The Packer Pundit

Winning Ugly: Packer Pundit
Well a win is a win and we'll take last night's... ummm... effort.

For the second week in a row... the defense has looked masterful and the offense... absolutely horrid. If we try to bring that 'game' into Chicago next week... well... it won't be pretty.

There were plenty of hereos and goats from last night... and even a goat turned hero (Dave Rayner) so rather than focus my ire on the goaties... lets just point out the fantastic effort the ENTIRE defense put forth. Also... Donald Driver got to show a national audience... exactly why he's going to the Pro Bowl!






Packers' defense keeps slim playoff hopes
alive with 9-7 win over Vikings
By Pete Dougherty / greenbaypressgazette.com
There's nothing like playing against a rookie quarterback in his first NFL start to help win a game. The Minnesota Vikings' Tarvaris Jackson made his starting debut against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, and he looked every bit like the rookie he is in the Packers' 9-7 win at Lambeau Field. Though the Packers had staggering problems of their own blowing scoring opportunities, this game was a mismatch at the game's most important position, quarterback. Whereas 37-year-old Brett Favre gave the Packers a fighting chance to score every time they got the ball, dropping back down after down on a cold, wet night at Lambeau Field, second-round draft pick Jackson more often than not looked indecisive and overwhelmed. Nevertheless, because of two missed field goals, two Favre interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown and a key fumble by tight end Bubba Franks, the Packers needed a late rally to pull out this game. Only after second-year pro Dave Rayner knocked through a 44-yard field goal with 1 minute, 34 seconds to play, did the Packers gain their winning margin. "It's the most nervous I've been in my life, I'm not going to lie to you," Rayner said of his game-winning kick. "My legs were shaking a little bit, people were yelling and screaming, the other team was saying stuff that I can't repeat. It was a big kick. Now I've got one (game winner) under my belt." The win pushed the Packers' record to 7-8 and kept alive their relatively slim playoff hopes. There are seven teams in the NFC at .500 or above — Chicago (12-2), New Orleans (9-5), Dallas (9-5), Seattle (8-6), Philadelphia (8-6) the New York Giants (7-7) and Atlanta (7-7) — in a field where six teams qualify for the postseason. There are several scenarios in which the Packers can qualify, but it's almost a given they'll have to win at Chicago on New Year's Eve to have any shot, and even then they could miss out, depending on how other teams do. Minnesota, on the other hand, dropped to 6-9 and though mathematically alive, in all likelihood its playoff hopes ended. "I'm trying to stay away from the 'P' word," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I'll be focused Tuesday on the Chicago Bears. But I'll be aware of what goes on (over the weekend)." -- More



Alive and kicking
Rayner's field goal saves Packers
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Dec. 21, 2006
They pounded and pounded and pounded on the door Thursday night, never once breaking it in. But ultimately that didn't make any difference to the Green Bay Packers after rookie Dave Rayner kicked a 44-yard field goal off the rain-slick turf for a 9-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Rayner's boot, with 1 minute, 34 seconds remaining, kept the Packers' improbable playoff hopes alive despite a 7-8 record. They close the regular season a week from Sunday at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears, who already have clinched home-field advantage throughout the post-season and have nothing to play for other than self-satisfaction in the ancient rivalry. "It's was Dave's first game-winning field goal," coach Mike McCarthy said. "In the first half he had the slip and the one off the uprights. It showed his resiliency." -- More



Win over Vikings tough to watch
By Jason Wilde / wsj.com
Maybe those fans without the NFL Network were the lucky ones. Yes, if you didn't schlep to a local watering hole or mooch off a satellite-dished buddy, you didn't get to see the Green Bay Packers' 9-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings Thursday night, a triumph that kept the Packers' surprising-but- scant playoff hopes alive for at least a few more days. Yes, if quarterback Brett Favre finally does call it a career, you didn't get to watch his final game at Lambeau Field from the comfort of your Barcalounger. Yes, you missed the second dominating performance by the Packers' defense in a five- day span, albeit against another less-than-stellar offense. And yes, you missed the one truly exciting moment of the night: Dave Rayner's icewater- in-his-veins 44-yard winning field goal with 1 minute, 34 seconds left. But truth be told, you really didn't miss much. Not that the Packers were particularly concerned about the aesthetics with the postseason still a possibility. "We're not out yet," Packers wide receiver Donald Driver said. "We're not out yet." No, they're not, but only because Favre rebounded from throwing back-to-back third- quarter interceptions - the first of which was returned 47 yards for the game's only touchdown by Fred Smoot - to do just enough to win, and the Packers' defense flustered Minnesota rookie quarterback Tarvaris Jackson in his first career NFL start. -- More



Defense Gift Wraps Victory
By Nathan Hager / Packers.com
Posted 12/21/2006
Though the final score may have not indicated it, the Green Bay Packers were dominant in Thursday night's victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Well, dominant on the defensive side of the ball, that is. On a night that featured rainy conditions throughout, the Packers had the upper hand in nearly all facets of the game, including time of possession and yards gained. But at the same time, the season's final game at Lambeau Field was exactly what you'd expect between two bitter rivals fighting for their playoff lives: a close, hard-fought, physical contest. Sure, the numbers are misleading when you consider the fact that the Packers had 319 total yards compared to the Vikings' 104. Or that the green and gold had the ball for nearly 35 minutes to the Vikings' 25. If that's not enough, keep in mind that the Packers had 19 first downs and the Vikings could only muster three. Letting the numbers soak in, you get the feeling that the game had every component necessary for a Packers blowout, right? Well, not exactly. In the end, the defense carried the day, and fortunately for the Packers, it lifted them to a narrow 9-7 win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Though it may not have been the prettiest victory of all-time, it was a victory nonetheless, and that's all that mattered in the winning team's locker room after the game. "It was a huge win for us," linebacker Nick Barnett said. "Obviously, we're trying to get to 8-8 and that road went right through Minnesota. We have to continue to keep driving this truck of momentum and go down to Chicago, face a tough team, and get to 8-8. " -- More



Additional Articles --

Dramatic Win Keeps Packers In Playoff Hunt
Team continues to go cold in red zone
Beleaguered Franks gives thanks
Rayner comes through in the cluth
Favre struggles, but gets the win











Additional Game Stats -- Link







Meet Kara
Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader

Education or Profession:
Education: Kara has a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from the University of Minnesota.
Occupation: Works as a business analyst in the retail industry for a Fortune 200 company.