Packers Season in Jeopardy After Loss to Saints

For the Packers offense, it was a tale of two halves.

For their defense, it was one of their worst overall performances in a long time.

In their first true home game in more than one month, the New Orleans Saints sure did give their fans their money's worth. The Saints put up 51 points on the Packers defense, making each drive look easier than the last.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense did all they could to keep up with the firepower of Drew Brees and the Saints, but came out both flat and almost shell shocked in the second half. A game that looked like it would go down to the wire quickly turned in an embarrassment for the Packers on national television.

Our friends at The Daily Drink gave out no shortage of FAIL marks this morning, and I agree with all of them. Bob Sanders and his defense, especially their tackling technique, have been put on notice. Derrick Frost is probably the worst punter in Packers history, and that includes B.J. Sander. Mike McCarthy needs to stop being so conservative in his play calling. AJ Hawk did not look up to the task.

And, in the both, Tony Kornheiser needs to just shut up already.

If the Packers don't make the playoffs this season, it will forever go down in history as "The Year They Didn't Make the Playoffs Because They Traded Brett Favre", but this shouldn't be the case. There is no reason to show a comparison of stats between Rodgers and Favre at the end of every Packers loss, it doesn't work that way. The comparisons need to stop, and they need to stop now.

Look, the Packers are a mess right now. They have been inconsistent all season. They are one of the youngest teams in the league, and they haven't been very clutch. At this point, it may even be fair to call last season a fluke. But Aaron Rodgers has played to, and even above, his level of expectation, and I think he is still in the running for a Pro Bowl nod.

The Jets, on the other hand, are not good just because of Brett Favre. Sure, he brings the "Oh my God, I'm playing with Brett Favre" mentality to the Jets players, and that is probably for the better. But the Jets also have a great offensive line, and playmakers like Leon Washington and Kris Jenkins. The Jets are a complete football team, even at quarterback, and they showed that in their victory against the Titans.

The Packers are a team in disarray, and they showed that in their loss to the Saints.

So where do they go from here? They are currently a game behind in the NFC North, behind both the Vikings and Bears. Those two teams match up on Sunday Night Football this week, and I think we have to root for the Bears in this one, if only because we still have a game on the schedule against them.

The Packers have five games left on the schedule, starting with a home game this week against Carolina. They then host Houston, fly down to Jacksonville, pay a visit to the Bears, and then end the season against the Lions. Realistically, the Packers should be able to go at least 4-1 in this stretch, if not 5-0. That is, if the Packers have it in them to be as a good of a team as I think they are.

Meanwhile, the Bears have Minnesota, Jacksonville, New Orleans, the Pack, and then Houston.

The Vikings face Chicago, Detroit, Arizona, Atlanta, and the New York Giants.

The road to the playoffs actually isn't that daunting for the Packers, if you think about it. But then again, the playoffs for the Packers basically start next week.