Getty ImagesThe Kansas City Chiefs made the question moot. But if the Packers had gotten to 14-0, with two “meaningless” game to wrap up the season, coach Mike McCarthy was prepared to keep the pedal on the metal. (Or is it the petal on the medal?)
Sort of.
“Would I have let them go for it? If I didn’t think it was gonna jeopardize our chance to win a Super Bowl, definitely,” McCarthy tells Albert Breer of NFL Network. “The football team earned that.”
But playing the starters in meaningless games necessarily would have jeopardized the team’s chances, since it would have exposed quarterback Aaron Rodgers and other key players to injury.
So who knows what McCarthy really would have done? Based on the quality of the roster, McCarthy may get a chance to try it again in 2012.
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How is this news? And Sanchez remains ready to go for 16 year olds….
Based on Flynn throwing almost 500 yards and getting 6 TD’s, I’d say they could have gone for 16-0 without ever risking Rodgers once…
Stupid Chiefs
Too bad they didn’t. So glad they didn’t. Can’t wait to see Eli & The Giants upset them. Yes, I am a hater.
“Based on the quality of the roster, McCarthy may get a chance to try it again in 2012.”
Can we at least put a restrictor plate on the 2012 hype until after the Super Bowl?
Also, why wouldn’t you make a reasonable attempt if you were in his position?
I thought we already knew this. And as much as I’d like to be a Pack homer, no way they make the same run 2 years in a row. It’s just too unlikely.
The schedule does look decent for at least 10 or 11 wins, but it’s hard to even predict that, considering teams aren’t the same year-in year-out.
Unfortunately, if he throws a challenge flag in the KC game, they do probably go 16-0. The KC player cleary fumbled the ball through the endzone and the result would have been a turnover. Instead, KC was able to score on the next play. But ‘dems the breaks. Life goes on.
This guy needs to put his money where his mouth is. He inherits a roster full of probowlers and thinks he’s Bill Belichick. pssht.
Mike McCarthy and the Packers are smart enough to realize that the only streak that means anything is 3-0 to end their season. The Packers will repeat as SB Champions.
It probably also would have made the Rodgers/Brees MVP discussion moot. It’s still going to be Rodgers, but not the unanimous selection a 16-0 record and 50+ TD’s would guarantee.
who cares? they lost; Move on. 18-0 didn’t help the Pats.
And I was ready to go for 16 of the SAINTS Cheerleaders….and then my alarm went off to0 !
Mike is pudgy, and pudgy people always want to eat everything that is on the table.
And looking ahead at the 2012 season, the Packers play the NFC West (49ers come to Lambeau) and the AFC South, probably the two weakest divisions in football in 2011. They also get New Orleans at home again, and play the Giants (I forget where).
McCarthy should change his name to “Larry the Cucumber” Tebow would definitely approve.
with all due respect to belichick, bill inherited a roster that contained the best QB of all time.
I hope they beat the piss out the giants this week.
The Colts were also ready to go 16-0 until the first game of the season.
Let’s find a pass rush before we talk about repeating anything or going unbeaten in 2012. The NFC North alone will make it very difficult to go unbeaten.
With Aaron Rodgers standing one foot (to the head) away from another concussion, I’m not sure I disagree with his apprehension.
He’s too valuable to put at risk of a 3rd (?) concussion.
I think Shanahan was going for 16-0 too, but…….
Is this really a story? Really? Well in other news the Colts were ready to 0-16 if they hadn’t won those other games…
” Based on the quality of the roster, McCarthy may get a chance to try it again in 2012. ”
I like the thought of that.
seriously? aren’t you a journalist? it’s pedal to the metal… as in, foot on the gas. unbelievable.
Good for them…they had the nut to go for it. That should be the goal every week.
Colts are such wusses for wimping out a couple years back…they got what was coming to them.
Tim Tebow stands in the packers way of their ultimate goal.
I don’t get why this is a story. The Patriots, in their 18-1 year, never slowed up, even when up by dozens of points. The Colts, having safely secured the number one seed and needing 2 wins to secure regular season perfection, rested their starters and lost.
So what does that mean? It doesn’t really matter which way you go. The team that wins is the one that gets hot. 15-1 v. 16-0 wouldn’t have made a bit of difference.
jdandcoke says:
Jan 10, 2012 2:04 PM
with all due respect to belichick, bill inherited a roster that contained the best QB of all time.
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Uhhh, Bill DRAFTED Brady in 2000, his first draft, he didn’t “inherit” him.
do you have nothing else to do?
i don’t. but i can admit it.
Looking at green bays schedule next year, I think it’s very possible to go undefeated. The schedule looks easier next year than this one.
Forget “ifs” and “buts” about going undefeated and forget next year. Green Bay hasn’t won anything this year yet.
John Unitas, John Elway or Peyton Manning were never on the Patriots’ roster, making the original post patently false for two reasons.
Those record mongers, those stat padders, those point pilers, those (insert ridiculous moronic statement that has been used all season about New Orleans).
nflovercollegefb says:
Jan 10, 2012 3:03 PM
jdandcoke says:
Jan 10, 2012 2:04 PM
with all due respect to belichick, bill inherited a roster that contained the best QB of all time.
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Uhhh, Bill DRAFTED Brady in 2000, his first draft, he didn’t “inherit” him.
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BOOM! ROASTED! Next time check wikipedia before you open your ignorant face hole.
Meanwhile – the Packers season ends on Sunday.
People will be surprised by the Giants. Everyone forgets last year that the Super Bowl winning team was a wild card (the Packers). Recent history shows that top seeds rarely make the superbowl, let alone win it.
In a lower scoring game than the one played in the meadowlands, i see NY Giants 24 Green Bay 21.
Start mocking me now – but remember to come back and give me props on Monday.
Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins #1. Hmmm..let me get out another bottle of Chandon!
“72 was such a fine vintage!
Too bad the Packers won’t be able to compete for the NFL Championship this year after losing to an 7-9 team.
I mean, that’s how it works, right? If you lose to a team like that you lose your chance to play for the championship?
Meanwhile – the Packers season ends on Sunday.
People will be surprised by the Giants. Everyone forgets last year that the Super Bowl winning team was a wild card (the Packers). Recent history shows that top seeds rarely make the superbowl, let alone win it.
In a lower scoring game than the one played in the meadowlands, i see NY Giants 24 Green Bay 21.
Start mocking me now – but remember to come back and give me props on Monday.
I hate this false “no one gives us a chance” game people like to play.
Yes, the Giants are given a chance. No, no one is concluding the game is already over and the Giants lost. No one is going to mock you.
This whole season has been about the Pack & the ‘other 31′ ….. The talent gap between the Pack & any other NFL team is larger than most know or want to admit to …..
There’s a good chance that GB rolls through the playoffs with little resistance from any opponent …… Three blow-outs in 3 games is a likely scenario …… “Three-peat” will be the new key word in 2012 …..
He should have been more ready to go 14-0 first.
Based on the quality of the roster, McCarthy may get a chance to try it again in 2012.
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Ever heard of regression to the mean? Every team with a 1- or 2-loss season has had a worse record the next year, and every one of them had a quality roster. Not that they’re going to be bad, but they certainly won’t have a better record.
Dolphins:
1972 14-0
1973 12-2
San Francisco
1984 15-1
1985 10-6
Chicago
1985 15-1
1986 14-2
Minnesota
1998 15-1
1999 10-6
Pittsburgh
2004 15-1
2005 11-5
New England
2007 16-0
2008 11-5
“So who knows what McCarthy really would have done? Based on the quality of the roster, McCarthy may get a chance to try it again in 2012.”
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No doubt, 15-1 with the 32nd ranked Defense.
We draft another big Cullen Jenkins/Raji type and get another Pass Rushing OLB to compliment Claymaker, we finally get a front four so Dom doesn’t have to blitz the house every play.
Get our defense up to the level it was in 2010, along with our offense now, then there will be no stopping us.
thankheavenfornumberseven says: Jan 10, 2012 4:33 PM
Based on the quality of the roster, McCarthy may get a chance to try it again in 2012.
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Ever heard of regression to the mean? Every team with a 1- or 2-loss season has had a worse record the next year, and every one of them had a quality roster. Not that they’re going to be bad, but they certainly won’t have a better record.
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the difference being the Packers are a young team compared to most of those that you listed. Most of our keystone players are locked up as well (Finley, and Wells the only question marks this year). Honestly it will be hard to go undefeated but they will be no worse than 13-3 or so.
KC Baby!!!!!
Should the Packers win the Superbowl this year, they will have gone back-to-back twice. Has any other team done that?
“Should the Packers win the Superbowl this year, they will have gone back-to-back twice. Has any other team done that?”
I envy you, you must be young.
Steelers 74-75 and 78-79