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For the Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs, they are going to have to win out and get a lot of help, but that doesn't mean that CEO Mark Murphy is ready to give up on this season. In a question and answer that was posted on the Packers team website, Murphy made it clear that they are still playing for this season, and not looking ahead yet.
“Many have said that, since the chances of making the playoffs are so slim, we should sit some of our starters (including Aaron Rodgers), play more of our younger players and focus on the future. Others have said that we shouldn’t worry about winning and that a benefit would be that we would have a better draft position.”
In the post, Murphy makes it clear they won't be tanking, even though that might be the smartest thing for the team to do. If they aren't going to make the playoffs, keeping Rodgers healthy is most important, and by resting him they would also improve their draft position.
“While I appreciate the input, I’m not ready to give up on the season. Now, I realize that we are 4-6-1 (and as Bill Parcells famously said, “You are what your record says you are”) and that we haven’t played well. However, we still have almost a third of the season left to play. I know that the odds of making the playoffs are slim (I’ve seen odds range from 3 to 15 percent), but we still have a lot to play for. If we can finish the season strong, even if we don’t make the playoffs (and crazier things have happened), it will give the team confidence that can carry over to next year. Also, from the individual player’s standpoint, the average career is so short (3.1 years) and every game means so much, they all have much to play for over the next five weeks.”
Momentum would be nice for the Packers, but if the team does make a change at coach this offseason, there will be more important things that the team is focused on.
The Packers have a proud tradition, so this seems more like a team not wanting to quit and getting everything out of this season that they can, even if they miss out on the playoffs.
