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9-9-2023 V003 Game Day Green Bay Packers svs Chicago Bears Week 1 DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN Greg Goshaw ARTICLE

Packers visit Soldier Field to kick off the Jordan Love Era

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The 2023-24 regular season for the Packers is finally here, and they start out by facing a familiar foe, the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in a late-afternoon matchup.

The Packers finished last season 8-9 and were eliminated from playoff contention on the last day of the regular season. The Bears were eliminated long before then as they finished 3-14, dropping their last 10 games to finish with the worst record in the NFL.

The Bears are hoping last season’s disaster is a springboard to better things ahead. Justin Fields has some new faces around him, including receiver DJ Moore. The organization is invested in Fields and believes he has improved his passing skills and awareness down the field. If he is to move to the next level, he must cut down on his sacks and turnovers, two things that have haunted him in the past. There are a lot of reports that the Packers have an awesome defense. If that is the case, they need to show up and dominate this game on Sunday.

Jordan Love is the guy and he gets his second career start on Sunday, but the first as the clear #1 starter. He may have his work cut out for him as both Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are listed as questionable with injuries. Even if they both can play, they will probably lean on their running game with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon creating a nice 1-2 punch, and Emanuel Wilson has shown a few things during the preseason. The team is high on TE Luke Musgrave too. I don’t know if this will be Love’s coming out party. As long as he moves the ball down the field and avoids mistakes, good things will eventually come his way.

The Packers have improved their special teams last year after a dreadful season in that area two years ago. However, they will feature a rookie at both punter and kicker with Daniel Whelan and Anders Carlson, respectively. They still have Keisean Nixon to return punts and kickoffs, and he is a threat to go the distance whenever he gets daylight in front of him.

We have had quite a treat as Packer fans with the long careers of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. I know they only won 2 Super Bowls combined, but they gave us a lot of excitement during game days, and as long as they were under center, it always felt like we had that chance to win, even when the odds seemed to be overwhelmingly stacked against us. Now we have Jordan Love. He has been put in quite a position considering the two franchise quarterbacks that have preceded him, but he seems to be handling things very well from what I’ve been seeing. Time will tell though. He just has to go out there and be the best Jordan Love he can possibly be. I can’t speak for anyone else but I am willing to give him a chance and see what he can do.

The Bears have been pretty miserable lately. They haven’t won much and victories over the Packers have been rare. They think this is the start of a new chapter though. A win vs their bitter rivals would go a long way in proving they are moving in the right direction.

After a lot of hype and a lot of emotions, both good and bad, we will finally get a glimpse of this Packer team in the regular season and hopefully see what their identity will be. More importantly, we hope to see a win and a nice start to this new season. I predict a competitive game but one where the Packers come out ahead in the end.

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

8-10-2023 V003 Green Bay Packers vs Cicinnati Bengaks Game Day DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN ARTICLE

The Pack is Back on the Field.

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Another season of Packer football will soon be around the corner. However, for the first time since 2008, we will enter the season with a new starting quarterback. A new era for the Green Bay Packers is coming. How successful will it be? Only time will tell. Here are some thoughts going into the preseason and into the regular season.

Ready or not, Jordan Love is the guy at quarterback. We saw him make a start and get extended playing time in some other games with mixed results. I realize there are opinions all over the place. If you ask me, I say we should give him a chance. I’m not putting him into the Hall of Fame or anything, but I think he has all of the tools to be a quality signal caller in the NFL.

Will Jordan Love play in the preseason? As you know, his predecessor hasn’t played much at all in the preseason his last several years with the Packers. To be fair, not a lot of starters did play and that might have explained their lackluster performances in Week 1 games the last 2 years. I believe Love should play in the preseason and so should the rest of the starters. Is there a risk of injury? Of course there is, but that is the case whenever you take the field for a single snap. They need to play and find some chemistry in game action. Training camp and weekend practices aren’t the same as seeing the field during an actual game. Love hasn’t been around long enough to sit out the whole game during preseason.

The offense, despite some growing pains most likely, has a lot of potential. Whether we will see a lot of it in Year 1 of Jordan Love as the starter remains to be seen. The defense, however, should be awesome. They might have to carry the team for some of these games this year. The weakest link is probably at safety. Will Rudy Ford and Darnell Savage be the answer? Will someone else emerge? Jonathan Owens is a candidate. Assuming he makes the roster, it would be awesome seeing his wife, Simone Biles, cheering him on during the games.

The Packers have a new kicker. Anders Carlson was drafted in the 6th round in this year’s draft. He has had his share of ups and downs in practices and training camp so far, but it is too soon to give up on him. I am sure they hope to be in some situations where they see what they have in him during the preseason. It was a tough decision to get rid of Mason Crosby, who was there when Brett Favre was still the starting quarterback. I am sure they still have Crosby’s number saved in their phones. Will they give him a call if Carlson is shaky in the preseason? You never know.

This is a time to shine for Head Coach Matt LaFleur. If things fall apart, he will likely get much of the blame. There is a reason why Green Bay chose him as their head coach. This is a huge opportunity for him to show that they made the right decision.

It will be interesting to see who makes the roster and who is released. There are almost always a lot of surprises. Growing pains or not, it is exciting to see the Packers back on the field. Here is hoping for a lot of excitement and a lot of wins!


Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

5-18-2023 V01 Scjedule greg goshaw DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN

The 2023-2024 NFL schedule was officially released. Here is a list of who the Packers will be playing:

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Some things caught my eye. The Packers will be playing the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field to open their season. Quarterback Jordan Love has a challenge right from the start. Love will make his home debut as a starter when they host the New Orleans Saints. They play the Lions twice on a Thursday night, Week 4 and Thanksgiving Day. They get their bye week fairly early (Week 6) in a reversal of last season. They play the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in their “extra” game of the season, 4 games vs the AFC West, 4 games vs the NFC South, their rivals in the NFC North plus a 3rd place schedule.

They play 8 scheduled noon games, 5 games scheduled in prime time, and 1 game on Thanksgiving Day. That is quite different than their schedule in recent years, where noon games were few and far between. Expectations seem to be low for the Pack. Jordan Love finally gets his chance but will need to show he is a capable quarterback in order to get the accolades for both himself and the team. It is a new era in Green Bay. Perhaps there will be some growing pains, but if they play as a team and perform above expectations, they will get more respect.

The bottom line is every team starts the season 0-0. The Packers can’t control the schedule or the weather. They can only control what they do on the field. I look for the players to rise above expectations and prove the team is bigger than just one player. I’m looking forward to the season. I wish it was starting this weekend.

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

04-25-2022 Let The Jordan Love era Begin by Greg Goshaw DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN

Let the Jordan Love Era Begin

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After 18 seasons, including 15 as the starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers will not be wearing a Green Bay Packer uniform. He has been traded to the Jets along with the 15th overall pick and the 170th overall pick. In return, the Packers will get the Jets’ 13th, 42nd, and 207th overall pick. They also get the Jets’ 2nd round pick in 2024, but it could be a 1st round pick if Rodgers plays 65% of their offensive snaps this season. Here is what the whole situation means for the Packers moving forward.

Many of us knew there was something in the air when the Packers traded up in the 1st round in 2020 to select Jordan Love out of Utah State. A year later, reports came out that Rodgers demanded a trade or he would retire. Ultimately, he came back for the 2021 season and won another MVP, just like he did in 2020. The 2022 season saw both Rodgers and the Packers take a step back on the field. He had been linked to the Jets all offseason, and he finally confirmed it on the Pat McAfee Show that his intention was to play for them.

It was rumored that his appearance on the show put a monkey wrench in the talks between the two teams. GM Brian Gutekunst and the rest of the front office were not willing to settle for the lowball offers the Jets were allegedly proposing to them. After weeks of stalled talks and apparently no talks at all, they recently resumed talking to each other, and now we have come to this conclusion.

No matter what you think of Aaron Rodgers personally or even professionally, it’s hard to deny that he was one of the Packers’ all-time great players. Rodgers had added pressure because he was succeeding a Hall of Fame quarterback in Brett Favre. I personally was encouraged when he took over an injured Favre in that Thursday night game at Texas Stadium in 2007 and played very well. If it wasn’t for some defensive breakdowns, he just might have led them to an improbable win over the Cowboys. He had some work to do to win over the fans when Favre retired, but it helped his cause when Favre went over to the rival Vikings. Although Favre and the Vikings came out ahead in the two matchups in 2009, Rodgers and the Packers returned the favor the next year, and they rubbed salt in the Vikings’ wounds by finishing what the Vikings couldn’t do the previous year by winning on the road in the NFC Championship Game, getting to the Super Bowl, and of course winning it.

Rodgers’ legacy will be up for debate. On the one hand, he won a Super Bowl early in his career as a starting quarterback. On the other hand, he has been on the receiving end of some very heartbreaking playoff losses and a number of home losses too. Obviously, it takes the whole team to win or lose, but Rodgers gets a lot of the blame because he is the starting quarterback. He made a career of dominating the Chicago Bears, even more than his predecessor did. He provided countless highlights, winning games that not many expected him to win, and threw a lot of memorable touchdowns, including some of the Hail Mary variety.

Still, it seemed like we could have had a whole lot more. We did get a Super Bowl out of his career, which is more than a whole lot of other teams can say, but when you play for Titletown, our expectations are very high. We can’t place all of the blame on Rodgers though. For much of his career, he had a subpar defense. Some of the blame could also be placed on the front office. Perhaps if they got this or that star player, those close games they lost in the playoffs could have been wins.

A lot of fans have also been turned off by Rodgers and his drama. Maybe he likes to play mind games with the media, but many fans don’t share that joy. They want answers and direct ones at that. They don’t like to be jerked around. Even if their record in the standings takes a hit these next few years, I’m sure many fans will be relieved to at least return to a sense of normalcy.

And now that takes us to Jordan Love. What should we expect from him? It has to be a big weight on his shoulders to follow not one, but two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. If you ask players such as Aaron Jones, he will do just fine. In fact, he is spending some of his time getting acquainted with Jones and some of the younger receivers. That has to be a good thing. Head Coach Matt LaFleur finally has a real chance to implement his style of offense and run the team the way he wants to run it. The players and the front office have voiced their approval of Love, so let’s see what he can do. He doesn’t have to be Favre or Rodgers. He just has to be himself, and he also has no crippling salary that will hinder the team from going after some big-name free agents. Call me crazy, but I am looking forward to seeing what Love and the rest of the team can do this year.

It’s officially the end of an era. We knew this day would come eventually. It just happened to come this year. You never know. We just might make a run and be back on top sooner than you think. A lot of fans around the league (and Packer fans included) thought we would be entering a dark age when Favre left. It didn’t happen. If the players have any say, it won’t happen this time either. They will certainly be motivated to play well and show the whole league that this team is more than just Rodgers. No matter how they finish in the standings, I think they will surprise us and be more competitive than we think. Let’s turn the page and get ready for the Jordan Love Era!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

2-13-2023 V01 State of the packers greg goshaw DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN

 State of the Packers Address

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Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on winning this year’s Super Bowl. They lost Tyreek Hill, a huge offensive weapon, but they added some nice pieces around MVP Patrick Mahomes to give him options as well as Travis Kelce, who isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. A high-powered offense and a defense that is good enough to get stops every once in a while and the occasional turnover propelled the Chiefs to victory.

As for the Packers, after 3 straight wins of 13 wins in the regular season, the Packers stumbled to an 8-9 season. A 3-1 start was followed by 5 straight losses and 7 of 8 overall before winning 4 straight games late in the season. However, in a game they had to win to make the playoffs, they stumbled at home to the Detroit Lions, ending their season. Here is a recap of some of the highs and lows of their season.

Win of the Year:

There are some good ones to choose from, but I went with their 41-17 win over the Vikings in Week 17. The Packers jumped out to a 41-3 lead against the team who won the division. The Vikings were getting some very close wins all season long, and they were very fortunate to get some of those wins too. The Packers came out swinging in this game and showed some swagger in the process. Jaire Alexander and the defense did a great job on Justin Jefferson with Alexander doing the Griddy, Jefferson’s signature celebration dance, early in the game. It was a beautiful sight to see, especially with a lot of trash the Vikings’ fans were talking all year long. Naturally, the Vikings would go on to lose to the Giants in their opening playoff game.

Honorable Mention:

I could have easily mentioned this as the top win, their 31-28 overtime victory over the Cowboys in Week 10. Mike McCarthy made his return to Lambeau Field, and the Packers were reeling with a 5-game losing streak. The Packers held their own for a half, but the Cowboys would score 14 points in the 3rd quarter and entered the 4th with a 14-point lead in a situation where they never lost such a game in their franchise history. It was a breakout game for Christian Watson, who caught 3 TD passes, including 2 in the 4th quarter to tie the game. After the Cowboys failed on 4th down in overtime, the Packers drove down for the winning field goal. It was a gratifying win in what was a rough season at this point.

Most Disappointing Loss of the Year:

They all are disappointing, but it is hard to argue with their last game of the season. The Packers were 8-8 after 4 straight wins where they fought and beat the odds after being written off. A win would complete a great comeback story, but they fell to the Detroit Lions 20-16 at home to end their season with a whimper. Matt LaFleur was badly outcoached in this game in which the Lions had no chance of making the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers threw an interception to end their chances. Will it be his final pass in a Packer uniform like Brett Favre? Only time will tell.

(Dis)Honorable Mention:

It’s the game that started their 5-game losing streak. The Packers finally had their game in London after all of these years. Facing the Giants, they got off to a 20-10 halftime lead. They wouldn’t score again the rest of the game until the Giants intentionally took a safety with 11 seconds left. Rodgers had a final chance at a Hail Mary, but he injured his thumb, which affected his throwing for much of the season after that.

So to recap the season, Christian Watson had a rough start to the season, but he emerged quite nicely with a number of huge catches. Romeo Doubs had some bright spots but got injured for much of the season. Allen Lazard is probably going elsewhere next season. The Packers will need to add a receiver or two. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon will likely be back to create a great combination at running back. Jones needs to hold onto the football and not fumble in big games. I like him a lot, but that’s the reality.

We are waiting on a decision by Aaron Rodgers. I believe he has at least a few great years left in him. Whether or not it is in a Packer uniform is up in the air right now. If he does get traded, it will be tough to deal with, but hopefully we will get a lot of great draft picks in return. If Rodgers does return, Jordan Love will likely be traded.

If it is Rodgers returning, the front office needs to be aggressive and add another receiver or two in either a trade or picking them off waivers. We need as many playmakers as we can get. Both of these teams who just played in the Super Bowl have front offices who make bold moves to acquire talent. The Packers need to take notes. In fact, they can look a hundred or so miles south. The Milwaukee Bucks make some bold moves to find players to build around their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. They won the championship a few seasons ago and are one of the favorites to do so again this year. Nowadays, you cannot just sit on your hands and hope for the best. You constantly have to go out there and look for ways to improve your team, period.

I like Matt LaFleur a lot, but is he the right head coach for the team? Next year might tell us a lot. If Rodgers leaves and Love is the starter, it might buy him another year, unless they really go into the tank and have a nightmare of a season. If Rodgers returns, another season of missing the playoffs might seal his fate. Those 13-win seasons in his first 3 seasons bought him some extra time, but now he really needs to step up his game and convince us that he is the right head coach for the team moving forward.

It has now been 12 years since the Packers got a new Vince Lombardi Trophy. We desperately want another one and very soon. In order to do that, the front office needs to adapt to the times and do whatever it takes to bring another trophy to Titletown. They have shown that they can get creative with creating salary cap room. They need to do that and then use that extra money to sign a significant free agent or two. The Packers are not too far away, assuming Rodgers comes back. They just need to make it happen and give us fans some kind of hope that we can compete next season for a championship.

I do know in this age of parity and free agency, it doesn’t take a whole lot for a team to move from a mediocre record to contending for a Super Bowl. If the Packers make the right moves here and there, they can be right in the conversation next season, especially if Rodgers decides to come back for another season. Let us hope for the best and remain optimistic. Take care Packer fans!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackerFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

1-9-2022-23 WEEK 18 V01 POST GAME LIONS VS PACKERS GREG GOSHAW POST GAME DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN

Green Bay packs it in as they fall to Detroit to end their season

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The Packers finished 8-9 and out of the playoff picture as they fell 20-16 at home to the Detroit Lions.

It was a battle of field goals in the first half and the Packers held a slim 9-6 lead going into halftime. The Lions scored the game’s first touchdown in the third quarter. The Packers matched it, but Detroit scored another touchdown in the fourth. The Packers were unable to respond as Aaron Rodgers threw an interception late in the game and they never got the ball back.

Thoughts about this game:

The Packers looked to be in decent shape toward the end of the first half, but Aaron Jones fumbled and the Lions recovered it before it went out of bounds. They got a field goal themselves, helped by a 15-yard penalty by Rasul Douglas, who ran into the middle of the scrimmage and touched the football after the Lions took a timeout.

Speaking of penalties, what was Quay Walker thinking when he pushed a member of the Lions’ medical staff? It’s the second time he has been ejected this season, both times on Sunday night on National TV. It’s not a good look for him and not a good way to end your rookie season, or any season. Remember, the Packers passed on a receiver to pick him in the first round.

The Packers didn’t do themselves any favors settling for field goals in the first half. Sooner or later, that comes back to bite you and it did in this game.

The Lions were playing to win. Dan Campbell made a lot of gutsy calls, most of which worked in his team’s favor. Seattle won their game to knock the Lions out of playoff contention, but Detroit was playing to win regardless of the situation.

A lot of players on Green Bay might have played their final game wearing the Green & Gold. We will see what happens with Aaron Rodgers. It might be the last game for some members of the coaching staff as well.

Bottom line: The Packers did not deserve to make the playoffs. All they had to do was win this game and they fell short. They will be picking 15th overall in the upcoming NFL Draft.

So congrats to Seattle on making the playoffs. It would have been interesting had the Packers traveled on the road to face the 49ers and their rookie QB Brock Purdy, who has made quite a name for himself. They couldn’t finish the job in this game to make it there, so that doesn’t matter now.

We will see what moves the Packers make, both in the coming days and weeks, and also in the months ahead, especially when it comes to free agency and the NFL Draft. Take care Packer fans!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackerFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

1-8-2023 V01 Lions vs Packers DETvsGB Greg Goshaw Article PreGame Week18

The playoffs are on the line as the Packers host the Lions

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The Packers will look to clinch a spot in the playoffs as they play host to the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football.

Prayers and well-wishes continue to go out to Buffalo Bills’ player Damar Hamlin, who is showing a lot of improvement but remains in critical condition. It was a very scary incident and it goes to show that there are things that are much bigger than a football game.

Both the Packers and Lions are 8-8 after big home wins last Sunday vs divisional opponents. The Packers blew out the Vikings 41-17 while the Lions won big over the Bears 41-10.

The Lions are capable of scoring a lot of points. Jared Goff has shown that he still has a lot of game left in him. Former Packer Jamaal Williams needs 6 rushing yards to hit 1,000 for the season. Amon-Ra St. Brown is their top receiver, and the Packers will need to contain him. The Packers have been playing well on defense the last 6 quarters. They need to keep it up. Let’s get some turnovers and turn them into touchdowns.

Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the offense has come alive a bit from their struggles at midseason. They need to get that running game going. The offense is a whole lot more efficient when that happens. They need to score touchdowns and avoid turning the ball over. Take advantage of every opportunity you can get.

Keisean Nixon has given the special teams a whole new look. He is capable of giving the Packers great field position. In a game of that magnitude, field position is huge. Mason Crosby has still got it. If it comes down to a field goal, they are in a good position to get points.

For the Packers, they just have to win and they are in the playoffs. For Detroit, it depends on what happens with Seattle, who plays host to the Los Angeles Rams. A Seattle win would eliminate Detroit. Regardless of any outcome, I know the Lions are playing to win this game. At the very least, a win would give them a winning record and deny the Packers a spot in the playoffs.

It really is incredible that the Packers are even in this position. Who would have thought that a month ago? It just shows that you never give up on the season until they are officially out of it. They have everything in front of them. They now have to go out on the field and win this game.

I know the anticipation will be tough with having to wait until Sunday night for this game. Have fun and stay warm if you are going to the game. Wherever you are, be loud and be ready to cheer the team to victory this weekend. We got this!

Get Loud Lambeau!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackerFan #DHPF #GetLoudLambeau #GregGoshaw @gg901

1-2-2023 V02 WEEK 17 vikingsVSGB GREG GOSHAW ARTICLE DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN

Packers get gritty (and Griddy) win over the Minnesota Vikings

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The Packers improved to 8-8 after their dominant 41-17 pounding of the Minnesota Vikings.

After forcing the Vikings to punt on their opening possession, the Packers went nowhere and had to punt themselves but had it blocked and set up Minnesota in prime position to score a touchdown to open up the scoring. The defense held and forced the Vikings to kick a field goal. Their lead lasted only 13 seconds as Keisean Nixon took the kickoff back 105 yards for the touchdown. They added another touchdown return on a pick-6 by Darnell Savage before the quarter ended. Then the offense came to life. They led 41-3 before the Vikings scored some touchdowns late for score cosmetics.

Thoughts about this awesome win:

When Pat O’Donnell got his punt blocked to give the Vikings the ball at the Packers 1-yard line, I know what many of you were thinking. Were the special teams going to be our undoing again? I can’t blame you, especially with last year’s playoff game vs the 49ers still fresh in our minds.

I thought the goal-line stand was huge. The defense showed they weren’t going to be pushed around. The Vikings got their field goal, but then they gave the lead away on Nixon’s kickoff return for a touchdown. It was the first one for the Packers since Randall Cobb ran one back vs the Saints in his first game as an NFL player back in 2011. If you remember, it was the Packers’ first game since winning Super Bowl XLV. Have the Packers found their Devin Hester? At the very least, they may have found their Desmond Howard or perhaps their own Dante Hall. Remember him with the Chiefs back in the 2000’s?

Kirk Cousins was under a lot of pressure in this game. He hung in there in the second half, but in the first half, he couldn’t do much right. His pass on 4th down was deflected and intercepted by Darnell Savage, who took it the distance for his first career touchdown. Both Savage and Nixon had their first career touchdowns in this game.

The Packers had that punt blocked, but overall, they were the better team on special teams in this game. Minnesota’s kicker, Greg Joseph, missed two field goals, the second one late in the first half. Aaron Rodgers completed a few passes and then turned things over to Mason Crosby to try a 56-yard field goal before the half. His kick bounced off the crossbar and went through and even reached the net. It was the first time I can recall that he got the benefit of one of those bounces. He’s still got it. He lived up to his name as Mason Crossbar, a name that Skip Bayless gave him after he kicked those two “lucky” (in Skip’s opinion) field goals late in the game on the road vs the Cowboys to knock them out of the playoffs.

The defense gave up some yards, but they were aggressive for much of the game. They were physical and took it to the Vikings. That is how you beat that team. They forced 4 turnovers, 3 on interceptions and a fumble, and they scored touchdowns on all 4 takeaways, 1 directly on the pick-6 by Savage. That is what wins football games. They had a little bit of everything. Rodgers even ran it in himself late in the fourth quarter.

Jaire Alexander had some help, but he backed up his words when he said that Justin Jefferson’s huge game in Week 1 vs the Packers was a fluke. He helped frustrate Jefferson for much of the game and even did the Griddy, Jefferson’s patented celebration move. Say what you want about all of the antics, but if you talk the talk, you’d better walk the walk, and Jaire sure walked the walk or at least danced it.

I probably shouldn’t even mention this guy, but what’s up with Za’Darius Smith? The Packers took a chance on him in 2019 and made him a starter. He energized the defense and the fans embraced him. He got hurt his final year in Green Bay and the Packers weren’t going to bring him back for that much money. He goes to the Vikings and has a fine year, but he had almost no impact on this game. He refused to shake hands with any of the Packers before the game and he quickly ran off the field after the game while other players were embracing and chatting on the field. If you burn bridges like that, you’d better make it worth your while. It’s doubtful the Packers will invite him back for a roster spot, and it may be a long time, if ever before he will end up in the Packer Hall of Fame.

This is certainly a gratifying win for us Packer fans. It keeps us alive for a playoff spot, especially since the Browns won at Washington. Now the Packers only have to win next week vs the Detroit Lions and they are in the playoffs. There is another reason why this win is so sweet. Could you imagine the trash talking from the Vikings’ fans had their team won and knocked the Packers out of playoff contention? There is still a possibility these two teams could meet in the opening round of the playoffs, but with the Vikings in the #3 spot at the moment and the #2 49ers needing to lose next week and the Vikings needing to win, it isn’t very likely right now.

The Packers have come a long way from their struggles in the middle of the season, especially during their 5-game losing streak. A few weeks ago, probably not many people would have thought it was possible the Packers would defeat the Vikings, let alone blow them out, even with Minnesota’s propensity to give teams huge leads and play sloppy football for long stretches during games, whether they came back to win or not.

The Packers have come this far, but they still have one more game left to play before they are officially in the playoffs. They have to play the Lions, which will be in Lambeau Field, but Detroit is capable of putting up a lot of points on the board. The Packers will need to be ready for this game. For now though, let’s be happy and celebrate this win for a few days. Happy New Year Packer fans! The year 2023 is off to a great start already!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackerFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

1-1-2023 V01 vIKINGS VS PACKERS DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN GREG GOSHAW PREGSME ARTICLE

Packers continue their playoff push as they host the rival Vikings

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The Packers return home as they get ready to host the Minnesota Vikings in the Sunday late afternoon game on CBS.

The Packers are 7-8 after they rallied to defeat the Miami Dolphins on the road on Christmas Day. The Vikings are 12-3 after winning 27-24 vs the New York Giants on Saturday.

Kirk Cousins has hit some bumps in the road, but he is statistically having a fine season. Dalvin Cook had some big games vs the Packers in the past, and containing him will be a challenge. Justin Jefferson is having a monster year and very well could reach 2,000 receiving yards before the regular season is over. It will be quite a task to slow this offense down.

Aaron Rodgers has dealt with more injuries this past week, but he will play. Like Cook has done vs the Packers, Aaron Jones had some big games vs the Vikings before. It is unclear whether Christian Watson will play. Whoever they have out there will need to make plays. Against Miami, the Packers were unable to finish enough drives with touchdowns, either settling for field goals or failing on 4th down or turning it over. They cannot expect to do the same thing and win on Sunday.

The Vikings won 23-7 vs the Packers in Week 1, and that 16-point margin of victory is still the largest win for Minnesota all year. None of their other victories were by more than 8 points. All 3 of their losses were by 2 scores or more, including that 40-3 blowout at home vs the Cowboys. They are currently only a +5 in points scored vs points allowed despite a 12-3 record.

I have heard from many fans that the Vikings have been very lucky this year, and I don’t necessarily disagree with that. They held on by the skin of their teeth in some games, for example, at home vs the Jets. They had some improbable misfortune happen to the other team like the Bills fumbling the ball in their own endzone. They needed the largest comeback in NFL history to defeat the lowly Colts at home. This does not look like a championship team.

Despite all of their luck or whatever you want to call it, none of it really matters when the teams line up on Sunday. The Packers have won 3 in a row, but they haven’t exactly set the world on fire. They are a slight favorite on Sunday, and a part of me wishes they were underdogs instead to give them that much more motivation to win the game. In the end, beating the Vikings should be motivation enough. This is the team that took the division crown away after the Packers won it the previous 3 years. Besides, the Vikings would very much enjoy winning this game and ending the Packers’ playoff hopes once and for all.

The Packers have a small chance to make the playoffs but it’s still a chance. If they win these last two games and the Washington Commanders lose at home to either the Cleveland Browns or the Dallas Cowboys, the Packers are in.

All the team needs to worry about this weekend is winning this game vs the Vikings. They ended the year 2022 with 3 straight wins. Let’s get a win to start 2023. Happy New Year Packer fans! Let’s ring in the new year with a win over our bitter rivals on New Year’s Day!

Get Loud Lambeau!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackerFan #DHPF #GetLoudLambeau #GregGoshaw @gg901

12-26-2022 V01 WEEK 16 GB VS MIA GREG GOSHAW ARTICLE DHPF DIE HARD PACKER FAN

Packers gift their fans a victory over Miami on Christmas Day

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The Packers have now won 3 in a row and are 7-8 after their 26-20 road victory over the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day.

The Dolphins got the ball and drove down the field but had to settle for a field goal. Keisean Nixon took the kickoff 93 yards, but the offense stalled, leading to a field goal. The teams traded touchdowns and the game was tied 10-10. Miami scored the next 10 points, but the Packers got a field goal before halftime and trailed 20-13. The Packers scored a touchdown on their first possession of the second half and tied the score at 20-20. Tua Tagovailoa threw 3 interceptions on 3 straight possessions in the fourth quarter, and the Packers got field goals on the first 2. On the third interception, Aaron Rodgers knelt down to end the game.

Thoughts about this exciting win:

Nixon continues to amaze on special teams. He deserved a better fate than just a field goal on his 93-yard kickoff return. Unfortunately, he had to leave the game later with an injury. Christian Watson also got injured in the game.

That fake punt in the second quarter was a disaster. It had little chance of working with the way Miami was lined up. Dallin Leavitt was stuffed for no gain at the Packers’ own 20 and Miami had all of the momentum. Thankfully, the Packers were able to hold them to only a field goal.

It wasn’t looking good late in the first half. The Dolphins were up 20-10 with the ball and looking for more, but Jarren Reed was able to force a fumble on Raheem Mostert and recover the ball, giving the Packers a scoring opportunity before halftime and getting the ball to start the second half. That was especially sweet because Mostert was a thorn in the Packers’ side going back to his days with the 49ers. The Packers got a field goal by Mason Crosby before the half ended.

Marcedes Lewis continues to make plays on the field. He caught a wide-open touchdown pass on fourth down and also had a great 31-yard reception in the second half. Replays showed he probably didn’t complete the process of a catch, but the Dolphins failed to challenge and the play stood.

Rodgers continues to have tough luck with interceptions. It’s possible the defender interfered with Allen Lazard on this interception, but the play stood. Thankfully, Tua threw an interception on the very next play to Jaire Alexander. The Packers got a field goal to go ahead 23-20.

On the next drive for Miami, Tua threw another interception, this time to De’Vondre Campbell. I was hoping they would score a touchdown or run out the clock, but they did neither. A.J. Dillon was close to getting a first down if not a touchdown late in this drive, but he was tripped up and they had to settle for a field goal and a 26-20 lead with just over 2 minutes remaining.

On Miami’s possession, Tua threw a third interception, this time to Rasul Douglas. If you remember, Douglas made the game-saving interception on Christmas Day last year vs the Cleveland Browns. He was quite a pickup last year.

With this win, Matt LaFleur still has not lost a December game as the Packers’ head coach. That streak will carry on for another season.

As I mentioned in my preview article, the Dolphins have won the first 8 meetings between the 2 teams. The Packers didn’t record their first win over Miami until 1997. The Packers, however, have won the last 3 meetings and 6 of the last 8.

The important thing is the Packers got the victory and the teams they needed to lose this weekend all lost. I would certainly call that a Merry Christmas. They are not out of the woods yet. They now have their next two games at home vs divisional opponents. They host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday in the late afternoon game. The Vikings would certainly like to win that game and knock the Packers out of playoff contention. Let’s not give them that pleasure.

I hope you all got some nice gifts and more importantly, spent some nice quality time with your loved ones. Have a great week Packer fans! We are not done yet!

Go Pack Go!

@DieHardPackerFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901

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