Bears Trek to Lambeau to Take a Likely Pounding

It appears that Chicago Bears' quarterback Kyle Orton will be starting Sunday against the Packers in Lambeau. I don't think this is good news for Packers fans, as we can usually rely on backup quarterback Rex Grossman to throw a few picks. Though, Coach Lovie Smith can really only have so many wins in a row at Lambeau Field. He is going to end his winning streak at four. The Packers will prevail. They may have a lot working against them for this crucial divisional meeting, but the Packers will have 72,000 loyal fans, Milwaukee Season ticket-holders, nonetheless, standing for every down.

The Packers will be looking to exchange favors from last season with the Bears, who swept the Packers last season. The weather won't be helping either team as the forecast in Green Bay Sunday calls for a few snow showers and 37 degrees! Yuck. Welcome to the winter in Wisconsin! It will give us a chance to see how Rodgers takes to the elements. We know his predecessor, at least for 95% of his career in the green and gold, took quite well to the sleet, snow and cold.

Go Pack Go. This is a must-win if there ever was one!

Stupid Metrodome.

The Packers loss Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings still hurts. Nice job refs. Nice play-calling Mike McCarthy. Nice job offensive line. And finally, to you Mr. Aaron Rodgers, you sign the big contract and then what?

If you believe in football karma, the right team did win. The Packers had no business even being in the game, were it not for the defense and special teams putting points on the board. In the NFC North, the Packers now sit in third place, with the 0-9 Detroit Lions rounding out the division. This is not where you want your team to be with seven games to go. I, along with many others, believe that this game against the Vikings was to be the game that lead the green and gold to the post-season. While they lost the Titans game, the team played tough. It appears that the loss to the Titans has shaken their confidence vs increasing it. With the Bears coming to Lambeau Field this weekend, we are seriously looking at the ultimate in must-win situations. If the Packers pull off the win, they will tie the Bears in-division record of 3-1. Then if we see a Vikings loss against the 6-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, we are looking at a three-way tie in the division. If you are a Packers fan, this has to happen to stay alive.

The Packers have the added problem to rectify before Sunday in the huge loss of middle linebacker Nick Barnett; out with a torn ligament in his right knee. Barnett is a leader on the team both on the field and off making this injury all the more painful. Mike McCarthy and the other coaches haven't decided who is filling this position, whether it's moving starters to the middle like A.J. Hawk or Brandon Chiller, or giving Barnett's backup a shot, Desmond Bishop. Whoever is lined up come noon on Sunday needs to step it up. The run defense has been pitiful in the last few games. I am afraid to say it but they can't get much worse against the run. Can they

With this Packers Vikings annual ritual of horn blowing in the Metrodome behind us, we can focus to win these last seven and end at 11-5, potentially squeaking in to the post-season. I think we can safely say the Green Bay Packers won't be playing host to two NFC Championship games in a row. I will be taking those dollars and moving them right in to Packers tickets for Sunday, as this game is out NFC Championship game of the 2008 season.

Come on Guys. Buck up and let's win a couple.

Another Packers Fan

It doesn't happen often, but I have allowed a fellow Packers fan to post to my Packers blog. She might be going hog wild now that she has the ol' log in information! What if she is a Bears fan in disguise? What if she is an old castoff of Aaron Rodgers' and wants revenge? Uh-oh, what have I gotten myself into?

Here goes:

I have grown up in Milwaukee and grew up a Green Bay Packers fan. My earliest memory of the Packers goes back to when I was 6 years old running around the basement of a family friends house with my sisters dressed in a Packers cheerleading outfit waving around my pom-poms as the Packers play in Super Bowl XXXI. The Packers have had their phenomenal seasons and there not-so-great seasons, but through it all Packers fans across Wisconsin have stuck by their side and supported them. At the end of last year and beginning of this year us fans went through a lot with the news of Brett Favre retiring and then deciding to come back. We all cried along with Brett as he made his farewell speech, and then we all got excited at the thought of him coming back. I think we all would have liked to see him play another season. He is a living legend that we watched break record after record. I have had a Farve jersey since as long as I can remember and have attended numerous Packer games in the “Frozen Tundra” at Lambeau Field; games were it has been so cold I could see my breath or feel my fingers or toes. Walking up to the stadium and feeling the rush of game time is so exciting.

I was a little unsure of Aaron Rodgers being our quarterback. I said he would have some pretty big shoes to fill, and I think that he has done a pretty good job at it so far. I must say he is no Brett Favre, but I am definitely starting to warm up to him. It might be a little unfair to compare him to Favre seeing what an amazing quarterback he is, but after being a Farve fan for so many years it is kind of hard to just start liking someone else all of a sudden. I think it is only fair to give Rodgers the chance to show us all what he is made of. Now as far as Farve playing for the New York Jets, I was pretty heartbroken at first. Watching him play with another team it almost seemed like he was betraying us! I understand his love of the game and desire to come back. Since the Packers weren't interested in taking him back, he really had no choice but to find another team to play for. I guess on the other hand if he is going to play for someone else I would rather it be the Jets instead of someone like the Chicago Bears or Minnesota Vikings.

I already have my Packers tickets for the Carolina Panthers game on November 30th. I think it will be a great end to my Thanksgiving weekend. This will be my husband's first Packers game ever, and my first game seeing Rodgers. I am really looking forward to being at Lambeau. The tailgating, the beer, the face paint, crazy hats and gear! Packer fans are definitely a loud and crazy fun bunch! No matter what happens I will always be a Packer fan. I have grown up with the Packers and you will always find me either at the game or in front of a big screen TV watching it. I am one of those die hard Packer Fans!!!

Just out of Reach for the Packers

I can't say yesterday's Green Bay Packers vs. Tennessee Titans game was a bad one. On the contrary; the game was rough and tumble, down and dirty football. The Packers just came up a little short. Losing in overtime is a better scenario than going down to Nashville and getting smoked by a 7-0 team. Rodgers and the team showed the world what kind of players they are. That teamwork brought them awfully close to handing the Titans their first loss, but it just wasn't in the cards.

The Packers held the Titans to just 3 points off of two turnovers. That's impressive. What wasn't all that impressive was the play calling at the end of the game. I think the coaching staff forgot they were playing an undefeated team away from Lambeau. The Titans were going to score in overtime. The Titans were going to play to win at the end of the fourth quarter. The Packers should have gone for it on fourth down. What can you say? The game was competitive and fun to watch. It was terrific to hear the crowd noise escalate when the Titans were on 3rd down. Good for you Packers fans to take the road trip and support the team!

Another loud one coming up at the Metrodome next week. I think the Packers have a solid chance. Then we can put the beat down on the crippling Chicago Bears the following week.

Even with the loss, this game Sunday fired me up.

Go Pack Go!