NFL Week 17 Picks: Mike McCarthy Unjustly Upset as Aaron Rodgers Is Inactive

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy knows how good his team is when they are playing at full strength. But with key players sitting out on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, his frustration over being an underdog at home falls on deaf ears.

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Aaron Rodgers and several other star players will be inactive this week.

Meanwhile, John Czarnecki of FoxSports.com wrote that McCarthy was upset about the Packers not being favored at home in this game. I understand that he believes in all of his players and thinks that they would be 15-1 with Matt Flynn starting at quarterback all season, but he has to be practical here. The Lions are not exactly a pushover anymore. They are likely going to play their starters throughout this game to ensure that they win and lock up the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.

There is a world of difference between playing in Dallas or New York, where the No. 5 seed will play, and going to New Orleans or San Francisco. So, the Lions have reason to keep all of their starters active. 

The Packers are basically serving this game up on a platter by holding Rodgers and others out. I don't blame them for doing it. If I was coaching them, I would have done the same thing. Still, McCarthy needs to park his unjust anger somewhere else, because no one is going to listen to him when he is sending the second string out on the field in Week 17.

No one will consider it an upset if the Lions win this game, which should tell you everything that you need to know about how seriously fans and analysts are taking the Packers this week. Of course, Matt Flynn is auditioning for a starting job next season, so it's possible that he could make like Rodgers in this game and dominate the Lions. 

I am just not willing to bet a lot of money on that. 

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