This season has been an utter disaster for the Packers. The Green Bay Packers have lost for the seventh time this season as the Tennessee Titans outlasted Green Bay in a Wisconsin snowstorm 27-17.
Well, saying there was a snowstorm last night in Green Bay is like saying the Packers still have a chance of making the playoffs. It’s not strictly accurate.
Sure, there was a light drizzle of snowflakes, and the air was frigid, but that doesn’t mean the Tennessee Titans survived the second coming of the Ice Bowl. Reversely, the Packers still have a small statical chance of seeing January football (around 5%), but there’s no way they’re actually going to.
Last night should be the straw that broke the camel’s back for this Packers team as they not only lost a close game to another above .500 team, but it also revealed a horrifying truth that I refused to see: Aaron Rodgers is declining.
Prior to watching last night’s game, I was sure most of Rodgers and the Packers struggle on offense due to the fact that the Packers front office refused to give him any help in skill positions (ex: WR, TE, RB), while also trading away his best pieces year after year (ex: Devante Adams, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jared Cook).
And that’s still all true as I’m convinced the Packers front office has been sabotaging Rodgers ever since they drafted Jordan Love with their 1st round pick in the 2020 draft.
Yeah, I know it’s a tin-foil theory, but why else would they have routinely and consistently refused to help Rodgers, a 38-year-old-quarterback, win another Super Bowl for the Packers organization by acquiring some quality receivers, tight ends, and running backs to throw to?
The Buccaneers bent over backwards to give Brady all of the pieces he wanted.
Don’t they realize that they also get Super Bowl rings if Rodgers wins one?
Anyway, back to the game last night, it seems that their sabotage has finally paid off as Rodgers looked like the 38-year-old quarterback his is.
Despite going 24/39 for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns, Rodgers missed some huge throws (which he always made in the past) that could have changed the momentum of the game. There were times when it looked like he was just lost as to where to put the ball, which may be down to the great defensive coverage or his wide receivers not being able to get open.
Though, Aaron Jones having only 40 rushing yards on 12 carries and the entire Packers rushing attack only garnering 56 yards, they didn’t exactly help out Rodgers either.
Regardless, it wasn’t a great look on Rodgers as the Packers offense was audible booed off the field time and again after each failed possession, something he’s definitely not used to hearing. With the team now three games below .500 and at least two games behind in the Wild card race, the calls for Jordan Love to get some gametime are getting louder and louder from the Packer faithful.
And, with young WR Christian Watson (4 REC, 48 yards, 2 TDs) just now getting his feel for the NFL, getting a future Love-Watson tandem connection now may be enough to convince the Packers management and head coach Matt LaFleur to sit Rodgers for the remaining seven games.
Personally, I would wait on such a hasty move as once you bench a hall-of-fame talent like Rodgers, you’ve as good as lost him forever. With the Packers defense actually not playing too bad (well, maybe) against a high-powered Titans team, with Rasul Douglas snagging a pick and Preston Smith adding 1.5 out of the three team sacks, I’d give Rodgers another few weeks to try to turn this season around.
Yes, they aren’t making the playoffs, but they can at least win another 3-4 games to finish the season with a respectable record. An 8-9 or 7-10 record after such a bad start should honestly be seen as a (relative) success. That is if the Packers management aren’t trying to finish as poorly as possible in order to select one of the top QBs in this year’s draft to replace Rodgers and Love. I wouldn’t put it past them.
As for the Titans, this team really is a juggernaut.
Under Mike Vrabel’s leadership, the Tennessee Titans have turned into a hardworking, collective, united unit that will give their body, minds, and souls for the cause, regardless of if it negatively impacts their stats and personal glory. Just like Vrabel’s Patriots dynasty of the early 2000’s, this Titans team has embodied the underdog persona as they continue to beat some of the best teams in the league.
Ryan Tannehill was incredible last night as he completed 22/27 passes for 333 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT, while Derrick Henry was a beast again as his 28 CAR for 86 yards and 1 touchdown steamrolled the Packers defensive frontline in route to the four touchdowns. He even threw a TD pass!
And, with a solid defense led by Teair Tart, Kevin Byard, and Joshua Kalu, Mario Edwards Jr., this Titans (7-3) team are legit playoff contenders and may be the only team capable of challenging the Chiefs for the AFC Crown.
On the other hand, the Packers (4-7) are anything but playoff contenders and will be lucky to win seven games this season. Man, the Packers have really fallen off.
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