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GREEN BAY Jimmy Graham Color Rush Jersey , Wis. — Every year, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy nips any playoff talk in the bud by saying it’s not a topic of conversation until the team wins 10 games.More Packers coverageBucks’ Wes Matthews loves Wisconsin, is a Vikings fanPreview: Packers look to slow Vikings’ revitalized run gameTop Tweets: Yelich thanks fans for support after season-ending injuryAmos sparks rebuilt Packers defense in debutPackers to be tested again by familiar foe in Zimmer, VikingsThe Packers hit the season’s midpoint with a 3-4-1 record, meaning there is little margin for error after back-to-back losses to two of the NFL’s powerhouses.To reach double-digits in victories, the Packers will have to win seven of their final eight games. That quest begins with a return home to face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.“We’re focused on winning No. 4. That’s all we’re talking about right now,” McCarthy said on Monday, a day after a 31-17 loss to the New England Patriots.“We improved as a football team the last two weeks, but you have to play your best football coming down the stretch. We’re not playing to the level we need to play in the fourth quarter.”In the final seven minutes of last week’s 29-27 loss at the Los Angeles Rams, the Packers failed to extend a 27-26 lead, had a bad punt, gave up the go-ahead field goal and fumbled the ensuing kickoff.On the first play of the fourth quarter against the Patriots, the Packers were driving into scoring position when running back Aaron Jones fumbled.The Patriots used a pass from receiver Julian Edelman to running back James White to set up the go-ahead touchdown, forced the Packers to punt, then added an insurance touchdown.Not only did the Packers lose the game, but they lost ground in the NFC North to Chicago (5-3), which routed Buffalo for its second consecutive win, and Minnesota (5-3-1), which beat Detroit for its fourth win in five games.After hosting Miami (5-4), Green Bay goes back on the road to face Seattle (4-4) and Minnesota.“The games in November are really where teams historically start to separate one way or the other https://www.thepackersfanshop.com/Muhammad-Wilkerson-Jersey ,” McCarthy said. “Our focus is really on our self-scout and things we’ve been working on. The last two weeks, we’re not finishing games.”The problems run across all three phases. Defensively, the Packers have failed to get a takeaway the past two weeks.On special teams, there was Ty Montgomery’s fumble on the kickoff return against the Rams and two penalties against the Patriots.On offense, Green Bay has run a total of 22 plays in the fourth quarter the past two weeks. Against the Patriots, the fourth quarter started with a fumble, continued with a three-and-out and ended with a fourth-down failure.“We’re not hitting on all cylinders,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “We’re hurting ourselves with negative-yardage plays and missed throws and turnovers at the wrong time and not being on the same page too many times, whether I’m missing a throw or we’re not in the spot I think we’re going to be at, it’s happening in the worst times. When we have to play our best in those crunch times, we haven’t been playing our best.”To get on track, the Packers are going to have to play through some injuries. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee), safety Kentrell Brice (knee), cornerback Kevin King (hamstring) and linebacker Blake Martinez (ankle) were knocked out of the game by injuries.Martinez, who was injured when he stepped on the ankle of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, returned for the final couple of series.“I pride myself on being a tough guy and I didn’t want to leave my team,” Martinez said.“I knew if I could run straight and do certain things, I could go out there and finish the game.”According to McCarthy, King will be “hard pressed” to be ready to face the Dolphins. Bulaga, who’s suffered major injuries to both knees DeShone Kizer Jersey , avoided a significant injury and could be back for Sunday. Receiver Geronimo Allison might need surgery after suffering a groin injury at Thursday’s practice. The season did not end as expected for the Green Bay Packers, but as we look towards a new coaching regime, we can also look forward to the NFL Draft and the Packers possessing two first-round picks this April. Ten years ago, the Packers drafted Clay Matthews III and B.J. Raji in the first round of the ‘09 draft and both ended up being key figures in the Packers’ Super Bowl run just a year later. Green Bay will hope to strike gold again this time around (barring any trade, which is always possible for this organization).The Mock Draft Roundup is a series that was started last year, where we carefully took a look at what direction some publications say are possible for the Packers. This year, we’re going to divide the roundup into two separate articles to give each draft spot the spotlight they deserve. Hold on to your butts, cause here come the players slotted for the 12th overall pick:CBS Sports: Deionte Thompson, S, AlabamaDeionte Thompson is a rangy safety who did a really good job of erasing plays down the field for Alabama. The Crimson Tide liked to stick Thompson out in a single-high look quite often throughout the season and when teams attacked that look down the field, the 6’2” safety covered a ton of ground to break up passes. A skillset that the Packers would love is his ability to play the ball like a true centerfielder, and not have interceptions fall right into his chest like a certain other former-Alabama safety. Thompson’s frame isn’t very stout so that makes me worry about the potential for frequent injury like Kevin King, but the kid can play.USA Today: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida StateOn the Florida State website, Burns is listed a 6’5” and 235 pounds and he has plenty of frame to add more lean muscle at the NFL level. He does have elite athleticism, length, and speed coming off the edge. His spin move is virtually a blur. A willing run defender, he displays solid patience when trying to diagnose the run-pass-option. At Florida State, Burns was pretty quick off the snap in a three-point stance Tramon Williams Color Rush Jersey , and he also stood up on certain plays which is good to see with Mike Pettine returning as defensive coordinator. SB Nation: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, ClemsonI wrote a little about Ferrell early in the mock draft process last year when he was thought to come out. But he stayed at Clemson, earned a National Title, and improved his stock considerably. His numbers improved year-after-year at Clemson which I like. Ferrell brings bigger size than Burns at 265 pounds, and he’s definitely used that size to remain stout in the run game. Ferrell did have the benefit of playing with the best defensive line in the country so it’s hard to tell how much production came solely from him and where he benefited playing alongside guys who also needed a lot of attention.Bleacher Report: Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama Last year, I had Derwin James and Roquan Smith high on my Packers wish list because of their abilities to drop into coverage and handle the coverage responsibilities for tight ends and running backs. While the Packers needed pass rush last year— and still do this year— Mack Wilson is another prospect I like for the same reasons of James and Smith. Wilson is a 6’2”, 230-pound linebacker who has great range and does well when dropping into coverage. He’s the type of sideline-to-sideline athlete that would do well in today’s modern NFL. His size is an issue as far as shedding blocks, but his athleticism might help him stay clean.Sporting News: Jachai Polite, EDGE, FloridaPolite’s speed off the edge is blinding. His closing speed in getting to the quarterback or sealing off the edge is very impressive. It’s not just speed that he uses, though; he’s already displaying a nice arsenal of pass-rush moves. While most EDGE guys take a while to get traction at the pro-level, Polite’s solid technique will help with that learning curve to make an impact more quickly. It’s hard to tell whether Polite’s decisiveness will allow him to become more than a pass-rush specialist, but he’s an elite pass rusher nonetheless. Like Burns, he doesn’t have elite size in terms of bulk, but that can always be added once he gets to the NFL level.