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The hit by Anthony Barr that changed the NFC: Loss of Aaron Rodgers altered the Packers' course, vaulted Vikings The entire NFC race took a drastic turn when Aaron Rodgers was injured against the Vikings. The closest thing the NFL has to Bedford Falls, N.Y. — the idyllic town made famous in Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life” — might be Green Bay, Wis., where the quarterbacking pursuits of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers over the past quarter-century have ushered the football hamlet into a quarter-century of unprecedented prosperity.
Favre’s wizardry brought the Packers back from the brink of obscurity, delivered the team’s first championship in 29 years in 1997 and helped pave the way for the taxpayer-funded $295 million expansion of Lambeau Field in 2003.
Rodgers, his immediate successor, delivered another Lombardi Trophy in 2011, followed shortly thereafter by a two-phase expansion that modernized player facilities, added two new scoreboards and pushed Lambeau’s capacity to 81,441 — the fifth-largest stadium in the NFL. The Packers used the financial windfall from their on-field success to redevelop the area west of the stadium; the first phase of the “Titletown District” includes a high-end hotel, brewery and sports medicine clinic.
Since the events of Oct. 15, though, Green Bay has felt more like Pottersville for Packers fans than Bedford Falls.
The Packers walked into U.S. Bank Stadium in October with a 4-1 record and the No. 2 spot in the NFC. The Vikings’ victory that day was the second of an eight-game win streak; they’ve clinched the NFC North at 11-3, and are currently in possession of the No. 2 spot in the conference.
The meeting between the two teams at Lambeau Field on Saturday night will be the Packers’ first home game since Dec. 28, 2008 where they had been eliminated from playoff contention. The only one of the Packers’ 37 draft picks on the 2017 roster who was with the team at that time? Rodgers.
“Every week, there’s a state-of-the-union-type address to the team,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “You tell them exactly where we are as a team, the things we need to focus on from the prior game and the plan for the next contest. It’s clearly addressed in the first team meeting. It’s disappointing. It’s a standard that’s unacceptable here. But we’re playing for something different Saturday night, and I expect our team to go out there and win the game.”
A loss to the Packers back in October would have put the Vikings two games behind Green Bay in the NFC North, with a pair of division losses. Instead, the victory helped fuel their run toward their second division title in three years, and will make for perhaps the most listless opponent they’ve seen at Lambeau Field since the Packers’ 4-12 season in 2005.
It figures to be a surreal scene. And Barr’s hit on Rodgers helped make it a reality.
Here's the thing... I'm not so sure the Packers would have won the division this year even if Rodgers was healthy all season.
The Vikings are 10-3 in games they haven't played the Packers... we've split with them in each of the past two seasons and have a chance to sweep them this year. At worst, I think we split this year again even with a healthy Rodgers.
Even though the Packers were 4-1 when they played us... They got blown out by the Falcons, lost to the Panthers, and needed some last second heroics to beat the Cowboys. I guess, I'd give them an extra win over Detroit and maybe Baltimore with Rodgers instead of Hundley, but I don't think they beat the Saints or Steelers.
So... At best, Green Bay would be 9-5? Maybe 10-4 if you give them another win over the Saints or Vikings? I mean, let's stop acting like the Packers would have won the division with Rodgers. The Vikings are the better team this season and it's not even a debate.
Completely agree Wet. I think even with Rogers the Vikings are the better overall team and hence higher on the NFC pecking order.
Packers have a lot of guys who got by because Erin made them look good. We know defensively, they are bad. Clay is near the end, they've got a lot of questions next year on defense IMO. They need to pay Adams a ton of cash at some point. Hell, Erin ain't getting any younger and he want's to be paid one more too. This is the beginning of the end for the Pack IMO
Quote: @Wetlander said:
Here's the thing... I'm not so sure the Packers would have won the division this year even if Rodgers was healthy all season.
The Vikings are 10-3 in games they haven't played the Packers... we've split with them in each of the past two seasons and have a chance to sweep them this year. At worst, I think we split this year again even with a healthy Rodgers.
Even though the Packers were 4-1 when they played us... They got blown out by the Falcons, lost to the Panthers, and needed some last second heroics to beat the Cowboys. I guess, I'd give them an extra win over Detroit and maybe Baltimore with Rodgers instead of Hundley, but I don't think they beat the Saints or Steelers.
So... At best, Green Bay would be 9-5? Maybe 10-4 if you give them another win over the Saints or Vikings? I mean, let's stop acting like the Packers would have won the division with Rodgers. The Vikings are the better team this season and it's not even a debate.
You forgot they had to take the Bengals into OT to beat them. You know, that team we had beat in 1 quarter. By overrating Seattle and Dallas, the media overrated GB's victories with Rodgers.
The hit affected GB for sure but not so much the vikings as others have noted.
Jesus they have pounded this story line into the dirt.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
Jesus they have pounded this story line into the dirt.
You can't begin to imagine the # of times that hit has been played on the local news...Hundreds would be an immense injustice...
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