HarveysWBs

This is why I just can no longer be an optimist about the Packers. Is that arrogant to say about a team that is, by multiple measures, one of the most successful in American sports history? Yes, but it’s the truth. This team demonstrates incredible competence in key areas that keeps it constantly competitive. Namely, they have a stable organization that is not at the whims of geriatric owners with bond-villain egos, they handle salaries well, generally find excellent value players and manage contracts well, have a preternatural knack for identifying QB talent, and subsequently attract generally bright offensive minds to the organization. The above gets us anywhere between 70-90% of the way to the title nearly every year. But I have to stop hoping and wishing they will ever consistently figure out the rest. I’ve seen too many years end one of two ways: either our “better-than-you’d-think!” value guys can’t compete with elite talent on the other side, OR weaknesses on special teams, defense, or both torpedo games that we have absolutely no business losing. Staley, in my opinion, would be yet another example of scenario B. His only claim to fame was a single year as DC of the Rams (2020) when he had peak cheat-code Donald and Ramsey headlining a defense that was so deep in the front that he never had to blitz and looked like a genius. That ain’t going to be the 2024 Packers, so I would expect another Fangio/Barry retread performance. I like LaFleur. I think he’s a very good coach. But if we just do more of the same on defense (and he doesn’t figure out how to call stinking timeouts in end of half scenarios) we aren’t going to get there under this regime. I can’t keep hoping anymore. So I won’t.

This is the kind of news I needed after Saturday. Hecking yeah. Let’s go beat some Cubs.

Indeed, the one time I remember Love under center in this game was when Myers stepped on him, picked up a holding call, and Jones fumbled the pitch all in one play. I’d have probably been scared into the gun after that, too.

It’s funny, but the Cousins comp probably is just about Love’s floor…

This is exactly my worst fear right now. All this good news means we soon get back to being exactly what we were for the last twenty years: an offensive-minded organization that can run up gaudy win totals in the regular season but forgets to account for the fact that we play in sloppy outdoor conditions in the postseason, especially with homefield advantage, and will never play complete performances against the top-flight opponents in January. This is like something Dante would imagine for a circle of Hell, or the ancient Greeks to punish hubris. How much better is it really to be a Packers fan than a team that only makes the playoffs once in a while but doesn’t have to feel entitled or beat any expectations? How many times do we have to roll that cursed boulder up that blasted hill and get crushed by it right before the top?

I’d quibble with calling him “solid”—he missed quite a few throws he can and should make before that. And in a game this close, all of those are killers, not just the picks. He was so unconscious going into this, I’m trying not to overreact here. In a sense, he played well enough to win this game, but not nearly as well as he can and should play. But I completely agree with your sentiment on losing this game, to that team. I’m done with that, and don’t want to see this movie anymore. They need to get this monkey off their back, and it’s starting to feel like they may never do it. I might not watch the next time we draw them in the postseason. It’s probably better for my health.

Best case scenario, it’s a blip, he gets better, and this fourth quarter performance knocked a few mil off his asking price…

Never know what a guy really is until you see the postseason pressure on them. Not a good first introduction.

Yeah, on the one hand, all the upward trends and positives remain true, but…I’ve got scars, man. Really could have used a reason to think this team wouldn’t die the same old death again.

Yeah, it’d be cool to make a playoff run with our best lineman healthy the whole way again someday…

Can’t do that, Love. Time to grow

Sigh. So gosh darn close

There’s Carlson, just the worst time…

Ooooh baby

This is the drive of the year. Need the best

He’ll learn. They all will. They’re going to be better after this, I think. But it suck’s they’re so close right now…

Love is a bit off today. Understandable but disappointing.

My stomach is tight for sure. Promised myself I wouldn’t do this…

Purdy running it wide is a gift—what is Shanahan setting up?

Gotta weather the storm now. Loveis mortal

Purdy is struggling. C’mon dbacks

Tackling is just a huge issue

Hecking yeah

That was the whole Nixon experience in ten seconds…

So, shall we get a safety or two this offseason?