{image1} In the final analysis, the 2004 Green Bay Packers simply were not a good enough team to advance very far -- at all, in fact -- in the NFL playoffs. That fact is obvious enough. But it's a statement meant to be taken literally.

It's easy to fall back on the conventional logic about the Packers this season: offense good, defense bad. In a nutshell, this explained the team's primary malfunction, and it summed up succinctly why even a home game against a decidedly mediocre road opponent turned into an embarrassing Sunday afternoon.

But the dichotomous problem of a good offense and a bad defense is too simplistic to truly diagnose the '04 Packers. When added up, this collection of individuals composed not a true team, but a random dissolution of players, many of them very good -- good enough for about 10 wins in a sub-par conference, five of them versus opponents within a slipshod division.

What am I talking about? Just this: the Packers never seemed to pick one another up, something that a solid team -- a cohesive unit -- does routinely. Look to the Patriots or the Steelers or the Eagles for examples of what I mean. Look at multiple moments in Sunday's loss to Minnesota for precisely what I do not.

First quarter. Minnesota faces third down at the Green Bay 32. Linebacker Nick Barnett gets caught between rushing the passer and covering running back Mo Williams. Daunte Culpepper capitalizes on the linebacker's indecisiveness and lofts a pass over him to Williams. Barnett is hopelessly beaten.

But all is not lost, because safety Darren Sharper is swooping in to make the play, albeit after a decent gain for the Vikings. But Sharper cannot make the routine open-field tackle; he misses Williams, letting down his teammate Barnett in the process. Williams runs down the sidelines for a score, and the tone for Sunday's mismatch is set.

Second quarter. The Packers are down seven and threatening to retake momentum after blocking a Morten Andersen field goal deep in their own end. On first down, Brett Favre drops back and lofts a pass down field, but Javon Walker does not break off his route and the ball is easily intercepted by safety Brian Russell, who returns it to the Packers 28. Two plays later, the Vikings score -- could that have been easier or quicker? -- to reestablish momentum and a 14-point lead.

Favre let down his defense, which in turn let him down. Neither side picked up the other.

Fourth quarter. The Packers have cut the lead to 24-17 and simply need to get the ball back to rev up the crowd and conjure memories of Christmas Eve in Minneapolis. But a couple of penalties on rookie corner Ahmad Carroll give the Vikings a first down at the Packers 34. Culpepper promptly hits a gimpy Moss, who has badly beaten Al Harris on a corner route, for the clinching score.

Carroll, penalized more often this season than a hockey goon, takes the fall (if the second penalty wasn't a reputation call, I've never seen one), but where are his defensive teammates when he needs them? Safety Mark Roman lashes out at the rookie after the first key penalty rather than bailing him out later in the drive with a big play. At least Roman -- who didn't make a play all season -- is consistent.

And on and on. Watching a tape of the game Sunday evening, it was easy to selectively pinpoint a dozen key plays that could have turned the tide. The crowd stirring, momentum shifting, the heart-weak Vikings ever capable of wilting ... and then a crucial interception, an ill-timed false start, a missed field goal, a blown assignment. Sunday, it was the Vikings -- the notorious, would-be choking Vikings -- who were the stouter team.

In Week 3, Favre and the offense roasted the Colts all afternoon but got no help from the defense in a 45-31 loss. In Week 4 against the Giants, it was the maligned Packers defense that stood firm against New York, but the offense was unable to muster more than seven points. In Week 15 against Jacksonville, every Packer seemed to do just enough to lose, not win. And on and on.

When you lose a home playoff game to your most bitter rival, these are the things that will be remembered.

But the 2004 Packers can be applauded for one bit of collective will. Despite a 1-4 start, they managed to win a third straight NFC North Division title and make the playoffs. Unfortunately, it's the short stay upon arriving there that everyone will remember.