Let’s say Green Bay wins on Sunday…

By Os Davis  |   Wednesday, November 01, 2006  |  Comments( 4 )

Green Bay Packers
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ESPN recently ran a fantastic short interview with Brian Urlacher in which, for just a second, the facade of Jockspeak was torn away. The former University of New Mexico Lobo naturally faced, as question No. 1, something to the overly well-worn effect of "Will the Chicago Bears go 16-0?"

"Mutter, mutter," said Urlacher, "one game at a time yadda, yadda."

A few more softballs volleyed back with a cliché later, it happened: A glimpse into the truth, because this potential MVP is a crummy actor. "So," approximately asked the talking head in the studio, "um, when you look at the upcoming schedule, who are you most concerned about?"

The lights went on in Url's eyes, and you know what he wanted to say. Ultimately, his true feelings overwhelmed his NFL-programmed instinct to spout the party line, answering "49ers yadda yadda 49ers the next game yadda yadda well, obviously that game in New England's gonna be a good one." No doubt the big dude was thinking, "I hope coach doesn't see this and fine me for not 'taking these things one game at a time.'"

One nice thing about sportswriting: You don't have to take these things one game at a time.

So, in violation of the NFL's most sacred cow (yes, even more than ol' Bessie on the helmets of the Houston Texans), let's look into the short-term future of the Green Bay Packers. Certainly, there's a certain green-and-gold wearing quarterback doing the same.

Let's say the Pack win at the Buffalo Bills this weekend. Not impossible at all, with the Bills' juiceless offense (currently 30th in the league) matched only by a defense giving up 22 points a game. After picking apart similarly inferior teams in the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay does it again and takes Buffalo apart, say, 35-14. The Packers go into Week 10 at 4-4, one game behind the Minnesota Vikings who should exorcise "Monday Night Football" demons against the San Francisco 49ers.

Then a look at the schedule shows ... is this right?

The Packers could be a playoff team?

Whoa.

The Week 10 game is key with the face-off in Minnesota on the slate. But let's say Favre catches lightning in a bottle against the Vikes, employing the same game plan the Patriots did which runs something like pass over the middle, pass over the middle, and then maybe pass over the middle. Green Bay won't have Laurence Maroney contributing 20-yard gains here and there, but on the Minny turf Ahman Green still figures to go for 100 against what should soon no longer be the league's No. 1 defense against the run.

Let's say the Packers, high as they are at this point, lose against New England. I think we can all agree on this one.

Then check this out: The Packers play at the Seattle Seahawks, against the New York Jets, at the San Francisco 49ers, against the Detroit Lions and against the Vikings in Lambeau.

I can't believe I'm typing this, but those are all winnable games. By Nov. 27, the 'Hawks, though playing at home, will be nowhere near 100 percent. After a nice run of subpar foes, Week 16 has the Pack hosting the Vikings on Dec. 21. What may work in Green Bay's favor here is that this game takes place just four days after the Cheeseheads presumably beat up on the Lions.

Even figuring the Packers lose in Week 10, this puts the Tundra Runners at 9-6 and - unbelievable as it sounds - in contention for that sixth playoff spot. (My penciled-in and multiple-times erased bracket has the New York Giants, Bears, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and whoever loses least in the NFC West.)

Believe it or not, Cheeseheads, in the final week of the season, could see that fantastic sports drama storyline played out again: The grizzled old QB giving it one more go, forcing his teammates to get better while, though perhaps not playing the best ball of his career, he leads a green team into the holy land of the playoffs. As in the win in Miami two weeks ago, the likes of this season could be something unseen in Green Bay since the days of Super Bowl II.

The final week of the season is at Chicago. Just imagine the last game in this fantasy scenario. Put Urlacher and his Bears at 15-0 at home versus a scrappy bunch of young dudes who don't know they're supposed to lose while desperately fighting for a playoff spot with a quarterback that must win or go home, maybe forever. Imagine just one break, maybe two lucky turnovers or bad calls, and...

Whoa.

Why take these things one week at a time? Secretly, you know that Brett Favre sure isn't.

Short-, medium- and long-term insight into the Green Bay Packers at RealFootball365.com
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's...
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