mere mortals

After winning 19 straight dating back 364 days, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were reminded by the Kansas City Chiefs that it's hard to win football games in the NFL. Pressure on Rodgers and no takeaways were the key factors in the loss, and injuries on the offensive line look to make things difficult for Rodgers down the stretch.

Much of this season, Rodgers has had the luxury of time in the pocket to wait for a receiver to get open or for a running lane to develop to scoot through. On Sunday, the Chiefs were able to pressure Rodgers, due in some part to injuries to tackle Bryan Bulaga, followed by Bulaga's backup, Derrick Sherrod. Bulaga is out for Sunday against the Bears, and Sherrod for the season with a broken leg.

Against the Bears this weekend, Rodgers will likely face more pressure than he's used to, and he'll be forced to get rid of the ball sooner. If he does, the receivers need to catch them. Drops against Kansas City might have lost the game. Jermichael Finley, with four drops, especially did himself no favors in his quest to open contract talks with the Packers. Hopefully he turns it around on Sunday.

The injuries on the OL will probably limit the rushing game, as well. Though the Packers are definitely a pass-first team, the run game has been productive enough to keep defenses committed to stopping it. If the running game totally stalls, the play-action won't work, and the Packers' big-play offense becomes limited. Maybe the “next man up” mantra will work some kind of magic, and third-year pro Evan Dietrich-Smith plays like a man possessed, but don't count on it.

The defense failed to take away the ball from an opponent for the first time this season against Kansas City. Just one turnover could have been the difference. This is probably a fluke. The Packers defense will continue to give up yards, but they should continue to take the ball away, too. If they do, the Packers will continue to win.

Even after this loss, the Packers are the team to beat in the NFL. They can lock up home field through the playoffs on Sunday at home against the Bears. After that, the starters probably come out of the game early at home against the Lions in a game that should bear no weight on the standings. Then, it's a measly three game winning streak to their second Super Bowl Championship.