Play The Packers, Head Coaches Lose Their Jobs

NFL coaches, if you like your job, be weary of playing the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers became coach-killers for the second time in three weeks (and second straight game) following a 31-3 defeat of the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday as head coach Brad Childress was terminated.

Before the Packers' bye week, Green Bay defeated the Dallas Cowboys 45-7. One day later, the Cowboys fired head coach Wade Phillips.  I don't think Atlanta Falcon's head coach Mike Smith has anything to worry about if his 8-2 team loses to the Green and Gold, but the Packers right now aren't just winning games, they are embarrassing teams.

Green Bay has won four straight games and boast a defense featuring Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson that are dominating opposing teams each week.

How many more teams will fire their coaches after playing the Pack?  Mike Singletary, Tom Coughlin and Lovie Smith are on notice.

Vikings Sloppy, Favre Dispondent

The Vikings tried, but thier play Sunday was sloppy and erratic against the Chicago Bears.  They got beat physically all over the field, folded up in the second half and lost every phase of the game by the time it was over. Brett Favre, returning to Soldier Field on the heels of yet another signature comeback against Arizona only last week, fumbled once and was intercepted three times. And he was far from Minnesota's only problem.

Two of those interceptions came when Favre's receivers slipped and a third followed a tipped pass. But he wasn't about to kid himself and write them all down to bad luck. The Vikings still have all the pieces that made them a pre-season Super Bowl pick, but there's no denying the sum of those parts is — at the moment, anyway — the NFL's most dysfunctional family.

Favre even wondered aloud whether a return for one more season was the right call.

"Had I known it would be like this," he said after a 27-13 loss dropped the Vikings to 3-6 and all but knocked them out of playoff contention, "sure, it would have been easier to make a decision."

Favre is not the only member of the organization suffering from pillow talk in the Viking's organization.  Several others, including some players, leaked word to the Chicago Sun-Times earlier this week that Childress could count on little support and even less loyalty from the locker room going forward.

"We know Childress doesn't have our backs, so why should we have his?" one player said. "We're playing for us and we're winning despite him."

Childress said afterward he had no problem with either the team's or Favre's effort. But he wasn't handing out any praise, either.

 The coach signed a five-year contract extension after the team reached the NFC championship game last season. He did not sound concerned that the volume will likely be cranked up on calls for his firing. Childress planned to be coaching next week, he said evenly, "until I get any word differently."

Word may not come this week, but it appears it will be coming soon.

Vikings vs. Packers: Chidress Upset, Favre Old and Hurting

If you are a Green Bay Packer's fan, there is good news and bad news this Monday morning.

The bad news is the Packers still have issues and injury problems, although some players may be getting closer to coming back.  The good news is the Minnesota Vikings have many more problems than the Packers do, on and off the field.

Actually this story begins after the Sunday Night game where Green Bay defeated Minnesota 28-24.

After the game, Vikings coach Brad Childress undressed the officiating crew and his quarterback.  

In fact, before going to the podium Childress really let his feelings be known during an interview with Vikings flagship station KFAN.  That’s the worst officiated game I’ve seen," said Childress, whose team fell to 2-4 after losing four games in the entire 2009 regular season. "That referee came over and apologized to me for not calling a hold on the scramble by (Packers quarterback Aaron) Rodgers. And I’ll tell you what, that’s his job. Protect the quarterback and look at the left tackle. Look at the left tackle hold his tail off."

Childress was livid about Green’s reversal of a second-quarter 17-yard touchdown pass that tight end Visanthe Shiancoe thought he had possession of as he made a diving catch. The drive stalled and the Vikings ended with a field goal that took valuable points off the board.

Childress was clearly not happy either with Favre’s decision making. He threw three interceptions in the second half after not throwing one in 72 attempts against his former team in two-plus games.

The A.J. Hawk interception led to Greg Jennings 14-yard touchdown catch from Aaron Rodgers that gave the Packers a 21-17 lead in the fourth quarter. On the Vikings’ next series, Favre’s pass for Randy Moss was picked by linebacker Desmond Bishop and returned for a 32-yard touchdown. That no doubt delighted many in the announced crowd of 71,107 who had seen Favre’s decision-making cost their team on occasions during his 16 years with the Packers.

"It still goes back to taking care of the football," Childress said. "You can’t throw it to them. You’ve got to play within the confines of our system. Sometimes it’s OK to punt the football and you can’t give seven points going the other way. Not in a game like this. Not with a high-powered team."

Childress also said he considered pulling Favre after he was injured following the Hawk interception but did not make it clear if he had approached the veteran. That was the issue last season during a loss at Carolina when Childress suggested to Favre that he might remove him and the quarterback made it clear he wasn’t going to come out.

Favre did not disagree with Childress’ assessment of his play after Sunday’s loss. He also knows the Vikings are in a tough spot.

Favre also talked about his ailing ankle which he injured in the game.  "We’ll see. I’m no spring chicken anymore. I don’t heal as quickly. I know the heart’s in the right place though. I know I left it on the field. It’s just disappointing it didn’t work our way."