Good insights Maggie. The WR and TE command much of the article because they are not playing at a high enough level. I will give Marcedes Lewis a pass here because he has made a huge difference on the line. The catching TE is really not a factor for this team. To your point, if they could tilt the field in the catch and run game - well, that would be a huge impact. Still, I am not convinced this is a talent issue. We still don't seem to scheme them open effectively.

And, you are right in devoting a good chunk of the article to our QB. He needs to put together complete games - pure and simple. If Rodgers plays up to a higher standard we will go far in the playoffs. If he drives this sputter offense against the good teams it will be a short run. Monday night is the first test.

Kenny Clark is a key component. If he disrupts the middle and keeps getting sacks and/or pressures like the last three games our D will be tough to score on. I like how Pettine is getting creative by moving him from the nose at times. One play in particular against the bears is Z was over the nose and Clark was over the tackle and he proceeded to get a sack. They did a similar play later where Clark pressured the quarterback that resulting in an incompletion.

Great stuff, Maggie.

I agree with all of your choices. I'd also add the DL outside of Clark. They HAVE to keep Martinez clean and Savage has to stop being overagressive and blowing holes in the midfield coverage between them.

Of course, the biggest one (as you wrote) is ARod. He has not played like an MVP since 2016. I see no signs that he'll start doing so, but if he does, this is a super bowl team. If not, next year.

Even though Sternberger was on IR the first several weeks of the season I can't help but think the kid would be helpful in the passing game. Throw the ball down the seam to him which is something he did hundreds of times in college and see what happens.

Speaking of throwing the ball down the middle of the field, this is something Rodgers MUST start doing with more regularity. By Rodgers being so risk averse, refusing for the most part to use the middle of the field, he's just making the Packers offense that much easier to defend. Adams IIRC caught a quick pass in the middle and quickly turned up field last week for a nice gain...MORE OF THIS PLEASE!

More Rashan Gary... I was paying more attention to Gary last week, especially when I re-watched parts of the game. The thing that caught my eye was he gives 100% all the time AND he's getting more pressure. Let him loose these last few weeks and get the Smiths some rest here and there.

There are so many players that could make a huge impact for the Playoff run. These are some of the guys that I think really could make an impact once the playoffs start.

Allen Lazard & Jake Kumerow-
Lazard has already had his snap count increase. And it sounds like Kumerow will have his increased moving forward. They need to get more targets their way. Both players have made impactful plays when given the opportunity!
But the truth is, what we really need from them in consistency. Especially catching the ball. That is the part that has plagued the offense is the WR's inability to catch the ball consistently enough. Allison and MVS have had some bad drops/non catches the last few games. MVS had 2 potential TD's that he didn't bring in. Allison has dropped numerous amounts of catches.
We just need that consistency.

Tyler Ervin -
Could Ervin be this years version of Howard Green/Andre Rison? The mid season pick up that comes in and makes a huge impact?
Ervin has been amazing as a returner since coming to GB. There are times in a game that you just need something to spark a team. Sometimes that is a great return. Ervin can provide that.

The Tight Ends-
This is where I think Tonyan and Sternberger could make an impact. Graham and Lewis are more of the get you 5-10 yards type of guys. Though Graham has had some nice longer plays. The 2 younger TE's could add that speed element to the position that would stretch defenses. In the last 2 games Sternberger has been running wide open down the right sideline. Its only a matter of time until Rodgers finds him.

Gary -
Gary has been starting to make impactful plays. While he doesn't necessarily get to the QB he is putting pressure on the QB. He has been getting closer and closer. Given that we have the Smiths and Clark making big time plays, Gary could be that extra guy that comes in and makes big time plays during the playoffs.

Savage -
Savage has been getting his hands on balls lately. He looks more like where he left off before he got hurt. He made the comment about being frozen after the game. I assume that contributed to his dropping of interceptions. Now that he has played in it, he will know how to react to it. I would not be surprised if he has a pick 6 soon.

Josh Jackson -
This one might be a bit of a stretch to make an impact. But he has been making an impact on special teams. And he played really well against the Redskins on defense. If he plays in the playoffs he could be a guy to really watch if he gets on the field. He has the ability to make plays on the ball. He could make a game changing type of play if he is on the field. And he could make a game changing type of play on special teams.

Is pride getting in the way of commonsense? If Rodgers isn't his MVP self, were done. I believe the packers still need the others. More then flash in the pans. They came to Green Bay to do a job. The plan was to use them. I wouldn't put to much in PFFs ratings. The better Idea is to wait and see whats on LeFluers mind. MVS,Allison and Graham must not be thrown under the bus. While others may be nursing their hurts. They will give you more game changing plays. The defense is better with them. Giving more reps to players, won't help those you'll need more. Were in the play-offs now. Everybody must contribute!!! We must know how Rodgers feels. He must be kept happy. Don't kill the hopes of the team trying to push someone else.

I might be out of line thinking here, but why not activate Ryan Grant once and see what he can offer/do for the team and sit Allison or someone for a week. Also maybe crazy but Ervin being a running back and returner obviously he can catch why not try him in some combination passing play to him and see what he can do there, he sure seems to have moves to get open! Just some thinking out loud, what you guys think? Possibilities just to shake things up a bit and some different looks!

Thanks for the article Maggie, great points. We NEED some young men to step up and produce. I hate to say it and I know I will get booed out of town for it, but I find myself bored with this offense. They seem to go to sleep for large segments of the game and piece together just enough execution to win. I think the Packers of old (just a few seasons ago) have conditioned me to believe they can score on any play from anywhere on the field. I never wanted to miss a play. Now, I feel as though I can step away from the TV for munchies without the fear of missing anything. I would like to add a few more defensive names: Gary, Lowry, Goodson, and yes, DBs with sticky fingers.
Ervin has been an answer to prayer, but have you noticed the lack of yellow flags on STs? Not only are the Packers getting positive yards, they are not giving those hard earned yards away with penalties. Keep the well written articles coming Maggie!

Lazard & Kumerow: I think the reason this duo could really help the offense is that they're consistent. This is exactly what GB needs from this group. They have Adams and Jones that can make explosive plays, what they need the #2 and #3 WRs to do is simply make small consistent plays that keep the chains moving.

Sullivan: In preseason there were lots of missed tackles, is that improving?

Ervin: Great add, has definitely helped change field position. But what's happened to Scott? 27th in net yards per punt. 18th in punts inside the 20. And he's had plenty of opportunities, with the 7th most punts in the league. Why is he regressing?

This team has won 11 prelims via decisions with two to go. The next prelim is against Minn and likely the toughest opponent this season because both have as much riding on the game.

The writer states..." If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t play like two-time MVP, Super Bowl MVP, future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, then things are a little more up in the air (but not necessarily)."

To think that it's not necessary for Rodgers to play more on the side as the former MVP is absurd as that is the larger reason why we have no knockout punch as seen in the 14 prelims fought, where because of Rodgers failed play, they've come out looking battered with the lack of injuries being a cover as to the battering taken, as it's been unworldly compared to previous seasons.

However,it's the type of injuries that aren't on the injury report that have hurt this team during every prelim that will become even more visible and that ' win is a win however ugly ' won't be enough from this game forward, unless Rodgers DOES play more from the MVP side of his career.

Many can rely on the limited upside seen from a few,Lazard, Kumerow, Ervin, Sullivan and I get it,but this game Monday is the first big boy game,playoff defining type, and our Rodgers will NEED to play more like his old MVP self and not like his,simply, present old self.

Many will clamor that they made the playoffs and weren't expected to and some will say the season was a success because they made the playoffs. What's always missing is that the goal is the SB and anything less,especially if you make the playoffs and more so if you have a bye, that goal of the SB is all that defines success for that season.

With every step forward,regardless of how you got there, the definition of success in the previous form is erased and replaced with the largest item being it's award though getting harder to grasp.There is no ' We made it this far ' at a certain point when loss comes,because you made it that far and now success lies another step forward or it's a failure.

You can't climb MT. Everest and claim success, if you didn't reach the top where success is validated. The higher you go the more the demand to reach the top and every step to get there is of no matter but the few in front to make the summit.

If the Packers come out like like a team hungry and with an MVP like play of Rodgers, then expectations change and demand for more with SB cravings can only be satisfied with reaching the top and any falter before, become no more recognized than the climber who didn't reach the top of MT.Everest....your name isn't mentioned as an ' Almost Made It.'

If Rodgers wants this team to achieve the ultimate goal,he better start playing like the MVP many believe he still is and it is 'necessary ' or they'll be punch drunk whether the bruises show or not.

Great stuff, Maggie!

Rodgers is being paid elite money to play QB for Green Bay because his position is the most important in the NFL in terms of determining whether a team ultimately wins or looses. The expectation, once the Packers made it to the NFL playoffs this season, is that they’ll compete in a Super Bowl since Rodgers is being paid as the best QB in the NFL.

The questionable aspect of this expectation is that he has only taken the Packers to one Super Bowl in over twelve years...so if he does so this season it will be against steep odds and actually quite amazing. But...it could happen for any team once you get in the playoffs.

Great stuff. I remember the struggle of the 2010 season. Nobody had us as a Super Bowl team at this point in time in 2010, week 16. But the Bears suspected we were capable of it prior to week 17.

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After listening to press conferences with both Coach LaFleur and OC Hackett I think the team does have an identity: Selflessness.

Also from the press conference the play to MVS worked in practice and Hackett mentioned playing time is related to execution in practice. The age old mantra, "You play how you practice". I'm wondering if some of the disjointedness on the offensive side is due to some players not successfully translating practice into the game.

I am not as down on MVS as most. I just remember how Adams had a sophomore slump. MVS does serve the purpose of blowing the top off the defense. He just might actually catch the ball one of these times :)

Allison needs to ride the bench till released, and most of that playing time devoted to Lazard and some to Kumerow. Seems to me that Allison always gets hit hard whenever he touches the ball, and I always wonder, "Is he hurt badly?"

Rodgers and Graham seem to have a low success rate for connecting, although much better than Allison. I always cringe when I see the target is Graham because the pass will probably drop incomplete.

I think the Packers need to focus on running everything through Jones, then look to spread it around as the defense compensates trying to stop Jones and opens others up.

On defense, really need the Smith Bros to continue the pressure, and need Green back or Sullivan to fill that hybrid role. I thought the defense looked much improved vs chicago against the run. Let's see if that holds up.

Also, need whoever gives Ervin a break to just fair catch the ball.