National Football League

Is a spotless season ahead for 12-0 Packers?

Published Dec. 5, 2011 4:36 a.m. ET

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Mentioning 16-0 isn't exactly taboo around the Green Bay Packers.

It isn't quite their favorite topic, either.

After a thrilling 38-35 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday night secured on a last-second field goal by Mason Crosby, the reality is the Packers might have cleared their biggest hurdle to the second 16-0 regular season in NFL history.

Asking them about it after they clinched a playoff berth, they simply smiled and said the record is 12-0, not 15-0, and there are three more victims, uh, opponents ahead.

''It's the first step,'' said Aaron Rodgers, who showed his likely-MVP form by throwing four TD passes and guiding a 68-yard drive with 58 seconds remaining that set up the 31-yard kick by Crosby. ''We don't talk about 16-0. It's a playoff spot, division, a first-round bye. If we're fortunate enough to be unbeaten, then we'll talk about 16-0.''

To get to 15 wins, they must beat Oakland at home, win at Kansas City, then take down the archrival Bears on Christmas night at Lambeau Field. The Raiders were routed at Miami on Sunday and are extremely inconsistent. The Chiefs and Bears are playing third-string quarterbacks, and when they faced off Sunday, neither appeared ready to test the Packers.

Taking care of those three would leave the Pack needing only a victory over the Lions at Lambeau on New Year's Day to match the 2007 Patriots for most wins in a regular season. It's no leap to project a Packers win in that one.

All of which is premature thinking, no matter whom you ask on the Green Bay roster.

''I don't think the guys put too much into what is being said about that,'' receiver Greg Jennings said. ''We understand it's not easy and we don't care right now about 16-0. If at some time it gets to that, hopefully we'll have some rings to show for it later on.''

The Packers should be encouraged by Sunday's outcome against a stoked opponent that created problems for them all night. New York sacked Rodgers three times and applied pass pressure throughout. Giants receivers found plenty of room to operate against a struggling secondary that might have lost its star cornerback, Charles Woodson, for a while with a concussion.

A half dozen drops plagued the Packers' offense, too.

Yet they won. Just like the Patriots four years ago, things got tougher down the stretch and the team responded.

''This wasn't our best performance,'' coach Mike McCarthy said. ''A lot of points on the board. We had adversity football. And our offense stepped up and nailed it shut when we needed it.

''We were happy to get out of here with a win.''

Asked about getting four more wins, McCarthy didn't duck as if a Rodgers spiral was headed for his temple.

''I clearly understand the 16-0 gig, and the importance of it,'' McCarthy said. ''But 38-35, that's why you stay focused on what's at hand, because every week it's going to be a challenge.

''We're 12-0, but we need to get to 13-0. We have other goals in front of us before we can even entertain that. So, I hope we're in position to talk about that, but right now we really aren't. Not to be cliched, but you play in this league, you better line up and get ready and have a good week of preparation to make sure you are on point.''

Measuring these Packers against the 2007 Patriots isn't a bad thing, at least until Green Bay gets into the postseason. The Packers certainly don't want the same ending New England experienced.

Coincidentally, the '07 Giants lost their finale to the Patriots at the Meadowlands 38-35, then stunned them in the Super Bowl. That's not an omen the Packers wanted to hear.

Compared to that, discussing 16-0 is a pleasant chore.

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