Practice reps are done. Game plans are in place. There’s one more day to perhaps tweak that plan but more importantly, get mentally right for the biggest game on the Frozen Tundra in 13 years.
Sunday afternoon at 2:05 PM CST, the NFC Championship Game will be played at Lambeau Field between the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Green Bay, the NFC’s top seed at 14-3, is a three and a half point favorite over the fifth seeded Bucs who have already won two playoff games on the road to carry a 13-5 record into the first title game on the hallowed ground since the 2007 NFC Championship. It’s something Aaron Rodgers, the two time, most likely the next three time Most Valuable Player has pined for ever since earning the Super Bowl XLV MVP honor a decade ago. To return to the grand finale, Rodgers and the Packers will have to turn aside the turned around Bucs, led to Green Bay by 43 year old Tom Brady, one game away from a shot at his unfathomable 7th Super Bowl ring.
The final practice for the Packers was held outside on Clarke Hinkle Field under a partly sunny sky but at a nippy 16 degrees with single digit wind chills. Didn’t bother the Packers one bit. What might bother them is a late developing back injury for defensive back Kevin King. He did not participate today and was officially listed as questionable on the final injury report. Head Coach Matt LaFleur said they’ll give King through the weekend before making a decision about Sunday. King missed the first meeting with Buccaneers in October. Defensive tackle Kingsley Keke, even though out of the concussion protocol with limited practice work, has been ruled out for the game.
Down in Tampa, bigger news with a big offensive weapon ruled out. Wide Receiver Antonio Brown has been declared out by Head Coach Bruce Ariens on Friday. He’s battled a knee injury for the past two weeks. Rookie defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr with an ankle injury, is listed as questionable. The Bucs also activated defensive tackle Vita Vea off injured reserve. After breaking his leg in early October, Vea returned to the practice field this week and is now medically cleared to join an already imposing collection of defensive linemen.
Za’Darius Smith met reporters via zoom after practice and was a little riled up. He said the defensive meeting included viewing last year’s NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers. To refresh your memory, the Packers fell behind 27-0 at halftime, lost 37-20, giving up 220 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns to Raheem Mostert. Smith said Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine wanted to illustrate how important it was to put yourself in a position to play for a Super Bowl berth, only to show what can happen if you don’t finish.
By the way, Sunday’s forecast for Green Bay calls for a high in the mid 20’s and a couple of inches of newly fallen snow will cover the city but the storm will probably move out of the area by kickoff.
It was a rare week in that reporters had a chance to visit with Aaron Rodgers for a second time on Friday. He gave the media over 20 minutes of conversation on Wednesday and another 23 minutes today, remarkable in a short attention span world. By contrast, Tom Brady’s one and only media session lasted all of five minutes on Wednesday.
It was the first time we spoke with Rodgers since word arrived about the passing of former General Manager Ted Thompson. As you can imagine, these two had a special relationship, one that Aaron explained in warm detail.
There’s a not so subtle vibe emanating from the locker room that this group of Packers really want to carry Rodgers to his second Super Bowl. Several players openly talked about it. Rodgers has that same feeling for another teammate. Marcedes Lewis. He’s 36, finishing up his 15th NFL season. He got close once with Jacksonville, was on the doorstep last year with the Packers. Lewis said the Super Bowl is the pinnacle, it’s what he’s played ball for since he was eight but no one will remember who loses on Sunday so it’s all about the present. Lewis has caught all of 10 passes for a couple of touchdowns this year for the Packers, he does the dirty work in the run game. He is revered leader on this team. How can a player with a limited “impact” on the field, have such a big one in the locker room? Let Marcedes explain.
One more clip from Rodgers on how the two 30 somethings have formed such a tight bond and just how much Lewis has meant to the Packers.
The emotional motivational tools the Packers are taking into the weekend, the memory of Ted, the steady, thoughtful leadership of two veterans, just might be the last ingredients to carry them all the way to Florida.
