Green Bay Packers Blow Aaron Rodgers' Comeback Bid

Aaron Rodgers did all he could, but that won't stop the haters out there from laying all the blame for this loss on him.

I apologize for bringing my issues to everyone, but you don't have to listen to these people frothing at the mouth. You don't have to defend a quarterback who is among the top 10 in the game in his first year of starting from vitriolic and irrational personal attacks.

I liken their attitude to this quote from Robert DeNiro as Alphonse Capone in the four-star movie classic, The Untouchables: "I want him dead, I want his family dead, I want his house burned to the ground!"

I am reminded of the deplorable actions of Packer fans who allegedly poisoned Dan Devine's dog in retribution of his failings in following a legend, Vince Lombardi. Unlike the hatred directed at Rodgers—which is unwarranted based on his performance—Devine did not do well as a coach, much less in filling Lombardi's shoes.

But to poison a man's dog? If they did do that, there is a special Hell for them.

I do not expect to see an action like this out of anyone, but within the Packers' on-line community, I have heard people call him a pedophile and make him directly responsible for Brett Favre being traded. There have been questions about his manhood, his leadership, his character...

So you'll have to forgive me and my baggage. There are now two articles I have to write. The first one will detail why Rodgers IS a leader AND the right choice for the Packers under center, the other detailing why Favre has been every bit the quarterback Joe Montana was.

But for now, I will focus on this game. Since the haters want a scapegoat, I will provide one: Rock Gullickson, Strength and Conditioning Coach.

The Packers have had nearly 30 players appear on the injury report since final cuts. Out of a roster of just over 50. If you play for the Packers, you have over a 50 percent chance of being injured. At some point, we must accept that this is not bad luck, but due to something we are or are not doing.

If the offense sputters, you replace the offensive coordinator. If the defense sputters, you replace the defensive coordinator, unless it is because you are missing two starting linemen, your best linebacker, two safeties and a cornerback.

Then you fire the strength and conditioning coach, NOW! After all, how much worse could we do in the last month without one? Two more Packers went down in today's game, and one of them I did not even know, meaning he was so far down on the depth chart but playing because so many of those in front of him are hurt.

Rodgers had a slow start to this game, missing on his first four passes with three of them sailing high. But I remind everyone that this was the modus operandi for Favre in his first few years.

And just like Favre, Rodgers bounced back, completing 29 of his last 41 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns. Granted, he threw a pick that all but ended our chances, but he did it trying to force a play with his back deep in our own end and a four-point deficit late in a game. Again, just like Favre often did, so you are getting what you asked for.

The Packers rushing attack also worked, with Ryan Grant (12 carries, 39 yards) being replaced by Brandon Jackson (11-80) because he was too effective to take out of the game. In all, Green Bay ran 29 times for 145 yards (5.0 average).

But again, the defense let them down. Carolina rushed 27 times for 130 yards (4.8 per carry) but had five touchdowns. Jake Delhomme threw only 17 times, completing 12 for 177 yards, but that included a near-touchdown with the Packers up three points in the final two minutes that all-but ended the Packers chance to come back in the wind and snow.

Nick Collins also played the role of Jarret Bush in last year's NFC Championship Game, slowing to get an angle to pick up a loose ball around the Packers' three-yard line rather than just falling on it. Twice, balls hit defenders in the hands and they failed to come up with the interception; the Packers lost the turnover battle 2:1.

They also lost the special-teams battle. Our kick coverage was awful, with Mason Crosby being forced to be in on two tackles on big returns, the last one setting up Carolina's winning drive. Derrick Frost continues to punt inconsistently, making the release of Jon Ryan all the more infuriating (I originally typed "inferiorating," which is an obvious Freudian slip).

Which leads me back to a scapegoat.

There is no rationale for making that Aaron Rodgers. But often, belligerent fans will more reasonably point to Ted Thompson. Except they do it for the wrong reason: It was not the trading of Brett Favre that ruined our season.

It was the trading away of Corey Williams, who might have provided us needed depth on the defensive line to absorb these injuries. It was the drafting of injury-prone Justin Harrell way too high in the first round. It was the choice to cut an effective Ryan and pick up Frost. It was the failing to bring in any free agents to bolster a team that was a player and a play away from a title run last year.

Those are legitimate reasons to question the reigning NFL Executive of the Year.