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A Season-Saving Win

By Dan O'Donnell

Story Created: Nov 15, 2009 at 8:07 PM CDT

It was sloppy.  It was painfully dull.  It was scoreless until two seconds before halftime.  Ultimately, though, it was a Packers win when they most desperately needed it, and that is all that matters. 


Sure, they still racked up penalties at a frightening rate and still allowed Aaron Rodgers to be sacked four times and hit an additional four, but their defense finally delivered on the dominating promise they showed in the preseason (and in the two glorified scrimmages against the Lions and Browns).  On Sunday, they blitzed, confused, and just plain humiliated Tony Romo and the NFL's fourth-rated offense--racking up five sacks of their own and forcing three Cowboys turnovers, including Charles Woodson's interception on the goal line that all but sealed the win. 


Yes, the Pack is far from perfect and, for many fans, the bitter taste of losing to the league's last winless team was only partially washed out.  Yet on Sunday there was once again hope; maybe not for a deep playoff run, but at least for respectability. 

 

The Packers are once again blissfully average.

 

If they can capitalize and string some wins together, they may end up re-drawing the playoff picture, but now the focus must be on running the fundamentally sound, nearly mistake-free defense that destroyed Dallas.  There were no missed coverage assignments, no massive second-level holes that all but guarantee 10-yard runs, no non-existent pass rush.  Only brilliance.  

 

So how exactly did Dom Capers and Company right the ship against the hottest team in football a week after being humbled by the hapless Buccaneers?  They kept it simple.  Instead of complicated stunts and zone blitzes, the defense relied on its athleticism to keep the pressure on.   Instead of looking lost and skittish in the 3-4, the players for the first time in a long time looked comfortable and collected and absolutely nothing like the unit that blew and 11-point lead in Tampa.

 

The offense, meanwhile, stalled often in the first half, but Rodgers came through with two big scores when it mattered, and Ryan Grant was able to establish the run late and milk enough clock to render the Cowboys' last three drives essentially meaningless.  The line held up as well as could be expected, yet it remains clear that for the rest of the season Green Bay will win in spite of it, not because of it.

 

The Packers are still far from perfect--and probably far from able to consistently play as well as they did this Sunday--but they did score a season-saving win, and for that fans should be relieved.

 

At least until the next loss has them calling for McCarthy's and Thompson's heads again....

9 Comments

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  1. Scott Slinkard - Nov 15, 2009 8:08 PM

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    The Packers are hardly average. You don't beat the Cowboys, or should I say humiliate them, by being average. Dallas was tagged "The hottest team in football" before the game. So let's try and look at it in a different way......like... The Pack is Back!

  2. ken - Nov 15, 2009 8:19 PM

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    i wouldnt say the pack was back, id say dallas didn't show up, just you wait, the pack will now for their next trick, lose to the lions.

  3. Diamond Dave - Nov 15, 2009 8:20 PM

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    Finally a QB who can beat Dallas. Great defensive effort.

  4. Bob Kattner - Nov 15, 2009 8:32 PM

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    I love Charles Woodson! Thank you for a terriffic effort today buddy! But Mike and Phil, lets NOT run it on 3rd. and 22 anymore, ok! Now, lets destroy the Niners and Detroit again (they play darn tough at home on Thanksgiving) so watch out. We must be 7-4 when Balt. comes to GB! Go Pack!

  5. Kevin - Nov 15, 2009 9:56 PM

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    HEY SLINKARD "The Packers are hardly average. You don't beat the Cowboys, or should I say humiliate them, by being average."

    Sacking Romo 5 times, forcing 3 turnovers, and dominating time of possession should have equaled a BLOWOUT. Not a 17-7 win. Committing penalty after penalty and letting Rogers got sacked another 4 times, and turning it over --- all sloppy mental mistakes. POOR COACHING. Nice challenge McCarthy!! WE ARE NOT BACK!!!!

  6. Gary - Nov 15, 2009 10:03 PM

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    Great win, but still to many penalties. I still believe the pack is undiscplined football team. I hate to say it but even if somehow they got in the playoffs they would lose 1st round. I believe a change is necessary at GM which usually means firing the head coach when a new GM is hired.

  7. Aljo - Nov 16, 2009 8:18 AM

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    Defensive Effort: Nice to see the Packers finally blitzing and getting pressure on the opposing QB - this is why Woodson had a great game. Fix the penalties on offense and we may have a shot at the playoffs. GO PACK!!

  8. Mark - Nov 16, 2009 10:04 AM

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    Diamond Dave - Let's see if Rodgers can beat Dallas in Dallas before we start making the "finally a QB who can beat Dallas" comments. I'm not much of a Favre fan anymore either, but he was 2-0 in his only 2 chances against Dallas at Lambeau and both were blowout wins. Also, Favre had some good games in Dallas (i.e. Thanksgiving 1994 4TDs no INTs) - but THAT Cowboys team was VERY good and very hard to beat. Again, not much of a Favre fan, but just stating the facts.

  9. pack is back - Nov 16, 2009 10:54 AM

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    This was nothing to get excited about. Dallas didn't prepare for us and thought it was a chalk up win and were mistaken. I didn't think we were that good and in effect, Dallas was that bad yesterday. Our OL creates no pocket and gets pushed back into AR every game. We were lucky.
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