Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy says he will play to win
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, front right, calls a play against the Indianapolis Colts during the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game in Indianapolis, Friday, Aug. 26, 2011. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy can do the Falcons a real solid.
Word out of Green Bay is that Packers head coach will play to win the game against the Detroit Lions. (Guess he doesn’t like them very much or something like that.)
My guys up there are not exactly sure what that means — playing to win. They are not sure if he’ll play his starters just a little bit or let them go the whole way.
My folks could see him playing it like a preseason game and yanking his studs at halftime.
The big question is whether if he’s going to allow wide receiver Greg Jennings, tackle Bryan Bulaga, defensive linemen Ryan Pickett and running back James Starks to play, all of whom are coming off injury.
The speculation is that Jennings, Bulaga and Pickett will play a little and Starks won’t play at all.
Offensive tackle Chad Clifton is going to play for the first time since the Atlanta game, but he likely won’t start.
The word is that McCarthy really wants to win the game and he won’t rest massive amounts of guys. But he’s not going to be stupid either.
The Falcons need to win and have the Packers beat the Lions to move into the fifth seed for the playoffs. They’ll likely get the Giants-Cowboys winner if they can move up. If they stay put at No. 6, then they are back off to New Orleans for a rematch with Drew Brees and the Saints.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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72 comments Add your comment
whodat1
December 28th, 2011
12:55 pm
Willie Coyote, So you think the falcons have better players than the Saints, other than Drew and Jimmy Graham. Hmmmmm, why is it that the Saints had 3 OL along with Drew and Graham on the Pro Bowl roster, while the falcons had only Gonzalas on the roster?
The13ers
December 28th, 2011
1:01 pm
Packer fan here. I’d be shocked if Rodgers was in more than the first quarter or so. I would think the Packers want the backup, Flynn, to get a lot of game experience, in case something should happen to Rodgers.
The injured guys won’t play much, if at all.
I still think it will be a close game either way.
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
1:16 pm
let em play whoever the stars have lined up with them if they are meant to beat the Giants, or Cowboys or Saints then it will happen if not oh well, but neither one of those teams or the Falcons will whip GreenBay Packers in their barn…its just not going to happen as good of a team as they have built.
DecaturJim
December 28th, 2011
1:32 pm
I’m with a number of you guys and the Florio on MSNBC-Sports. He mentioned that it’s in the Packer’s best interest to send the Lions to NOLA so the Saints can beat them and eliminate them from further consideration. If the Saints were to win, I believe that they would then go to SFO to play, while the Pack would go a different route. Only in the NFC Championship game would the Pack meet the Saints. I think!!
whodat70816
December 28th, 2011
2:05 pm
As a Saints fan, I will say this, I am more concerned about playing Atlanta for the 3rd time than I am about our boys going to SF and beating the 49ers.
I still think the Saints would beat Atlanta in the playoffs at the MB Super Dome, but I do not think the score would be as lopsided as it was Monday night.
If I were a Falcon fan, I think I would be hoping for the 5th seed. Simply because Dallas/NYG would be a much easier win. Playing the Saints only 2 weeks after that beat down will have an affect on the player’s phyche….getting a first win would definitely do wonders for the team and give them confidence (not saying they aren’t confident now) moving forward in the playoffs. Football is a mental sport as well.
As a Saint fan, I don’t care who we play first, because I have all the confindence in the world that the Saints are making their 2nd run to the SB…..and if that means beating GB at Lambeau then so be it.
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
2:13 pm
Keep on dreaming whodat…………..it wont happen up there….it might in your barn but in their barn ? You can forget that pipedream !
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
2:18 pm
I think the Falcons have done all they can do this year with what they have and the stupid play calling scenario and they let the Saints run all over them…………….there I said it , I feel 100 percent better already !
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
2:19 pm
That is the Saints running the ball all over them to sum it up !
Mr. Panic Button
December 28th, 2011
2:20 pm
That’s because McCarthy is a coach with a WINNING mentality…not a LOSING one. He just doesn’t say it, but shows it during the games through his game planning.
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
2:22 pm
of course its the Falcons and they did shock us with those two big scoring games a couple weeks back so you never really can say for or against this team I am just going by what I saw out there in the MNF game as to what they are capable of from now down the road and it just dont look good………………..but you can shock me and amaze me !
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
2:26 pm
I meant the Falcons can still shock and amaze us if they can……..lol
whodat70816
December 28th, 2011
2:28 pm
@Michael M….I’ll certainly keep that dream alive….try not to be too stunned should that dream turn into reality. God knows the cheeseheads will need some time to recover.
Willie Coyote
December 28th, 2011
2:30 pm
Whodat1, just an opinion. It was more intended to be a compliment to your coach and QB combo than anything.
I actually gave the O-Line edge to your line. I did say it was a slight edge which may be a little generous to the Birds but O-linemen getting voted to the Pro-Bowl seems to be almost as much about name recognition as it is about performance. Your guys may very well deserve it but I attribute a lot of their success to Peyton putting that offense as a whole in the right position and his play calling and balance is really what makes everyone else better.
I do think there is more talent on the Falcons roster and it is being utilized poorly at the moment.
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
2:32 pm
You are just plain out as nuts as I was thinking we was going to beat your team down there…go over to Nola and brag we tired of it….
CGD..
December 28th, 2011
2:42 pm
Hey JSS, what happened to MISTER CHARLIE? Did he throw in the towel and retire? LMFAO!!!!
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
2:51 pm
You give a Dog a Bone…………they always coming back for another one…………go figure
Joe Tess Fish House
December 28th, 2011
3:03 pm
I thought this was a Flacons blog. Why a story on the Pacers?
Michael M.
December 28th, 2011
3:04 pm
Hey CGD.. I still have the old game from the 98 Team when they beat the Vikings for the NFC Championship Title in their in Storage in the Garage somewhere………….that Team was too cool
later taters
CPat16
December 28th, 2011
4:29 pm
we need new coordinators. Grab Spagnuolog and Haley as DC and OC, respectively.
jalex49
December 28th, 2011
5:39 pm
I say, Atlanta put on your jock straps and go back to New Orleans. To be the best, you’ll have to beat one of the best! If you can’t do that, then you don’t deserve to go anywhere. At least if you go and lose in New Orleans again, the fans will save their money by not paying for more than one game!
Atlanta I have been a fan most of my life, even when the team was 3-10 for the year. But, I don’t know if I have ever seen any one of those teams have as many 3rd down conversion completed on them as this team has had! It’s truly amazing that it not only happens once or twice, it happened in the play-off game in Dallas a few years ago, remember 3 and 16 for Dallas and they converted! It has happened last year and more than I care to count this year!
I have a suggestion and I don’t know a d_ _ n thing about coaching football! Get someone who knows how to coach up a defense and if the players don’t perform, then sit or get rid of them!
And by the way, there is a thing called Free Agency and the last time I looked, everyone can participate!
This building thru the draft is a novel idea but maybe it doesn’t work if you don’t have currently solid players with experience that could allow for time for the rookies develop?
Sorry about sounding so frustrated but that just part of being an ATLANTA FAN!!!
Jamaaliver
December 28th, 2011
5:44 pm
Bring on the Saints.
I like the Falcons chances in a rematch this quickly.
hiramsaint
December 28th, 2011
6:21 pm
y’all don’t want no moe of ‘dat !