What if.......

[Bernman]

the Giants don't improbably collapse against the Eagles, to allow the Packers into the playoffs as the 6th seed, which they eventually parlay into a Super Bowl victory?

Yes, it was a stroke of luck, which only partially compensated for a string of bad luck events throughout the season. But this was an event out of our control where the opposite outcome reasonably could have happened.

The way things turned out just about everybody associated with the organization is seen as a hero, but how would various individuals be viewed right now, unjustly, but also justly, if it wouldn't have?

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

Nobody gets fired because of the injuries excuse and we win the Super Bowl next year.

[Bernman]

I doubt anybody would have been fired, either.

I'm asking just about the media and fans towards the F.O. and players, i.e.: McCarthy, Thompson, Capers, Rodgers, some of the injured guys, etc.; between now and next season. One year before the next Super Bowl would have been a lot of time for scrutiny.

[Ayt]

The heat would have definitely been on even with the injuries. The loss to Detroit in particular (even with AR going down) would have been a huge talking point all summer.

I don't think AR would have taken much heat. MM would have taken a ton. TT would have taken a lot, but less than MM. People would have really ripped him for not making more moves to replace injured guys (Beast Mode).

It certainly would have been interesting. Plus, like you said, only one game we had no control over would have changed it all.

[Wade-A-Holic]

I'm just glad it never came to this. #statingtheobvious

[Reddeye]

Detroit beating Tampa on the road in week 15 was big also. Detroit had a 26 game road losing streak. They tied the game on the final play of the 4th and won in OT.

[ClassicJack]

Don't even want to think about it...

[Bernman]

I think some of the McCarthy criticism would have been warranted. He did make some curious game management decisions and play calls (i.e.: continually handing off to Kuhn from FB position to kill short yardage conversions at key points). Thankfully, his decision making seemed to dramatically improve in the playoffs. I started agreeing with a high majority of what he was doing...and I'm not the type of guy who decides on end results necessarily. Also, why did he limit or completely erase Starks' opportunities after the San Francisco game? If you ask me he was one of 2-3 key reasons for the Packers' playoff surge (other were the gimme interception in the finale which broke the defense through their choking wall in a big way, then maybe Walden's emergence). Without him do we beat all of the Eagles, Bears, and Steelers? Probably not.

To wit TT would have received some due criticism. We saw how much difference the running game made down the stretch. So why did he wait on Starks? That was playing with fire. The Walden acquisition was brilliant, as was the overall amassing of talent to overcome the injuries as much as we had in the regular season, but he could have done something regarding the running game. I'm not privy to what deals were available to him, but anybody was better than what Brandon Jackson was supplying to this team. A couple of those games, especially against the Falcons, we prevail in with any semblance of a running game, and don't leave our fate up to chance. So I think criticism about that decision was warranted. He likes to keep about 1 and 7/8 eyes on the future. As it worked out, this time, we were able to have our cake and eat it to.

Aaron I don't think would have deserved any. He had a 101+ QB rating through 2 concussions and posted a 10-4 record in games he played start to finish. Also, in his only playoff game last season, he led an offense that scored 45 points in regulation. But Rodg would have gotten plenty of criticism, surely. The cockamamie notion that he didn't have the intangible quality to lead to strong w/l records and couldn't win the big game would still exist. Thanks especially on this one, Eagles.

And I think guys like Finley, Grant, and maybe Tauscher would be appreciated a lot more than they are right now. This year the Pack were ranked 10th in points scored. Last year they were ranked 3rd. That gets lost in all the excitement. Tauscher really saved our nut upon his arrival last year. This year it was unfortunate how clear it was from the beginning that he was no longer physically able to perform. Finley created a mismatch on every play and would end up wide open or physically dominate a little guy...and then he was sure-handed unlike the butterfingers he were replacing. Grant has one of the best bursts in the league for an RB and can both see and make it to the cutback lane. Those guys deserve their due, and 2 of 3 will put us in a lot better position to have a smoother ride next season. Too bad Tauscher is done. For 10 years he was one of the best and most underrated offensive linemen in the game. 2 times only allowed 1 sack, spearheaded dominated running attacks in the early to mid '00's, and didn't commit his first holding penalty until part way into his 5th year of starting. Give it up...Packer Hall of Famer.

[paulpressey25]

You can't really explain all the breaks this team got after the Detroit loss. From things like that Giants loss to Walden showing up out of nowhere to the Mendenhall fumble.

The bottom line is that this was a year of destiny. And it was granted to us to balance out all those other years where we got screwed over by things going the wrong way, wrong call, bad matchup, injury, etc.

Just enjoy it. Like the Broncos fans enjoyed stealing Super Bowl 32 from us the year they were a wildcard team and we were the most dominant team in the league.

We can do the 14-2 regular season with Super Bowl steamroll next year.

[4xBuck]

the Giants don't improbably collapse against the Eagles, to allow the Packers into the playoffs as the 6th seed?

The premise is wrong... Packers still would have been the 6th seed if the Giants won that game.

What would have changed is the Giants would have won the East for the 4th seed & the Eagles would have missed the playoofs.

[trwi7]

You don't know that. Didn't the Eagles sit some guys in the last game against the Cowboys? They only lost that game by 1 and had nothing to play for. If they had something to play for, most if not all of those guys play and they may and probably do win moving them to 11-5, the Giants to 11-5 and knocking the Packers out.

[4xBuck]

I do know that because that's how it would be if we switched the results of the Giants-Eagles game.

But, if you want to change it to a double or triple what if, then you may have a point-- yeah.

[MickeyDavis]

And if the ridiculous call in week 1 doesn't go against Detroit on that touchdown then we win the division. It goes both ways.

[Wilford Brimley]

Should Desean Jackson should be our most favorite non-Packer?

[El Duderino]

Besides owing Desean Jackson a big fat thank you, we need to also thank the Lions for after beating us, the went into Tampa the next weekend and beat the Bucs.

That all said, this wasn't one of those situations like that year where a Packers victory in the last game wasn't enough until that Poole guy on the Cardinals made a TD grab on the last play of the game to knock out Minnesota and let in the Packers.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcA-NEhWVfI[/youtube]

We knew before the last two games that winning out would let the Packers in and in doing so, they'd have to beat two quality teams. Because of that, i don't really feel like they were kinda lucky to get in.

As for how everyone would be perceived, i agree with Ayt that the McCarthy haters would have resulted in him catching the most flack, even if we had finished 10-6, but didn't get a playoff berth. Overall though, i don't think to much heat would have come on to the main guys because of all the injuries, but the pressure from fans to win next the division this coming year and to advance in the playoffs IMO would have been pretty intense. Even more pressure than what will be on the team this year to repeat or at least be really good. That Super Bowl and title bought all three of Ted, McCarthy, and Rodgers tons of good will from fans going forward.

[rilamann]

I used to complain that we took Jordy over Deseasn Jackson but I'll never do that again,that might be our best move ever if you wanna play the ''what if'' game.

[rilamann]

You can't really explain all the breaks this team got after the Detroit loss. From things like that Giants loss to Walden showing up out of nowhere to the Mendenhall fumble.

The bottom line is that this was a year of destiny. And it was granted to us to balance out all those other years where we got screwed over by things going the wrong way, wrong call, bad matchup, injury, etc.

Just enjoy it. Like the Broncos fans enjoyed stealing Super Bowl 32 from us the year they were a wildcard team and we were the most dominant team in the league.

We can do the 14-2 regular season with Super Bowl steamroll next year.

This team does remind me of Denver in that regard.

We kinda ''stole one'' this year with the injuries and being the #6 seed and all.But I can deff see next year being like '96 or like '98 for the Broncos in which we steamroll through the regular season with a 13-3/14-2 type record and get the HVA while never really being challenged in the playoffs & SB.

Not to count the chickens before they hatch and nothing is a lock,but this team deff has that feel to it.

Even with Driver & Woodson getting hurt in SB 45 it kinda sets up next year as ''redemption'' for those two to come back next season and finish the game.As well as redemption for guys like Finley.

[El Duderino]

You can't really explain all the breaks this team got after the Detroit loss. From things like that Giants loss to Walden showing up out of nowhere to the Mendenhall fumble.

The bottom line is that this was a year of destiny. And it was granted to us to balance out all those other years where we got screwed over by things going the wrong way, wrong call, bad matchup, injury, etc.

Just enjoy it. Like the Broncos fans enjoyed stealing Super Bowl 32 from us the year they were a wildcard team and we were the most dominant team in the league.

We can do the 14-2 regular season with Super Bowl steamroll next year.

This team does remind me of Denver in that regard.

We kinda ''stole one'' this year with the injuries and being the #6 seed and all.But I can deff see next year being like '96 or like '98 for the Broncos in which we steamroll through the regular season with a 13-3/14-2 type record and get the HVA while never really being challenged in the playoffs & SB.

Not to count the chickens before they hatch and nothing is a lock,but this team deff has that feel to it.

Even with Driver & Woodson getting hurt in SB 45 it kinda sets up next year as ''redemption'' for those two to come back next season and finish the game.As well as redemption for guys like Finley.

I wouldn't go that far

Barring Rodgers going down with a serious enough injury that forced him to miss around 5 games or more, i have a hard time envisioning a scenario where the Packers don't win the division.

Once the playoffs start though, things often stop being such a certainty, even for really good teams. So much can happen in a playoff game or the Super Bowl which can lead to the better team not winning the game. That's why except for truly elite NFL teams like say Dallas in the early-mid 90's, odds are never good enough to take one team over the field/rest of the teams in the league.

[rilamann]

Yeah Dude,maybe saying we'll breeze through the playoffs and SB is going overboard but I really feel this team can have one of those seasons next year.

Even at the times I was critical of this team I never questioned the talent for a second.Matter of fact the reason I was maybe overly critical at times was because I felt the team was supremely talented and wasn't living up to that talent on the field.

Now that the team has the confidence of going out and winning a world championship combined with some key guys coming back from injury and 8 draft picks, I don't see how anyone (barring injury to Rodgers) is going to beat this Packers team in a game that matters next season.

The talent,combined with the fact they've won a world championship and what that has done to this team's confidence makes them in my mind almost unbeatable.



I'm not trying to sound cocky or count the chickens before they hatch,I'm being honest.

[Flames24Rulz]

I used to complain that we took Jordy over Deseasn Jackson but I'll never do that again,that might be our best move ever if you wanna play the ''what if'' game.

Desean Jackson deserves a Super Bowl ring, IMO.