Packers fans take to sports talk radio as playoffs begin

Arizona dominated Green Bay in every facet of the game, especially on defense: The Cards sacked Packers QB Aaron Rodgers eight times and returned two fumbles for touchdowns.

They launched some new fan activities last week at the start of the playoffs, including the “Letters to Lambeau” program where fans got a chance to send their favorite players notes or drawings ahead of the game.

That was missing while the Packers were losing their final two games and six of their last 10 after a 6-0 start, letting the NFC North title slip away. The Cardinals had made it to the Super Bowl against Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa Bay, Florida, Feb. 1, 2009. Per Elias, the Seahawks became the first team in National Football League history to win a road playoff game in which they failed to score in the first three quarters, and will face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers played a classic NFC playoff game in Glendale in 2010. Defensively, they could not play much better with two touchdowns in the third quarter, the same number quarterback Carson Palmer threw in the second.

The 27-23 win over the Lions on the road on December 3 ended with perhaps the Packers’ signature play this season – the 61-yard touchdown catch by Richard Rodgers as time expired on a desperation pass from Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers pumps his fist as he walks off the field in the closing minutes of the team’s NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016.

“There aren’t too many times you have an opportunity to go back and have a re-do”, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. After rushing for only 17 yards in the first half, the Packers finished with 141.

Rodgers spoke about the Packers staying confident despite trailing the Redskins, 11-0. “It was an ugly game, we didn’t play very well on offense and that’s on me”. They also ran the ball for 101 yards on 3.9 yards per carry as a team. “I’m the only one who didn’t do my job there”. “I talked a lot the last couple weeks about being able to turn it on and a lot of you probably thought that was lip service, but we just needed a game like this to get our mojo back and get our confidence going”. A fifth-ranked defense rounds out a well-balanced squad, though the late-season loss of DB Tyrann Mathieu (knee) remains a blow, particularly against a quarterback as good as Rodgers. But they didn’t look like the same team against Washington in the wild-card victory. I take the blame for that we’ve got to be better.

Whatever the reasons behind the rejuvenated offense, the Packers are feeling much better about themselves than this time last week. Unsure where to throw the ball, overthrowing, under throwing, and running for his life as the pass rush got to him, including a safety. “We know what that side is, and now we’re going to try to climb our way through”.

And why not? He has a lot more fun when his offense is balanced – and the Green Bay Packers score seemingly at will.

“We got the tempo up, and they couldn’t keep up”.

The Packers, on the other hand, are one of the most banged-up teams remaining, especially on the offensive line.