Now That My Blood Pressure Has Come Down, Let's Talk Packers

 The Monday after that season-ending loss to the Detroit Lions was hard on every Green Bay Packer fan in Wisconsin...and beyond.

Rather than jump onto the "let's all rip 'em" bandwagon that quickly filled up on that Monday, I decided to chill a little bit, take some time to think about the season.

• Matt LaFleur's play-call did Green Bay NO favors. Does the pressure in big games get to him? Not sure. I do know I would not run gone for it on fourth-and-short from deep in my own territory so early in the game. And, seriously, if you do then either line up for a quarterback sneak or hand the ball to the guy built for that situation, A.J. Dillon. Running a wide receiver on a reverse? No way.
• Same can be said for getting inside first-and-goal from the 6-yard line and having to settle for a field goal. Line up, pound the ball.
• Stop beating yourselves, Green Bay! Running back Aaron Jones needs to work on ball security; that fumble inside the Detroit 20 cost the Packers points and let the Lions hang around.
• Ditto for the truly STUPID penalties that have dogged this team all season. What was Raul Douglas thinking? (Hint: he wasn't). Quay Walker, a talented rookie, has to grow up. Love his intensity, but there's a time and a place for it.
• It's cold, it's January in Lambeau Field. Is a 53-yard field goal attempt the best option, or should you punt and pin Detroit deep. Mason Crosby's effort just fell short, but you gotta trust the defense in a close game.
• Speaking of Mason, does the team bring back the veteran kicker for his 17th season (he'll turn 39 in September)?  Yes, he's lost a little leg strength. But he was three-of-four in the game, and his Lambeau Field totals, a tough place to kick late in the year, are amazing: 201 of 246 field goals, 81.7%

For his career, Crosby has hit 395 of 485 field goals (81.44%) and another 733 of 753 extra points (97.34%). He scored 112 points this season and is the Packers' career leader with 1,918

• Was this the last game in a Packer uniform for 39-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers? Possibly, but I doubt it. He's a proud guy and ending on that note, wrapping up a mediocre season (by his standards) means he comes back IF he's all-in for the season. That means dedicating some off-season time in Green Bay as well. He's due $49 million in 2023, says he can walk away from that. We'll see. Still think the thumb injury was more of an issue than they ever let on.
• That means breaking up the band, to an extent. There's a boat-load of players who will be unrestricted free agents, led by Aaron's cronies like Randal Cobb, Mercedes Lewis, Crosby and David Bakhtiari as well as Dean Lowery, Allen Lazard, Robert Tonyan and others. There's only so much salary cap room available, and either guys give Green Bay a home-town discount or play for incentive-laden contracts or they walk.
•  Lazard seems to think he's gone -- and while he probably sees himself as a Number One receiver in any offense, he's not. Love him as a blocker, but waaaay too many dropped passes (100 targets this year, 60 catches).
• Defensive coordinator Joe Barry's squad got better as the season went along. Still plays too much soft zone coverage for my tastes, but I think he saved his job (unless they want to go looking for Jimmy Leonard).

One of the best offensive linemen to every wear a Wisconsin Badger uniform, Joe Thomas, is on the NFL's Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. After an amazing career in Cleveland, Thomas is a sure luck as a first-timer. Same will be said five years from now when J.J. Watt is on the ballot.

Chicago Bears have the number one pick in the April NFL draft. And they have a Lake Michigan-sized cushion in cap space. Done right, the Bears will be an up-and-coming team in the very near future, much like the Detroit Lions, a team that plays HARD for Coach Dan Campbell.

At this point, the NFL has not set the salary cap for 2023 -- or at least hasn't made it known to teams and the public.