Packers Enter Chase Mode for the 2018 NFC North Title
With eight weeks remaining in the 2018 NFL season, the Packers must find a sense of urgency to have any shot at the NFC North title.
By Ryan Brunner
As the Packers fell two wins behind in the win column to the division-leading Chicago Bears this past Sunday, the team must now gather some sense of urgency over the final eight weeks of the season to have any hopes of competing for the division crown and a spot in the NFC playoffs come January.
As of today, the NFC North standings sit as follows:
- Chicago Bears: 5-3
- Minnesota Vikings: 5-3-1
- Green Bay Packers: 3-4-1
- Detroit Lions: 3-5
At 3-4-1 now halfway through a season that had high hopes from many, a lot of people have written off the 2018 Green Bay Packers. With four ugly losses and a couple of ugly wins to boot, does this team have problems? Damn right they do. If the Packers want a legit shot at the division this year, they must fix the problems in their own house first. But the reason that most have written the team off is the thought that the issues can’t be fixed this season. I’m calling BS on that!
With the addition of Jimmy Graham this past offseason, the emergence of Davante Adams as a top receiver in the NFL and the second year coming out party for Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, the 2018 Packers offense was believed by many to have the potential to be one of the best offenses of the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay. Add to that the return of Joe Philbin as the offensive coordinator and refreshed playbook, hopes were high entering the 2018 season.
But the sad reality through eight games is that the Packers offense has lacked all of the key qualities it had in the past: explosiveness, a momentum-shifting ability and sheer dominance. While the finger can be pointed in many different directions to find the reason for the Packers failures as an offense, many of the issues start with the man under center performing up to the world-class expectations that he sets for himself and the fans put on his shoulders. Following the loss in New England, you could sure hear the disappointment in Aaron Rodgers’ tone and he knows that he needs to do his part to help this offense get to where it needs to be moving forward. Aside from the crucial mistakes and the coaching woes, Rodgers alone possesses the ability to change the direction that his offense moves and I have confidence that can happen.
With a continually improving defense that has been keeping them in games against Super Bowl contenders, the unit should only get stronger as the season progresses and this bodes well for helping this team turn things around. The crunch time mistakes that have killed this team in several games this season obviously need to be cleaned up, but a fully functioning offense can keep the team out of those predicaments in the first place.
If the Packers can clean up their own issues and start getting on a roll, they’ve put themselves behind the 8-ball to the point where they’ll need some help from those teams that they’re trailing in the standings to compete for a division championship. The big question is what the magic number will be to clinch the NFC North championship at the end of the season.
With eight games remaining on their schedule, the Chicago Bears finish the season as follows:
- vs. Lions
- vs. Vikings
- @ Lions
- @ Giants
- vs. Rams
- vs. Packers
- @ 49ers
- @ Vikings
With five of their final eight games against NFC North rivals and a split of home and away games, do the Bears possess the ability to find at least five more wins to get to ten wins on the season?
With seven games remaining for the remainder of their season, the Vikings finish as follows:
- Bye
- @ Bears
- vs. Packers
- @ Patriots
- @ Seahawks
- vs. Dolphins
- @ Lions
- vs. Bears
The Vikings finish their season with four of their last seven games on the road and matching up against NFC North competition in four games, including the Chicago Bears twice. Can the Vikings be trusted to pull five wins out of their final seven games to get to ten wins on the season?
If either the Bears or Vikings turn loose in the second half of the season and get to 11 wins, the Packers chances are pretty much all but toast. In not trusting the Bears offense to perform up to the standard of a playoff hunt in November and December and knowing the Vikings are a Jekyll & Hyde team, I’m putting 50-50 odds on nine or ten wins taking the NFC North this season.
To get to 10 wins, the Packers need to finish out the season 7-1 at worst. If the Vikings and Bears should falter, 6-2 may be just enough to get them to where they need to be. With the Packers having the opportunity to get right this Sunday at home against an inferior Miami Dolphins team and then traveling on short notice to take on the Seattle Seahawks, the season may just hinge on the trip to Minneapolis the following weekend to take on the Vikings in primetime on Sunday night.
All four Packers losses this season have come on the road and the team definitely needs to figure out their struggles away from Lambeau field if they want to turn this season around. The task will be difficult in traveling to Seattle and Minnesota in the coming weeks. But if the team can play to their potential and get some wins rolling, December sets up very nicely with three home games against the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and the Detroit Lions with trips to take on the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.
No matter how you break things down on the 2018 season, the fact of the matter is that a sense of urgency is needed now for the Packers to have any shot of competing for an NFC North crown. While many doubt that the ship can be righted at this point of the season, I’m putting my money on #12 and his ability alone to put the offense back in sync. While the fat lady hasn’t started her tune yet on the 2018 Green Bay Packers, more additions to the loss column will have her warming up her vocal cords and eventually belting out operatic arias for all of Packers nation to mourn to upon hearing.
________________________
Ryan Brunner is an avid Packers fan hailing from Chippewa Falls, WI. He is a firm believer that punters are NFL players too! Follow him on Twitter @brunwardo
Comments (21)
LeotisHarris
November 06, 2018 at 06:20 pm
Edited
TKWorldWide
November 06, 2018 at 07:02 pm
Unedited.
LeotisHarris
November 06, 2018 at 08:15 pm
Water
Thegreatreynoldo
November 07, 2018 at 01:19 am
What's the difference between Edited and Deleted? The former is supposed to make the comment better, but all too often, deleting gets the same result.
TKWorldWide
November 07, 2018 at 05:53 am
under the bridge
LeotisHarris
November 07, 2018 at 09:03 am
Atta boy, TK, my brother from another mother picking up on the word association game!
I'd initially written something mean-spitted and stupid. Apologies.
TKWorldWide
November 08, 2018 at 05:57 am
Hey it’s all good. I write more than my share of less than brilliant posts.
Since'61
November 06, 2018 at 08:17 pm
Ryan - I agree that a sense of urgency is needed but a sense of urgency should be needed starting in week 1.
Having said that a sense of urgency is required I'm not sure that having a sense of urgency can help improve the injuries that Rodgers is playing through or improve the level of talent or level of play that we have at too many positions.
A sense of urgency is not going to help our OLBs play any better. Except for the occasional sack when the game is out hand either way our OLBs have been non-existent. Yet Rodgers and MM get most of the blame for the results. Our safeties have been a comedy of error but it is either MMs or Rodgers fault that the Packers don't score a TD on every drive. Sense of urgency is not going to improve our safeties.
A sense of urgency will not improve our pass rush. A sense of urgency is not going to improve the right side of our OL, especially when Bulaga is out of the game and McRay is still injured. Yet Rodgers is blamed for getting sacked and poor judgement.
Our WRs are young and inconsistent but that's on MM and Rodgers as well. Bad officiating and stupid penalties have regrettably become part of the game but somehow that is MMs fault.
We're expecting championship play from a team which has one legitimate championship player who is playing hurt. We need a sense of urgency from players who may have a sense of urgency but are not good enough to play better sense of urgency or not.
Can the Packers play better? Yes. Will they? Who knows but how they respond will determine the results of this season and probably MMs fate.
Hopefully we are good enough to win at home this week. Thanks, Since '61
31 Wedge
November 06, 2018 at 09:58 pm
No, a sense of urgency will not fill those holes. You are correct.
I don't believe the gap between us and the top of the division is as large as others believe. Despite our problems, I don't find the Bears nor the Vikings to be "vastly superior teams" that the GBP can't possibly overcome.
Both are beatable teams. Hell, both should have Ls in their columns from us already. Our biggest hurdle to me on top of the inconsistent play is our schedule. We knew it would be hard when it came out, and it isn't disappointing in that regard.
Fire_Gute
November 06, 2018 at 09:07 pm
This team looks more like a 1 legged blind dog trying to chase its tail than a team chasing a championship. It's time to enjoy this year, enjoy watching jaire and MVS and maybe someone else become the future,pray MM screws the pooch enough to be the past, and hopefully beat the bears. I have a feeling if you continue watching this team hoping for the playoffs its not going to be a whole lot of fun
Bearmeat
November 06, 2018 at 10:36 pm
Agreed with thebearsstillsuck above.
This team looks lost and listless, and saving the season looks just about impossible at this point. It would take a 2016 "run the table" style run to do so.
Does anyone who's looked at this team see that in our near future? Me neither.
Thegreatreynoldo
November 07, 2018 at 01:52 am
The author's stated goal is just to get to the playoffs by winning the division. I agree that is possible.
GB though isn't a contender for the SB. In that sense, the team is toast unless Perry remembers how to get pressure on QBs (or someone does, either by elevating their play or by scheme). Brees, Wilson, Goff, possibly others, will destroy this team if there is no pass rush. Brady, Mahomes and others would too.
I can see the offense catching fire. At present, I see potential synergies but right now they are disconnected. That could change.
Lare
November 07, 2018 at 04:23 am
I agree, getting to the playoffs by having the best record in a weak division doesn't impress me much. The Packers have been doing it for years and all it ever gets them is one-and-done against a better team.
This team is two starting OL, two starting OLB, one starting DL, two starting safeties, a starting TE, a new Special Teams coach and an inventive Offensive Coordinator away from truly being a competitive team again.
Demon
November 07, 2018 at 07:50 am
The worse thing that could happen to this team is if they make the playoffs. Then Whomever it is has a decision to make, bring back McDoughnuts or not.
It's not in my DNA to ever hope for a Packers loss, just cant do it. I do however agree with the poster above to not even hope for a win. Just watch the rookies develop will be more entertaining and fulfilling.
PatrickGB
November 07, 2018 at 12:20 pm
There is a serious disconnect on this team. MM seems to be a good “organized” coach. But that’s it. Yet, Nobody else on the team seems to be on the same page. What else can I say that has not already been said?
LambeauPlain
November 07, 2018 at 12:57 pm
The Packers O is undisciplined and soft. They are among the most penalized lines in the NFL...the holding calls are most frustrating because they are drive killers. Tough teams run the ball to set up game changing pass plays off play action and catch defenses loading the box. Interestingly, the O line seems much better run than pass blockers now. Why MM stubbornly wishes them to be something they are not is a head scratcher.
The D is severely lacking at key positions (S and OLB). The Safety position is probably not going to get fixed unless Tramon can light a fire under Jones. The OLBs are an invisible group...coached by the Assistant Head Coach Winston Moss...another waste of space.
But at least the D is probably exceeding expectations as the O is consistently underachieving.
Who would have thought the season would be quickly in danger of slipping away after just 8 games.
PatrickGB
November 07, 2018 at 12:54 pm
I knew as soon as the outcry for change got loud enough that Capers would be gone. Now, we have one more coach who needs to go.
ILPackerBacker
November 07, 2018 at 01:29 pm
The author appears to have come direct from MM press conference. The answer of course is the packer have to play better.
WELL!!!
Why didn't we just do that? Why does it take MM and an author half the season to figure that out?
Glad the ship is righted now and those issues such a a dominant WR who can't make tough catches to win games (0-4) and drops the record from 6-2, to a team that scape goats a DB who is playing nearly half the defensive snaps and 60% of special teams snap.
Speaking of special teams....all they have to do is get better. I hope the queens don't read this and decide to play better.
To wrap up, we have no knee Cobb taking snaps instead of two rookies who need to develop NOW. We have slow washed up Cobb going deep on a shot out of the end zone being completely blanketed by a guy. We have clever plays to Cobb to average 5 yards a catch.....
meanwhile Josh G lites up our new S, make a dynamic play and was wide open for the catch
They got Josh and we stuck with Cobb
tell me where the problem really is because Cobb is never going to be Josh G and he is never going to play the way he did years ago as the 4th or 5th option
ILPackerBacker
November 07, 2018 at 01:32 pm
smart coaches and players talk about starting fast
smart coaches and players talk about the way to beat Brady, the way to beat Rodgers, the way to beat Favre and Manning and Montana
KEEP THEM OFF THE FIELD
MM does this by the clever method he developed of giving them the ball first, nothing says keep the ball from brady like kicking off to him
LambeauPlain
November 07, 2018 at 01:32 pm
Does Nick Saban want a new and interesting challenge?
splitpea1
November 07, 2018 at 04:02 pm
Hopefully not in Green Bay. It's been a long while since he's been outside of the tropics, anyway.