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If you peruse many of the recaps of the Green Bay Packers’ 31-28 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last night, you will find the phrase “moral victory” multiple times.
While those “moral victories” count for bupkis in the standings, the Packers have to feel at least a little better about themselves after giving the Steelers all they could handle in a game no one gave the Packers a snowball’s chance in hell of winning.
Given the Packers were shut out at home a week prior against the Baltimore Ravens, their performance against the Steelers shows the team still has fight left in it.
Coach Mike McCarthy always points to winning 10 games as the mark to make the postseason, and the Packers will once again have to run the table to hit that threshold and at least two of the final five games will not have Aaron Rodgers under center.
The Packers have winnable games the next two weeks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns, and IF (in 72 point font) Rodgers is ready to return he will be eligible to return for the final three games at Carolina, at home against the Vikings and on the road against the Lions.
The odds are long, but hey you never know. In one of the most bizarre NFL seasons in recent memory, anything is possible.
Read more on Green Bay’s loss and why the celebration rule change has finally injected some fun into the NFL in today’s cheese curds.
Packers’ playoff hopes on the ropes after falling short—PackersNews.com
It looks like the Packers’ best shot is to get Rodgers back against Carolina. Even then, who knows what else can unfold? If you thought last year’s run was a miracle, making the playoffs this season would actually top it.
Brett Hundley took his game to a level the Packers needed—Packers.com
Had the Packers pulled off the upset, this game would have gone down in Green Bay lore as the “Brett Hundley game.” The quarterback’s next challenge is following up this strong performance with another one. Inconsistency has hobbled Hundley so far.
Aaron Rodgers effortlessly throws ball 50+ yards—The Big Lead
Don’t look now but Rodgers’ arm strength seems to be returning. This should give the Packers extra motivation to keep fighting if he is ready to come back in two weeks.
Could the Packers’ valiant effort in loss to Steelers lead to better days ahead?—ESPN
The game against the Steelers was eerily similar to the 2010 loss to the New England Patriots with Matt Flynn under center for the Packers. The problem is Rodgers won’t be back the following week, like he was in 2010.
NFL Continues to up its game with touchdown celebrations—ESPN
The Electric Slide joined the ranks of unique and fun touchdown celebrations this season. The Packers’ bobsled team still has to be tops though, right?