Green Bay Packers Notebook: Looking Ahead To the Detroit Lions, or Past Them?

The Detroit Lions could have done the Green Bay Packers a big favor last weekend by upsetting the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears, but they'll get another shot at playing division spoiler this Sunday.

This time, however, the Lions will take their shot at knocking off the Packers in Detroit—a scenario that would throw Green Bay's playoff chances into serious turmoil.

At 8-4, the Packers are still on the outside looking in when it comes to the NFC playoff picture, and remain a game back of the 9-3 Bears for the North lead. However, a win against the 2-10 Lions Sunday and the Packers and Bears should be tied at 9-4 when the day ends.

That's because Chicago must take on the red-hot New England Patriots, and I struggle to come up with a situation in which the Bears get out of Sunday with a win. Sorry Bears fans, I just can't picture your team—a team I've finally come around to respecting this season—actually beating the Pats when Tom Brady is playing this well.

And don't worry, next week when the Packers travel to Foxboro, I won't be expecting a win from us either.

But that leads me to my point about this weekend. Like I just did above, will the Packers be thinking ahead to their trip to New England next week?

I've said before I don't believe in trap games, especially within the division. But if there was ever a week for it, it'd be this week. Either way, if the Packers look past the Lions, I'm very confident they'll walk out of Detroit with a loss.

Yet like all football coaches would, you're hearing Packers coach Mike McCarthy say all the right things: "One game at a time," and "We're concentrated solely on the Detroit Lions."

Nothing tells me that I shouldn't believe what he's saying completely.

But I'd bet you anything that McCarthy and the rest of the Packers saw what the Pats did to the Lions on Thanksgiving, and, of course, what they did to the New York Jets on Monday. In total, the Patriots have scored 90 points in the last two weeks.

In all honesty, it'd be tough to miss those kinds of performances from a team you know is still on your schedule.

In fact, the Packers have probably done a fair share of breaking down the Patriots-Lions game tape in getting ready for this week. Not a bad plan considering Brady went for 341 yards and four touchdowns against that Detroit defense.

However, I'll trust that the Packers have their mind set 100 percent on the Detroit Lions just like McCarthy says. Because while I can't help but look a week ahead to the game in New England, the Packers should know how important Sunday is.

Lose Sunday, and that December 19 matchup becomes almost meaningless anyway. Lose Sunday, and you can all but kiss the division title away. Lose Sunday, and the Packers' promising 2010 season might just be over.

I'd think the Packers would have all that in mind come Sunday in Detroit.

Mixed Reviews on Throwbacks

I'd be shocked if you didn't notice, but the Packers broke out their 1929 throwback jerseys Sunday against the 49ers. 

From everything I've read, the throwback jerseys have received mostly mixed reviews.

To be honest, I hated the way they looked when I first saw the jersey combination without a player actually wearing them. As the game wore on, however, the look grew on me more and more.

The blue and yellow jersey top looked really sharp, and while the tannish-brown pants were certainly hard on the eyes, the brown helmets actually added a genuine throwback feel.

Coach McCarthy was on the same page even before the Packers put them on display.

"I think they look a lot better than hanging on a mannequin, that’s for sure," McCarthy said last Wednesday. "They look better on our players, and I think everybody will appreciate the look and the tribute to our 1929 first championship team."

Not everyone agrees with McCarthy and myself, however.

I've heard everything from "absolutely disgusting" to "terrible color scheme" to "worst throwbacks ever worn in the NFL."

Those are obviously harsh criticisms. While I love the green and gold as much as anyone, Sunday was a good change up. And come on people, it was only the seventh time in team history the Packers have worn a throwback.

However, if the Packers really wanted to make a splash with an alternate jersey, they'd seriously consider coming up with a "blaze orange" combination to wear on the opening weekend of deer hunting.

I, myself, do not partake in any type of deer hunting, but it's such an ingrained Wisconsin tradition that it'd only be right to honor that weekend somehow. Certainly it's hick, but half of Lambeau Field is sporting blaze orange for half the season anyway.

And can you imagine how many of those jerseys the Packers could sell? Blaze orange would equal a lot of green in deer hunting crazy Wisconsin.

Poor Cullen Jenkins

Packers defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins might just have the worst injury luck on the team, and that's saying something coming from this Packers bunch.

Jenkins has always shown flashes of being a dominant end in the Packers defense, but injuries seemingly play a factor in limiting him every season.

His 2010 season shouldn't be completely over, but a lingering calf strain will keep Jenkins out at least the next two weeks. That's too bad, because he was arguably having his best season yet—tallying a career high seven sacks despite recently getting a cast off his hand.

Jenkins' injury woes will make this summer an interesting one for the Packers. Will general manager Ted Thompson resign the soon-to-be 30-year-old end?

Thompson has done well to reward Packers who have performed with contract extensions. Has Jenkins earned it? Will his injury concerns scare away the Packers from signing him long term?

In my eyes, Jenkins is an important part of the Packers' 3-4 defense, and has probably earned an extension from Green Bay. But considering the latest injury, if there is a bidding war for Jenkins this summer, I wouldn't at all be surprised to see him go.

Thompson Proved Right?

When Ted Thompson released Al Harris a few weeks ago, there was plenty of fans that thought the move was the wrong one. While I was one who supported the move, I also understood the logic behind disapproving of it.

Why release a proven veteran at a position that probably could use the depth?

The news out of Miami today is probably exactly why Thompson felt okay letting Harris go.

It's a sad thing to hear, but Harris was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a bad hamstring.

We all wanted the best for Al—he was a model Packer—but you had to believe that the comeback trail from a terrible knee injury was going to be tough for the 36-year-old cornerback.

Still, something tells me that this isn't the last we'll hear from Al Harris. However, it's also hard to argue that Thompson made the wrong call on this one. Losing a player from this roster to make room for him would have been a mistake.

JAMES STARKS!

You didn't really think I'd make it through a full notebook without mentioning "The Savior" did you?

While Starks' impressive debut is already well-chronicled, little has been made of McCarthy's statements about the running back position moving forward.

Here is just some of what he's said about it:

"Brandon [Jackson] is still our main guy," "I'd like to get more of a rotation now," and "Dmitri [Nance] just needs a real chance."

Are you kidding me Mike McCarthy? I get that Sunday was Starks' first game of his NFL career, but how can you argue with 73 yards on 18 carries?

Hell, it was the Packers' best debut at running back in over 60 years (Ralph Earhart had 78 yards back in 1948)!

Maybe even more importantly, however, is that the 73 yards Starks gained was the second best performance by a Packers back all season.

I'm not even confident that Starks could get back to that number come this Sunday, but doesn't he give you the best chance at getting there? Doesn't that put Brandon Jackson back into his role of third down back where he excels?

I also get that McCarthy probably doesn't want to show his hand before this Sunday's game—that makes sense. Either way, No. 44 better receive the majority of the carries against the Lions or I'm going to be very disappointed.

Maybe I'm in the minority there, but with all the support Starks has received, I highly doubt that.

Run "the Savior" on Sunday, Mike.