t look too far ahead.

JS: I would think you’re thinking, ‘we have to make the playoffs. Look how well the team played at New England.’ Do you have to have self discipline to not look ahead?
Thompson: No, I think you learn that as a player. You’ve got to be ready for the next play. We tell our players that a lot. And games are a microcosm of a season. It’s what’s next, it’s what’s in front of you that’s important, not what is down the road. You can’t get caught up on that. You’ll lose your way.

JS: OK. If Green Bay doesn’t make the playoffs, do we have to be realistic, and see that the injuries were too much this year? Thirteen players on IR, nine first day or eventual starters, it has been a difficult year. Does the team get a pass because of injuries?
Thompson: We I don’t even think about that. I’m not thinking about the playoffs and I wasn’t at the start of the season and I wasn’t in the middle of the season and I’m not now. I’m thinking about the next game and I’d like to see us beat the Giants. That sort of thing could drive you crazy. And I understand it’s important for the people that report on the team to give their summations…but how can you sum it up when it hasn’t been summed up yet? Let’s play the game. You know?

JS: When you do these summations, or reflections, when is that? January?
Thompson: After it’s over. I’m usually pretty reflective in the summertime (laughs). I mean, we’re in the middle of it now. For us to start commenting about what ifs, or that sort of thing, it doesn’t make any sense at all. We don’t have that kind of energy right now. Our energy is focused on one thing. And I imagine that team’s got their energy focused on us. So, we don’t have time for nothing else.

JS: I wanted to ask you about your playoff record in Green Bay, although, maybe this isn’t the time, you don’t want to talk…
Thompson: No. It’s not the time. No. Again, I think its interesting – statistics, but I think it means very little.

JS: The coaches were sort of the same way, other than Winston Moss. They were just focused on the Giants. Is it that absurd to just put out there as a goal…
Thompson: Right. There’s some, I don’t know if it was a coach or a GM or what that, “Playoffs? Playoffs?” (laughs). I’m telling ya, there is no place here for anything other than trying to win the next game. That is the way it is the first game of the season, the fourth, sixth, the tenth. It’s the next game. Anybody who tries to get ahead of themselves is almost invariably going to stumble and fall.

JS: To win a Super Bowl title, and what that would mean to you - when would I be able to ask you that?
Thompson: Um, right before we win it.
JS: Hmm.
Thompson: Or right AFTER we win it.
JS: OK. To an outsider, it’s hard to read that. If you don’t say it is the goal, then you leave it open for other people to define what you’re about and what your priorities are.
Thompson: Oh it’s always asked, at the start of the season, or training camp, you know, what do you expect. And all 32 teams are hoping to win the Super Bowl. And we were no different then that then; we’re no different than that now.
But to speak of it – it’s such a lofty goal, and there’s so much work, and so many things have to happen for all that to come together – it makes very little sense to talk about it. We’d all like to win the Super Bowl. You can scream it from the mountains. But winning it and doing it are two different things.

JS: How has Mike McCarthy done as a coach this year? Sometimes you see the best jobs by the coaches in in the tough years. But they’re 8-6, what do you think?
Thompson: Mike and his staff have done an excellent job. They’re always prepared. You know, we’ve had to make changes during the course of the season several times in terms of personnel. I think they’ve done an excellent job.

JS: Are your frustrated with any of these close losses, I think it’s six by four points or less?
Thompson: I’m frustrated with all of ‘em. (Laughs, as if that’s the understatement of the year). I wish we’d won all of ‘em. But we didn’t. So here we are.

JS: The record has been very good in Lambeau at times under McCarthy. Do you feel there's a home field advantage in Lambeau, in December?

Thompson: “I don’t think the snow and the cold make that much of a difference. Whether it is in August or whether it’s in December, I think you’re always more comfortable, you don’t have the distractions of playing on the road. I think everyone, every team in the league would say exactly the same thing.”

One more quote on guys stepping in for injured players, from defensive coordinator Dom Capers: “Whether its Clay Matthews or Brad Jones or Brady Poppinga or Frank Zombo or Erik Walden, whoever we put out there we expect them to go out there and play ad play at a high level. If you take another approach, they might not feel the sense of urgency and the responsibility to go out there for everybody else. Erik Walden stepped in and we had our chanced. We’ve got to find a way to come up with two or three of those balls, and it’s a different game.”

eagle13 wrote:I'd prefer no one ever interview TT. He'd prefer it too.