It’s All About Me

I just can’t believe what happened, except for the fact it was me that caused everything to happen Sunday night when Aaron Rodgers pulled a Willis Reed and led the Packers to a 4th quarter comeback for the ages after being down 20-0 in the 3rd quarter.

I watched the 1st half of the game in my living room, which I normally don’t do, and the result of breaking my normal routine was disastrous, which was also something I should have known because like I said before it’s all about me.

Now I will admit not everything that happened was my fault. I predicted what happened in the 1st quarter and it all lies on the shoulders of Head Coach Mike McCarthy. I have said time and time again season after season the way McCarthy plays the starters during the preseason leaves the Packers unprepared to open the season with any sense of familiarity. The way the offense played in the first quarter was terrible. Rodgers was pressured and the running game was grounded.

The 1st four possessions were 5 plays, 12 yards, 1 first down and a punt from the Green Bay 37; 3 plays, 2 yards (holding penalty by Justin McCray wiped out a 48-yard pass to Ty Montgomery) and a punt from the Green Bay 27; 3 plays, 9 yards and a punt from the Green Bay 34 and 3 plays, -8 yards and a punt from the Green Bay 27.

Rodgers was terrible completing 3-of-7 for 13 yards while being sacked twice for 19 yards. Jamaal Williams averaged 3.4 yards a carry on 8 carriers for 27 yards and Montgomery once for 1 yard. The two-legged Rodgers had one rush for 15 yards.

Rodgers was hurt on 3rd down of the 4th possession. He couldn’t stand and was later taken to the bowels on a cart. The season seemed over at that point, but the next two possessions proved that matters were even worse that it was last year with Brett Hundley the heir apparent. DeShone Kizer was terrible.

The Bears were leading 10-0 after taking the opening kickoff and driving 86 yards on 10 plays to score a touchdown. Mitchell Trubisky was the second coming of…..Rodgers completing 4-of-4 for 54 yards. The second drive went 53 yards on 9 plays ending in a field goal. Trubisky completed his next 4 passes for 50 yards before suffering his first incompletion. His final pass went for -5 yards setting up the field goal.

The Packer defense on those first two series was a carbon copy of Dom Capers’ best defenses since the Super Bowl. This was the same defense I saw in all four preseason games when the starters played a lot.

Kizer took over and initially was decent. He completed his first pass for a first down, but he was stripped by Kahlil Mack for a fumble ending a promising drive that had advanced to the Chicago 9. The Packer defense gave the ball right back and Kizer drove the Packers from the 25 to the 39, but he was sacked for 9 yards and then threw an absolutely terrible pass that Mack intercepted and ran in for a touchdown to give the Bears a 17-0 lead at the half.

The season was over. I was disgusted. Brian Gutekunst had done the exact same thing Ted Thompson had done left the Packers without a competent backup quarterback. I hope the Packers cut Kizer and bring in a veteran who can at least play. I was also depressed and considered turning the Fear the Walking Dead, but I guess I’m like most people I have to watch a train wreck.

Then I also guess I have to thank “Gute” for being a chip off the old incompetent block because if he had Zeke Bratkowski or Doug Pederson or Matt Flynn on board Rodgers wouldn’t have had to come back on one leg, just like Willis Reed did in the 7th game of the 1970 NBA Finals against Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers. It was the most inspiring sports moment in my lifetime and tonight Rodgers pulled off the same miracle.

Rodgers knew the Packers would have lost if Kizer played the second half, so he solidified his legend (as if he needed to) and after the Bears went up 20-0 threw 3 touchdown passes in the 4th quarter for the first time in his career. The comeback was also the 1st time in 117 games the Packers had trailed by 17 or more points at the start of the 4th quarter and had come back to win.

In the second half Rodgers completed 17-of-20 passes for 198 yards before throwing the 75-yard touchdown pass to Cobb. On the game-winning series Rodgers missed his first two passes before completing the pass to Cobb.

His second half stats were 17-of-20 for 273 yards and 3 touchdowns. His final pass was an incompletion to run out the clock.

Rodgers did all of that on adrenalin, but he’s had a week to be sore and realize what had happened. He will play today against the Vikings and that is good or maybe it won’t be. The Vikings are two levels at least above the Bears defense and they also have a blueprint, as if they needed one, to play a one-legged Rodgers.

The diagnosis is a deep bone bruise (or third degree knee sprain) which only needs time to heal and that is something Rodgers doesn’t have.

The Vikings will rush Rodgers from all angles. The Packers offensive line is average at best. Justin McCray had a subpar game as the starting right guard. Bryan Bulaga had a decent game at right tackle. Both are going to have to have superb games to give the Packers a chance to score points.

Defensively, the Packers are a level below the Bears and what they need is a fierce pass rush to protect the rebuilt secondary. Kentrell Brice had a great game last week, but Ha Ha Clinton-Dix didn’t. The cornerbacks (Tramon Williams, Kevin King, Jaire Alexander, Josh Jackson) were decent. They need to be superb to stop the Vikings air attack.

If Rodgers stays in the game the Packers have a chance, but not much of one since the Packers defense has to play half the time. If Rodgers goes down, the Packers have no chance to win this week or any other week. DeShone Kizer is at best equal to Brett Hundley and maybe be even worse. TT/BG has left the Packers eggs all in one basket like it was last year. Malfeasance.

So I have done my part. I shaved my entire body (either I shave my face or I don’t, so I thought I would pull out all the stops). I used William’s Lectric Shave and splashed on Brut (which is green). The game is on TV, so I’m not at the bar. We’ll see how that goes. Like I’ve said I’ve done my part.

No one in their right mind would pick the Packers this week, except for the partisans and the Tedders. I am about as partisan as they come (but definitely not a Tedder), but I’m also a realist and I predict the Packers will lose.