Will Love Light the Way for the Green Bay Packers?

The Packers season is all but over. They may not be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but they are figuratively out of contention. Aaron Rodgers is bruised, broken, and battered. You hate to see it. The only question left to answer is, will Love light the way for the Green Bay Packers? 

Packer fans waited all day for Sunday Night. And just a couple minutes in, the Green and Gold were looking like mold. Joe Barry’s defense was at it again. It seems setting the edge is a foreign concept in Green Bay. Cheeseheads were having flashbacks with visions of Colin Kaepernick grating the Packers’ defense. But instead, it was Jalen Hurts. Surpassing the 100-yard mark at the end of the first quarter. 

Joe Barry’s Defense Feeling Around in the Dark

By the end of the game, Barry’s defense surrendered 363 yards. A great football mind surmised that if the Packers had “only” given up 300 yards they likely would have won. The reality is the unnamed great football mind is probably right. Let that simmer. Holding the opposition to 300 yards rushing would have been enough to win the game. 

It’s baffling. Despite being a defense loaded with first-round talent, they can play so poorly. While it’s true there are a number of significant injuries on defense. One has to wonder why players like Kenny Clark and Jaire Alexander are playing less than stellar. Have they just fallen off? Or is it the scheme and play calling? But don’t worry, we’ll find out. Likely, next season when the unit is led by a new defensive coordinator. 

So Much Talent for a Comedy of Errors

Above all what is so frustrating about this team is that they have enough talent to stay in games. However, just the right amount of buffoonery to figure out how to muck the game up. Several times this season I watch waiting for Benny Hill to break the huddle and a Kazu begin to play as Benny zips around the field. Cheesehead TV ran a tongue-in-cheek Twitter poll inquiring if the Packers practice. It scored a resounding no. And it’s almost believable. 

Before this gets all too dark, let’s come back to the initial question. Will Love light the way? The easy answer is, not if Aaron Rodgers has anything to say about it. At this point, Rodgers is more Timex than he is quarterback. He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Like they used to say about another legendary Packers quarterback who sported number 12. You may beat our Pack, but you can’t lick our Dickey. Rodgers’s broken thumb and oblique injury be damned, he’s gonna take the field against the Bears. I for one wouldn’t count him out. 

Will Love Light the Way?

But returning to the always touchy topic of Love. He played well in a short appearance on Sunday night. He was impressive. And right away Packer Nation is all up in his DM’s lusting for more. Comical really. It wasn’t that long ago when Packer Nation was all “Love Stinks…Yeah, Yeah!” But that’s how it goes in Green Bay, the 15-year itch, and we kick the last guy to the curb. 

Few in Packer Nation saw this season coming. Sure you’ll have a few rear-view mirror prognosticators spouting their genius. By all means, this team has talent. They are just missing something. Is it Love? If not, what can be greater than Love? My guess is coaching.