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Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and the NFC Championship.

I don’t think it can possibly get any better than this.

After the Packers impressive 48-21 over the Atlanta Falcons and the Bears’ easier than it looked 35-24 win over the upstart Seattle Seahawks, both teams prepare to meet for only the second time in their long and storied rivalry. For the first time since 1941, the Packers and Bears get together for– to steal a line from Brent Musberger–all the Tostitos.

Since the Packers faced the Bears twice already this season, I don’t think it’s necessary to break them down once again. We know them well enough by now and the same could be said for the Bears knowing the Packers. It’s a division rivals against one another, so the familiarity between the two teams is rather obvious.

Instead let’s go ahead jump to FIVE (hey, it’s a big game alright?) keys to the NFC Championship

1. The condition of Soldier Field
Much has been made this week over the shape the sod in Soldier Field is in. It was already showing noticeable damage during the Seahawks game last week, and with brutal cold settling in across the entire Midwest, there hasn’t been enough time to re-sod the entire football field

With the game also expected to be played under cold temperatures, the condition of the field will be crucial to both teams. The Bears obviously have had some experience playing in it and the Packers have not. You would think that would give the Bears an edge, but the Packers have played their share of games in Lambeau with the sod coming up in chunks.  Read more... (1038 words + 1 image, estimated 4:09 mins reading time)

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The Atlanta Falcons could be described as the antithesis of the Packer’s last opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles are often described as “explosive”; they have perhaps the greatest mobile quarterback ever in Micheal Vick and maybe the greatest “home run” threat in the league at the moment with wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Running back LeSean McCoy boasts a 5+ yards per carry and the rest of the Eagle’s skill position players are filled with speedsters.

To this end, this year’s Eagles ranked as one of the best at big plays of over 20 yards and Vick’s ability to buy time in the pocket and scramble often lead to more opportunities down the field.

On the other side of the spectrum are the Atlanta Falcons, lead by quarterback Matt Ryan who is about as pure of a pocket passer as there is.

At his disposable, running back Micheal Turner is known as a bowling ball and not as a speed demon and wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Tony Gonzalez, aren’t speedsters either but manage very good production with crisp route running and steady hands.

While the Eagles are a high-risk/high reward team, the Falcons are unspectacular, but they are efficient and error adverse and that plays into perhaps their greatest advantage for Saturday’s game: the no huddle offense.  Read more... (958 words + 1 image, estimated 3:50 mins reading time)

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Normally, when I put on my miner’s hat and go digging deep into the mind of Packers Coach Mike McCarthy, it’s after a game. I look back at certain situations in the game and try to figure out what in the world he was thinking at that moment. Usually, I’m searching for an answer to the question WHY did you do that, Mike?

Frankly, I just haven’t been that successful. Sometimes, I can come up with a rational approximation of his thought process, but most of the time, I remain flummoxed.

So I decided to try a different approach. This time I’m going to try to figure out what he’s thinking BEFORE the fact. We ll know McCarthy likes to do the unpredictable, like throw deep to the end zone with your weak-armed backup QB on fourth and one with a minute left in a game you’re losing by 4 pts. Can you say, “threw the game away?” But I digress.

I’m going to attempt to take his element of surprise (NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition) along with a little reverse psychology and tell you what McCarthy’s sometime unorthodox decisions have been leading up to.

Basically, my theory is that McCarthy has been setting everyone up. You, me, other teams, maybe even his own players. This game, he will unleash the lion and shock everyone. I’ve managed to dig deep into his brain, and here’s what he has planned:  Read more... (750 words + 3 images, estimated 3:00 mins reading time)

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No matter what you thought about the Green Bay Packers’ most recent loss to the New England Patriots, one thing is for certain: their playoff season effectively begins this Sunday. From here on out, any loss will mark the immediate end of their Super Bowl aspirations.

Only two regular season games remain on the schedule for the Green Bay Packers (8-6). The first is a showdown with the shell-shocked New York Giants (9-5). The second and final game is a rematch with this year’s recently-crowned NFC North champions, the Chicago Bears (10-4).

And neither matchup will be anything close to a walk in the park.

Week 16: NEW YORK GIANTS

After an embarrassing last-minute loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants suddenly find themselves in basically the same situation as the Packers. If they win this Sunday’s game, then they claim a pass into the postseason. If they lose, their chances become very slim (though not completely out of reach).

One of two things will happen in this game: (1) the Giants will march into Lambeau Field with a gigantic chip on their shoulder and give Green Bay the game of the season, or (2) they will be so demoralized that the first sign of adversity will make them spiral into shame.

If I’m Mike McCarthy, I’m preparing my team for the first (and worst) set of circumstances.  Read more... (725 words + 1 image, estimated 2:54 mins reading time)

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Thanks to the amazing comeback from 21 points down by the Philadelphia Eagles and the overtime win by the Detroit Lions, the Green Bay Packers once again are in control of their path to the playoffs.

Even better, the game against the Patriots tonight doesn’t even matter. It’s all explained here by Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette:

Packers once again control Playoff Destiny.

GO Pack!

Follow Jersey Al:

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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.

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Having now lost five games this season (all by four points or fewer), the Green Bay Packers  now find themselves in serious danger of missing the playoffs.

How did it come to this for the Packers? Of course we all know about the injuries, but that’s not an excuse. Plenty of playoff-bound teams, like the Patriots for example,  have their share of players on IR.

When you lose close games, you can often target a few key plays or decisions throughout the season that highlight why you are in the position you are in.

1. James Jones’ fumble against the Bears
Even though the Packers were racking up a record number of penalty yards and finding new ways to shoot themselves in the foot, Aaron Rodgers appeared poised to lead a fourth-quarter comeback victory against a hated division rival.

Then James Jones reminded us that he’s, well, still James Jones.

You can’t fault Jones for trying to make a play, but where would this season be if he just went out of bounds?

2. Rodgers chooses not to slide and gets a concussion
Some people pin last week’s loss to the Lions on Aaron Rodgers. They say his decision to not slide was selfish and he is now a “concussion prone player.”

Rodgers should have slid, no doubt. But his ill-advised decision does not mean he’s selfish and does not make him more concussion prone than any other player.  Read more... (711 words + 1 image, estimated 2:51 mins reading time)

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There are still 10 teams mathematically alive in the NFC playoff race. If the season ended today, the Green Bay Packers would not make the playoffs. But that does not stop me from putting them No. 3 in my latest NFC power rankings.

Here’s how the playoff picture looks at the moment:

1. Atlanta Falcons (10-2)
2. Chicago Bears (9-3)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
4. St. Louis Rams (6-6)
5. New Orleans Saints (9-3)
6. New York Giants (8-4)
7. Green Bay Packers (8-4)
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
9. Seattle Seahawks (6-6)
10. Minnesota Vikings (5-7)

Here’s how I would rank the remaining playoff eligible teams in the NFC.

1. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are kind of the anti-Packers. They’ve trailed or have been tied in the fourth quarter six times this season, and they’ve won every game. The Falcons are good because they win those close games.

However, I had to force myself to put the Falcons in the top spot. The Falcons deserve to be No. 1, but if you gave me a choice of playing the Eagles or the Falcons right now, I’m not sure who I would choose.

2. Philadelphia Eagles
LeSean McCoy is turning into the second coming of Brian Westbrook. McCoy has 1,357 yards from scrimmage, including over 120 in each of the last two games. You would think McCoy will see his role expand in the final month as Michael Vick continues to take hits and battle nagging injuries.  Read more... (818 words + 1 image, estimated 3:16 mins reading time)

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