NFC Championship: Packers' defense does just enough

          Up to now, the Green Bay Packers defense hasn't gotten the recognition it deserves. Based on what transpired in the NFC championship game on Sunday, all that should start to change.
          That's not to say that this bunch is a reincarnation of Chicago Bears defense of the 1980s which featured a guy known as "the Refrigerator." The Packers stop unit was OK on this day, but not dominating. They simply did what they had to do.
          Green Bay needed substantial inputs on the defensive side of the ball to beat the Chicago Bears 21-14. Next up is a date in Dallas for Super Bowl XLV in two weeks. Even though they won, this game was more of an exercise in survival for the Packers.
          GB cornerback Sam Shields keyed the "d" with two drive-killing interceptions. His last pick crushed all hopes of a miracle comeback for the Bears, who were driving downfield for the potential game-tying score in the final moments. But the most memorable sequence was turned in by a nose tackle of all people -- B.J Raji, all 338 pounds of him. Raji lined up to rush the quarterback, but at the snap of the ball, he dropped back in pass coverage, intercepted a throw and ran it back 18 yards for a Packers touchdown.
          That play should've settled the issue. But it didn't, and it was the fault of Green Bay's defense.
With third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie in the game, the Bears rallied quickly to trim a two-touchdown deficit to seven points with just under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Chicago scored so quickly because GB's secondary appeared to playing too loose. Earl Bennett caught a medium-range pass and should have been stopped around the 20-yard line, but Nick Collins came up to make the hit and missed badly. Bennett was then home free to put the finishing touches on a 35-yard TD reception. It's unheard of for a formidable defensive unit to get sliced up and diced up by a back-up QB who had played in only five NFL games prior to Sunday.
          So, I say that, to say this.
          The Packers defense did just enough on Sunday.
          To win the Super Bowl, they will have to play better.    
          Much better.    

          NOTE..... Raji's interception was reminiscent of a game-saving play in this year's Sugar Bowl between Ohio State and Arkansas. If you recall, the Razorbacks offense had reached the red zone and were in position to score the game-winning touchdown. Instead, Ohio State DL Solomon Thomas came up with an interception to end that threat and preserve the Buckeyes 31-26 victory.