Packers Morning Buzz: Green Bay 'going in the wrong direction'

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

The Packers (4-5-1) returned from a weekend off Monday to prepare for their virtual must-win game Sunday at Minnesota (5-4-1).

We'll start with NBC Sports' esteemed NFL writer Peter King, who midway through this column breaks down what he considers faulty logic on the part of Packers coach Mike McCarthy in not going for it on fourth-and-2 from the Green Bay 33 late in a 27-24 loss Thursday at Seattle.

King writes:

If the Packers go for it and make it, Aaron Rodgers needs to go about 60 yards in four minutes to score the go-ahead touchdown—or about 40 yards to try a field goal to tie. If they fail to make it, and they hold Seattle on its possession, a Sebastian Janikowski field goal (no sure thing) would give Seattle a 30-24 lead—and would give Rodgers the ball back, needing to go the length of the field in, say, two minutes for the win.

With a defense that allowed 77 and 75-yard drives on Seattle’s previous two possessions, and with a defense playing without two of its best players on the front seven, McCarthy—seriously—might want to examine how he calculates whether to go for it or punt in that case. It’s odd to put the burden on a faltering defense to stop Seattle, instead of putting the burden on Rodgers to make a manageable fourth-and-two. Neither “the numbers” nor common sense seems to back up McCarthy. However, this losing is not all McCarthy’s fault. In Seattle, Rodgers made some exquisite throws in the game, but his worm-burner incompletion on what should have been an easy third-and-two play forced the fourth-and-two decision. Mason Crosby missed his seventh kick in seven games, a 47-yarder wide left early in the game, that factored late.

McCarthy and staff have done a good job getting unknown young running backs and receivers up to speed this year. It’s not all bad, certainly. But the Packers just feel like a team going in the wrong direction. And with a quarterback as good as Rodgers, club president Mark Murphy and GM Brian Gutekunst have to decide whether a team that’s stumbled with and without Rodgers in the lineup needs a coaching change and a fresh voice in 2019.

You can read King's entire column here:

Packers cornerback Tramon Williams admits he was frustrated by McCarthy's decision not to go for it:

The Packers will face the Vikings without dependable defensive tackle Mike Daniels (foot injury) and possibly without tight end Jimmy Graham, who hopes to play despite a broken thumb:

Could the Packers actually go an entire season without winning on the road? Hasn't happened for quite some time:

Williams and cornerback Kevin King talk about the search for an elusive road victory:

Kyler Fackrell finally is starting to live up to his third-round selection in the 2016 draft, writes Ryan Wood:

Packers receiver Randall Cobb is itching to get back into action:

The Packers remain a box-office attraction, writes Rich Ryman:

The MMQB can't figure out the Packers:

Something doesn't seem quite right here:

What's this out of Chicago? Packers visit first-place Bears on Dec. 16.

Packers defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson, who also suffered a compound leg fracture this season during a game at Fed Ex Field, tweets support for injured Washington quarterback Alex Smith:

Former Packers and Colts center Jeff Saturday discusses the differences between Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning:

Keon Hatcher, we hardly knew ye:

Packers safety Josh Jones tells it like it is on "Clubhouse Live"":

And finally, a well-deserved honor for a man whose knowledge of Packers history is unparalleled: