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For some strange reason I feel good about this game. The refs slammed us, Favre went down, McCarthy called a terrible game offensively in the first half, we were missing 3 defensive playmakers....and we're still in it in the fourth on their turf.

If we stay healthy and the other guys can come back, we've got a shot. Let the media run with the Dallas is king crap, and we can be an underdog.

BTW....let the on-going debate about "is it Favre or is it his supporting cast....or both? " begin.

I also don't feel terrible about the lost. With key starters back next time around, we can beat Cowboys in Dallas.

Couldn't agree more:

1. No calls went our way. None.

2. Game was on the road.

3. Favre was out.

4. Rodgers was playing the first meaningful ball of his career.


Yet we're down one possession late and total yards are like 40 difference. Team played hard, they didn't have the horses and big plays/refs screwed them.

There is no debate about Favre. He had a bad half. Some of it was play calling some of it was execution. Still having the best season of his career with less of a supporting cast than he had during his MVP seasons.

Glad to see Rodgers do some good things.

This could have easily been a 30 point loss.

Doing it in the preaseason is one thing, but Rodgers performing this well in a pressure game was most impressive.

When I think about it logically, I feel like we did pretty good considering the circumstances. Yet I am still totally depressed. There were so many things that screwed us. Injuries, play calling, bad Favre decisions, and bad officiating. My emotions are so mixed right now. I wish it wasn't a work night. I could go for a night of boozing after this one.

The only downside I saw out of tonight is that it was deja vu of 1993-1996 with that massive Dallas offensive line. Reggie White and company couldn't get pressure on the Cowboys QB back then either.

We've got a shot at a meaningful game against Dallas down the road....and if not, I still think our team is still a year (and another draft/FA class) away. The future of this team continues to look very good.

Despite all the negative things that happened to us we hung in there. A healthy team can take the Cowboys. Next time Bush will not be playing.
News flash. This just in. Jones caught on tape paying refs off before the game. Yet even a blind man could see that Harris stripped the ball from TO.

MickeyDavis wrote:There is no debate about Favre. .

I'm not saying start Rodgers. I've eaten my crow there.

I'm just pointing out that we've had an endless debate for years about whether the success of the team is Brett, or the system, or Brett can only win with a good supporting cast, or are the WR's really good or does Favre make them, etc., etc.

I don't think Aaron Rodgers could have done what he did tonight with 10 other donkeys out there. The other ten guys on offense I think are a lot better than the media at times gives them credit for. And A-Rod is a damn good QB prospect. I still don't understand the play calling though and why all those long passes in the first half. Brett didn't have the mojo tonight so they definitely needed to go back to short stuff.

Now this is way out of left field, but have seen it actually being discussed in other boards...

Is it possible that MM had a gameplan that was like no other by throwing it deep multiple times to keep the Cowboys off guard (aside from having poor protection) and I know, probably not, but the idea that he was planning on the meeting in the playoffs to make sure they don't have all the film on them come Jan...

Once Favre was out, he went back to the basics with Rodgers, because that is all Rodgers knows and because the film really won't be able to use in for the next matchup.

I'm curious what MM will say with the play calling though...

The short stuff was there when Favre was in. For some reason, he ignored it.

One note though - let's not do the flea flicker again, but I'd like to see that nice squib onside again.

DigitalFool wrote:Is it possible that MM had a gameplan that was like no other by throwing it deep multiple times to keep the Cowboys off guard (aside from having poor protection) and I know, probably not, but the idea that he was planning on the meeting in the playoffs to make sure they don't have all the film on them come Jan...h...

That's a fascinating story....and only one that could be made up by Packer fans rationalizing a loss IMO. The Cowboys have plenty of film of what the Packers do from the prior ten games.

We have the youngest team in the NFL but just enough quality vets at key positions to make a difference, on and off the field, Favre, Woodson, Harris, Driver, Kampman, Barnett.

Maybe the league wants big game in Dallas, but the Pack to go to the SB.

DigitalFool wrote:One note though - let's not do the flea flicker again, but I'd like to see that nice squib onside again.

Why not? GJ was wide open for a 25-30 yard gain on a crossing route.

Well, I have no doubt that if the Packers are healthy in the playoffs, they can beat the Boys in Big D. They held a bunch of players who are vital to the pass defense, that could have played, if the game was urgent. Predictably, they got lit up in that area. Woodson is the best matchup against Owens....he didn't play. Rouse is the best matchup against Witten....he didn't play. He also would have prevented all those stupid penalties that Bigby incurred instead. The Packers could get little pressure on Romo....their best pass rush specialist KGB didn't play. Jolly didn't play, who played DT on passing downs, amongst others. Nickle corner Will Blackmon didn't play, or wasn't healthy enough to be trusted yet. He pushes Bush further down the depth chart.

And we've seen how Favre responds to having a sieve of a defense. With 60 yard fades to triple covered receivers, while my hero from foo fighters is playing in his head. That was a microcosm of how he played the last 3-4 years previously when the defenses weren't trustworthy. He thought he'd get double points from longer pass plays, which in turn led to more mistakes. I've talked about it since early in the season, almost the entire reason for his renaissance was the increased trust in the defense. I think that returns if we are healthy in the return to Dallas.

If anything I feel great as a Packers fan, with the closeness of the score, considering all those factors, in addition to terrible refereeing. Aaron Rodgers showed he might be the heir apparent too.

I expect a dramatically different dynamic in January.

I am taking this loss surprisingly better than I thought I would. Sure, I would be absolutely on cloud 9 had we won this game, but as everyone else has said, we had everything going against us. Let me first say that obviously there are some weaknesses on the defense that need to be addressed. Also, MM''s play calling from midway through the 1st from midway through the 2nd was absolutely abysmal. It looked like the team that went 4-12 a few years ago just chucking the ball around. Anyway, Bush and Bigby are awful and that will be something that we'll need to take care of via the draft and/or free agency. Anyway, the factors of this game:

1. We are down a starting corner and one of our best pass rushers.

2. Obvious game-changing calls by the refs (an easy excuse, but true).

3. Rodgers -- extremely impressive considering the circumstances.

4. Ryan Grant -- how can you still call him a fluke?

5. Down 27-10 with 10 minutes left in the 2nd quarter and Favre out, we could have easily packed it in and lost by 40. Shows a lot of heart and character to battle.

Besides the health of Favre, I can honestly say that I'm not afraid to go back to Dallas for the NFC Championship if that's the way things shake out. This game doesn't give me the feeling of "we just can't win there." Let Dallas ride their high horse for now and we'll get rested up and win the games we should win and we'll see what happens in January.

All week I ignored the media hype surrounding this game; it was ridiculous.

Look, we're 10-2 and I'm pretty sure most teams in this league would be pretty happy with that record after 12 weeks. There are still 4 games left in the season and anything can happen.

Key defensive players out, Favre injured in the first half and yet we only lose by 10 points; this loss isn't hard to take AT ALL.

We saw a glimpse of the future tonight and I'm VERY happy with what I saw.

their best pass rush specialist KGB didn't play. Jolly didn't play, who played DT on passing downs, amongst others.

I remember before the year, quite a few Packer fans on various boards thought we should let KGB go because he was overpaid. We saw tonight how valuable he is, there was almost zero pressure from that end spot. Outside of that one holding call Jenkins drew, he was worthless on the pass rush. We missed him as much as Woodson.