First…let me just say, this is not the purpose of this blog. This blog is for matters pertaining to real estate and buyer agency in the Greater Madison Area. That said, I can't help–for the sake of cleansing my mind–but to hold forth on three things that I see as being the reasons that Green Bay lost to the New York Giants in their NFC Championship matchup.
First, there's Al Harris. Al Harris is a good cornerback. When Harris is playing average teams, he stands out. Unfortunately, when you're playing the top tier teams that you're going to meet just prior to getting to a Superbowl, good just isn't good enough.
Harris has proved, time and again, that he can't handle the world class receivers, like Terrell Owens, Randy Moss…and Plaxico Burress. What's that you say? He handled Owens when we played Dallas? Think back. Owens beat Owens. Had Owens not dropped a number of balls when Harris had blown coverage, Owens would have made Harris look every bit as mediocre as Burress did tonight.
If you take Burress's ability to manhandle Harris out of the equation, the Giants would have had to rely on a running game that was not, early on anyway, all that potent.
Green Bay will never win another Superbowl, until they have corners who can stack up favorably against the big play receivers.
Second problem…Jarrett Bush. While it never would have been a turning point, had Harris been able to do his job properly, the loose ball, on a Giants fumble, where all Jarrett Bush had to do was fall on the ball, was a HUGE turning point.
Bush should ride the pines for an entire season, or be traded away. He needs to have it impressed upon him–in clear and certain terms–that his first priority is to secure a loose ball, by falling on it and gripping as if his life depended on it. Then, if no one is within fifty yards of him…and after he counts to ten without being touched, maybe, just maybe…he can get up and run with it.
If Bush would have just fallen on that ball, Brett Favre would have had the ball back in his hands with less than three minutes in regulation to play, and–if he had succeeded in marching the ball into field goal range–Mason Crosby most likely would have sealed the deal with a game-winning field goal for the Packers.
At the very least, we would have been the ones with a feeling of momentum, as we went into the possible overtime session, instead of feeling like we really didn't deserve to suck our way into overtime. (That's sure how i felt about our making it to extra minutes.)
Lastly, there's Brett Favre. For all the wondrous things he does, he has to sustain his mental maturity and fight the urge to take the whole team on his shoulders. In normal situations, he's like a rock. Put his back up against the wall, though…and you're just as likely to see him throw the game away–via an interception, or a scramble induced fumble–as to make the miracle game winning play.
When entry to the Superbowl is on the line, it isn't enough to have the strongest arm and the best receiving squad on the field. Brett also has to play with a clarity of mind that will prevent the mistakes that seem to plague him in these key moments.
From what I can see, that's his only weakness. If he can conquer that demon, he could take Green Bay all the way, at least once more, before he decides it's time to retire. Please don't misunderstand…I think Brett Favre is an amazing athlete and among the five best quarterbacks, ever. That's why it's so hard to see him come up short in a season where he, and the entire team had come so far.
Now…if only I could say that I feel better. 
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