I never thought the Packers would be great this year. I was astonished that everything fell into place last year for them to go 13-3 and come so close to the Super Bowl. I picked the Packers to go 9-7 this season and likely miss the playoffs. But I never thought they would plummet to earth like they have since the bye week. It is one thing to lose. They have lost five out of six and have dropped to 5-8 overall and to below .500 at Lambeau Field. It is another for your defense to be incapable of coming up with the big stop at the right time. When the mediocre (at best) Houston Texans come into Lambeau Field and beat you in December, you’ve got more serious issues than most probably realize. I’m not sure that defensive coordinator Bob Sanders can survive this, even if you point to personnel moves and injuries as contributing factors. Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have the luxury of those fat contract extensions based on last season. But they’d better react and make some bold changes in the off-season. Brett Favre wouldn’t have helped the defense but he’s also been missed. Aaron Rodgers has had several chances to help pull out a close game with a clutch play and he hasn’t done it. Not once. He’s done a good job but not a great job. He’s the long-term quarterback of the future and should be. But don’t overlook the fact that winning quarterbacks make that big play that lifts a team. He’s not to blame for 5-8 but he’s not to be excused either. Things change quickly in the NFL. The Packers could be flying high again in 2009. But there’s no guarantee that the NFC North will be as weak as it is this season. The division was there for the Packers and they failed. Maybe that’s why several usually talkative veteran players didn’t talk in the locker room after the loss to the Texans. Maybe they didn’t think there was much to say without getting themselves in trouble. It’s never a good sign when “leaders” don’t face the music after a tough loss. It’s usually a symptom of a deeper problem.