We have sat through the fourth straight loss the Packers have suffered through this month, and perhaps the most debilitating, because it cost Green Bay any shot at the playoffs.

Yes, all of you can go and blame Aaron Rodgers for not being Brett Favre and throwing three interceptions with no game-winning touchdowns in the final two minutes of games this year.

Granted, that's true.

But folks, two of those came after the defense completely blew it, allowing a length-of-the-field drive, especially with 50+ yard bombs to receivers to set up touchdown runs.

You know what the key is to stopping drives like that?

How about having a defensive line that doesn't give the quarterback a chance to stand in the pocket and throw deep like that?

Which is why, in support of Bill Michaels' spouting off on Packers Gameday, I give two proposals to doing things that our own Wayne Larrivee and Bill Michaels both say are dangerous, because you overpay to get players like these in free agency?

One: DE Julius Peppers of the Carolina Panthers.

Two: DT Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans.

Peppers perhaps has more upside for Green Bay.

Part of it is the fact that perhaps Peppers give the greater improvement at a certain position.

So far this year, there's three sacks total from defensive ends whose names aren't Aaron Kampman.

Think of what another 10 sacks over that period of time might be.

Perhaps three games' outcome changed? That would more than make up for Rodgers not winning those contests due to late interceptions, because the defense wouldn't have put him in the hole.

On the other side, there's stopping the run.

The Packers were 27th in rushing entering Sunday's loss.

Having Albert Haynesworth next to Pepper, Cullen Jenkins and Aaron Kampman might not only allow for the line to no longer get gashed by Smash and Dash of Tennessee and Adrian Peterson of Minnesota, but perhaps we might not be screaming and ranting about no production by A.J. Hawk.

When he's not tied up by blockers, he can actually make plays.

It might not be the dramatic improvement that the pass rush with Peppers might be, however, because Cole and Pickett are, well, OK. Not great, but OK.

That, and Haynesworth can get fat with attitude (at least he has in the past) when his pocketbook gets fat.

Will you overpay? Yes.

Is it worth it for Haynesworth or Peppers?

For Julius "Caesar?" Absolutely.

For Haynesworth? Very possibly.

Otherwise, if Ted Thompson doesn't enough moves in that vein through free agency and the draft, the Packers might continue to be Caesar salad on defense, and Aaron Rodgers will continue to have to bail the Packers out in late game situations.

And unless Rodgers turns into Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana and John Elway in eight months, the Packers will probably continue to be the food for the Roman Lions in the Colosseum.

(No, not the Detroit Lions. They're not THAT bad)