National Football League

Packers D has to iron out problems

Published Dec. 22, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

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Czar: What are your thoughts on the Giants-Jets and Eagles-Cowboys games this weekend?

Curt Menefee: The way I look at the playoffs is if the Jets beat the Giants on Saturday, the Eagles are going to win the NFC East. A Giants’ loss will really motivate the Eagles for the Dallas game. If the Eagles beat the Cowboys, then they have Washington for the final game. They should be able to beat the Redskins.

Jimmy Johnson: I don’t know about all that. You all know how my picks are going this season, but both the Jets and Cowboys are favored this weekend. If it goes that route, I think the Cowboys are going to win this thing.

CM: I think Dallas is going to lose their last two games.

JJ: But the way they looked against Tampa, and yes I know it was Tampa Bay, but they looked really good. I think we may have put too much on the Giants beating the Cowboys. The Giants have lost five out of six and have had only one game that has been really impressive. And other than that loss, the Cowboys have played pretty darn good down the stretch.

Terry Bradshaw: There’s no reason to really trust the Cowboys. All I know is no matter what happens, Jerry Jones is bringing Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan back.

JJ: The other thing to consider is that Andy Reid figured out Ryan’s defense last time and we’ve all discovered Rob’s defense isn’t quite the same as his brother Rex’s. But they do have similar characteristics and Reid just proved last weekend that he knows how to attack any Ryan defense. The Eagles put 34 points on them. You know Dallas loves to throw the ball and we all know the Eagles know how to rush the passer.

CM: That’s why I’m saying if the Jets win, that will really help the Eagles.

JJ: You’re right about that.

Czar: The Packers finally lost. Do you think there is a chink in their armor now?

JJ: There isn’t anything really different with the Packers. It’s been this way all season long. The offense has been able to bail out that defense. Yes, they have offensive line problems, but really they just weren’t that sharp on offense in Kansas City as they've been all season long.

TB: With that offensive line all banged up, Aaron Rodgers was in a lot of trouble and had to get rid of the ball quicker. And don’t underestimate the loss of Greg Jennings, either. He is Rodgers’ go-to receiver and a really great player. I like a lot of their receivers, but Jennings is one of the best in the league.

JJ: Yes, the line is a problem, but Kansas City still had 400 yards on that defense. And that’s something that defense has been doing every single game, giving up a lot of yards. And I don’t think Kansas City is that good on offense, either. I mean, that was Kyle Orton’s first game. The thing is that Green Bay’s defense hasn’t been world beaters all season long. They need takeaways to keep teams out of the end zone. But I am still confident about them going forward in the playoffs. I believe Green Bay will shore up the offensive line. They are still really, really good and especially playing at home.

TB: They better fix his protection problems. I think San Francisco has a very good defense and the Saints are playing better, too, on defense.

JJ: The Saints could end up being the front-runner because I have more confidence in the Saints’ defense than Green Bay’s defense.

CM: But don’t the Saints have the same issues on defense? If they don’t get turnovers, they aren’t worth much, either?

JJ: I think the New Orleans’ defense is a hit or miss, but Green Bay’s is a miss. They have been horrible all year long. The only time they slow anybody down is when they get takeaways.

JJ: The 49ers did play great on Monday night, but on the road the week before in Arizona, they didn’t play so great. But again Pittsburgh had a lot to do with that win. With Ben Roethlisberger turning the ball over the way he did, they are going to lose.

Czar: Do you think the Steelers have a chance of being the top seed in the AFC?

JJ: The Steelers sound like they are going to sit Ben Roethlisberger for this weekend’s game against the Rams. They still have a chance to win the AFC North. Baltimore doesn’t have this thing locked out, by no means.

CM: What do you think about the debate on whether Mike Tomlin should have played Roethlisberger or not in San Francisco? Do you give him more leeway because you have won a Super Bowl with the guy?

JJ: As a coach, you pretty well have to listen to what Ben says when he’s got that kind of background. The player pretty well makes the call on that. And you don’t want him upset with you by telling him he has to sit. If he didn’t have those credentials, a coach may have told him to sit so they could have played the backup. They are still fighting for the No. 1 seed and I think that’s why they really had him out there. That first interception against the 49ers, a play that was so critical, was because he really wasn’t able to push off with that foot.

TB: Jimmy’s right. The receiver looked like he was wide open. And Ben wasn’t able to set himself up in the pocket.

JJ: It’s all about timing. Ben was just slow setting up and he wasn’t able to really push off, so the ball got there late and the defender was able to break in front of the pass. Had he been quicker, his receiver was open for a touchdown. The timing can be so critical in the passing game and when he’s slow setting up and delivering the ball, it messes up everything.

Howie Long: I think you have to play him if he says he can go. I think they should even consider playing him this week against the Rams. The Steelers have so much at stake like the home-field advantage and a high seed. And their final game of the year is against Cleveland. Yes, they struggled with the Browns the last time they played, but I don’t think Cleveland is the same team they were a few weeks ago because of the injuries they have had.

JJ: I’m sure when Baltimore lost to the Chargers, they thought San Francisco was the key game and if they could win that, they could win the division. That’s why they went with Ben.

HL: I think that’s the only way to look at it. There are a lot of guys throughout the league playing hurt and many of them are not on playoff teams. There are a lot of reasons you play hurt. You do it for the respect of your teammates, to be able to live with yourself, to justify the money you are getting, there are a lot of reasons. So there were a lot of reasons why Ben felt he should be out there playing.

Czar: What about the war of words leading up to the Jets-Giants’ game?

JJ: Well, I heard that Rex Ryan isn’t afraid of Tom Coughlin.

TB: I heard that. I’d like to put them in a ring and let them go at each other. What I don’t understand is when are these Ryans going to learn when to shut up?

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