Yep.. you read the title correctly.

It will wake up this team and coach, it will put the focus on the offense becoming a more complete unit. And again, regardless of the message that we can win it all with the pass alone, there will be scenarios in which this team will not be able to rely on the pass alone.

Whether your opinion is that we stopped ourselves (Jennings drop comes to mind) or that the Lions and Cunningham developed a scheme to force the our offense to try and dump the pass over the backers which were dropping just deep enough to assist in taking the quick short passes away and Aaron/Matt holding the ball an extra couple beats to allow the routes behind the backers to develop.. which in turn allowed the pass rush to get pressure on the pocket.. it was apparent that the pass was struggling and the Packers were having protection issues.

The point was.. we couldn't do a damn thing about it because we couldn't run the damn ball.

So with Rodgers in question (My feeling is that he will play), and our pass protection exposed on turf (Yes that will matter in the playoffs because we will go on the road and Phi, Atl, NO, NYG all play on turf.) this coaching staff, offensive line and backs either put a running game together or be prepared for that bitter taste of defeat someplace down the road to end the season.

Again.. we can survive and win games with the pass only.. but sooner or later game scenarios will make the absence of a running game to help the offense out damaging. It has and will decrease our odds on winning a tight well fought game (albeit ugly in yesterdays example).

And in the playoffs there isn't a next week.

So buck up offensive line.. find a way to get it done and help balance this offense out so that we can run the damn ball when we need it.

Yesterday was an fine example.. the defense could pin their ears back and rush the passer.. and we couldn't help Flynn out with anything else or even slow the pass rush down. It is our MO... and teams no that we will abandon it if they stop it early.

I have confidence that yesterday drove home the point.. and that MM will demand that it gets corrected.

Losses like that can be crippling to a team or help shape a club and harden it.. I am betting on the later.


Okay.. queue Zombie grabbing excesses of stats telling us how we don't need to be a complete offense or Greg telling us how non-horrible the Lions defense is. ;)

Simple point is.. we couldn't execute in the passing game and we had nothing else to fall back on. The defense and special teams did their share.

No Excuses.. because we will be forced yet again this season to run the damn ball.. I have faith that we will figure out a way to get it done now that we have been stung, and stung hard, yet again.

---

My family is of the same attitude. The problem is that I'm not sure we control our own destiny anymore. We are going to need some help. Go Vikings... I just puked.

---

Great post. I agree that the O-line needs to wake up and do their job. Its nice to see a ration thought written. I was/am of the many with irrational thoughts and feelings. Between my hawkeyes melting down and the packers I cant take much more...

---

Interesting take on this and I can almost agree that this game serves as a wake up call (just wish there wasn't so much on the line right now).

---

That's all well and good that our team has had a wake up call, but they're going to need a lot of help to get into the playoffs now. With us going to NE, and our o-line showing what they really are against talent, I don't see a bright future for this year's team. It sucks, I still haven't given up on them but realistically look at what we have now and what has to happen for us. We have to beat the Giants who have a good running game and our D has sucked majorly this year against the run and even more importantly they have an amazing d-line. Then, we play a crap and lucky Bears team at home but look how we played against them earlier in the year(i.e. sloppy, played down to their level). Unless our o-line increases its play tenfold we will be on the outside of the playoffs which is very sad because of how great our D is and how great Rodgers is playing. I hope more than anything that I'll be proven wrong, but we'll see.

---

We are in the same position we are last week with the Bears loss. We can't get 2 games behind them though.

---

One huge difference between the losses..

Our was a conference and division loss.

The Bears was a Non conference loss.

It is a determent in the big picture for us to get into the playoffs.

---

I have to +1 Pack93z.

This thread is reflective of some pretty good creative writing skills. :)

Some others in the fine tradition--

Hiroshima Times:

"Nuclear blast lowers heating bills this month."

NY Times:

"Iceberg strike delays arrival of Titanic."

Come on now.. gotta respond to the pass only crowd.

---

We are in a completely different position.

Before Sunday we had our destiny in our own hands. Win out and we were in the playoffs guaranteed, possibly with a #2 seed.

After the double blow of a division and conference loss we are relying on other teams, especially the Vikings, to help us.

Our playoff chances are now on life support.

---