At 5-9, out of playoff contention, and with the youngest roster in the league, the Packers might be looked at as a team that would shake up its lineup and spread some playing time around to give the staff a chance to evaluate younger talent in extended game action.
But Head Coach Mike McCarthy on Monday said that will not be how the Packers proceed as they finish the season against two NFC North opponents, Chicago on Dec. 22 and Detroit on Dec. 28.
"Our approach will be to beat Chicago," McCarthy said. "I'm not going to change the personnel or make roster moves to use this as a development game."
There are likely several reasons for McCarthy's approach. For one, the next game is against the arch-rival Bears, who likely will still be in the hunt for either the NFC North title or an NFC wild-card berth come next Monday. To compromise either the rivalry or the playoff chase probably isn't something McCarthy is interested in.
But there's just as much to be said for taking the current lineup, which has lost four straight games and six of seven since the bye week, many of them by close margins, and getting it back into the win column. Finding some positive way to end an otherwise disappointing season is worth the effort, even if the season ends in two weeks no matter the results.
Plus, many of the current players who play major roles, beginning with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, are still young in terms of their NFL starting experience, and need every opportunity available to compete in regular-season games.
"Our full intentions this week will be to prepare to beat the Chicago Bears, to play the players that give us the best chance to win the game, and put them in position to win the game," McCarthy said.
Timeout needed?
McCarthy admitted on Monday that he was close to calling a timeout on the third-and-goal play late in the second quarter when the offense didn't get lined up properly at first.
Rookie tight end Jermichael Finley appeared to start out lined up on the wrong side and was motioned by Rodgers to switch to the other side. By the time things got set, the ball had to be snapped quickly to avoid a delay-of-game penalty, and the Jaguars stopped a short middle screen to tight end Donald Lee for no gain, forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal.
"I almost called timeout there," McCarthy said. "We were getting close. We obviously had the ball snapped, the formation set, so that was not the error, but you want to be under center longer."
With having to rush the snap, Rodgers didn't get enough time to survey how the defense was aligned against the formation, which could have prompted him to make a check at the line. As it turned out, the Packers got the defensive look they were anticipating, and McCarthy blamed the failure to convert on execution, but any potential options Rodgers had were taken away.
{sportsad300}"We are an up-tempo offense, so we want to be out of the huddle quicker and so forth, and take advantage of the line of scrimmage because it plays to the strength of our quarterback," McCarthy said. "And we didn't get it done on that particular play."
That was just one of the three red-zone failings that forced the Packers to kick field goals rather than score touchdowns on Sunday. Rodgers lamented after the game the potential 12 points the offense left on the field and the lack of attention to detail in those key situations, and he wasn't alone.
"It's a microcosm of the NFL - it always comes down to little things," offensive lineman Daryn Colledge said. "That's what this is, a detail-oriented business. Right now we're not getting the details done, and we need to find a way to do that."
Injury update
The Packers came out of Sunday's game with three injuries, but none of the three players is expected to miss next Monday's game at Chicago.
The injuries are to offensive tackle Chad Clifton (sprained thumbs), tight end Tory Humphrey (concussion) and running back Brandon Jackson (sprained wrist).
There was no early word on the availability of safety Atari Bigby (shoulder), fullback Korey Hall (knee) or defensive tackle Justin Harrell (hip), all of whom were inactive for Sunday's game.
