A reason for optimism

I originally had the same reaction as every other Packer fan.

"If this is what they play like in the cold weather, then how are they going to play during the playoffs at Lambeau in January?"

Everyone wants home field advantage. With one more week of the regular season to go, there was still hope that the Packers could get home field over the Dallas Cowboys before the debacle at Chicago.

With the way the Cowboys and Redskins have been playing lately, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Washington could upset Dallas on Sunday.

But all that is for naught now. The Packers aren't playing for anything next week against the Detroit Lions.

The loss to the Bears wasn't the end of the world, though. It wasn't the cold that affected the Packers, it was the wind.

When the Packers host a playoff game in three weeks, the cold won't bother them. I've seen Brett Favre for enough years now to know that the passing game isn't going to suffer even if it's five below zero.

The Packers had a hard time adjusting to the windy conditions in the Windy City. And with a few lessons learned, they'll be better prepared the next time they face wintery weather conditions.

First of all, they have to expand their offensive play formations under center. Taking a shotgun snap from center when the wind is blowing more than twenty miles per hour is a risky proposition.

Second of all, they need to go to maximum protection on punts in blizzard like conditions. Forget the gunners. Pull them in for blocking purposes. And as far as the punt itself goes, worry more about hang time than distance. Jon Ryan needs the most time possible to punt the ball. First to avert disaster in case he drops the ball, and second so he doesn't need to rush the punt.

With these couple adjustments, the Packers will be better prepared the next time around. But unless they encounter snow, sleet, rain, or wind, don't expect the game plan to change. If it's merely cold, the Packers can still pass the ball. Count on it.