Could there be a third Packers-Favre showdown?

WAUSAU, WIS. -- Those of us still married to the print edition -- yeah, I know; how 20th century -- got a reminder of the difficulties of trying to maintain a live blog while two Monday Night Football participants are going back and forth in a 3 hour, 23-minute slopfest that included seven turnovers and 23 penalties for a combined 310 yards.

I did attempt to post an entry late in the game, but it never showed up on the website. Ain't technology great? However, I'm guessing it was human error.

Anyhoo, I suppose you've discovered the Green Bay Packers are not only alive and well, they now are tied for the third-best record in the NFC (8-4) following a 27-14 win over the Ravens.

Sitting in beautiful Wausau, Wis., this morning, I view the Packers as a team that still has a long way to go to be taken seriously as a playoff contender. But I also don't doubt that Green Bay can travel that distance and become a tough out in the playoffs. I buried this team once, a month ago today after it lost in Tampa to fall to 4-4. I won't bury it again.

Part of my duties last night was to talk to some Packer players to get a sense of whether they would like a third whack at Brett Favre and the Purple come January. The Vikings swept the season series, beating the Packers at the Metrodump 30-23 and in Lambeau 38-26.

"The Vikings? Again?" said running back Ryan Grant. "I know that's the game the fans would like to see."

I'll be writing more about this for Wednesday's paper. Now, let's try to decipher what the heck happened last night.

The Ravens had five pass interference penalties, including one offensive, and were lost in coverage without All-Pro safety Ed Reed, who missed the game because of hip and ankle injuries. The Packers had four pass interference penalties.

Overall, the game was a typical four-quarter NFL head-scratcher. Do we celebrate a dominating first half in which the Packers led 17-0? Do we discard them because they went Keystone Kops in a third-quarter meltdown that saw the Ravens turn two turnovers and a 41-yard pass interference penalty into a 17-14 game? Or do we respect them for the way they handled the third quarter and pulled away with a 13-point win?

Remember, Vikings fans, the Purple also let the Ravens back into a game at home this season. And Minnesota would have lost that game had Steven Hauschka hadn't missed a field goal as time expired. Hauschka has since been released.

I lean toward saying the Packers are to be taken seriously heading toward the playoffs. They have a good grip on the sixth seed, but will have to survive a season-ending stretch of three road games in four weeks, including the season finale in Arizona.

The Packers have won four consecutive games since back-to-back losses to the Vikings and winless Bucs. They've settled their pass protection problems -- Aaron Rodgers was sacked only one time Monday night. They've also adjusted well to Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme. And they lead the league in turnover differential.

Finley, who had his first multi-touchdown game against the Ravens, caught six passes for 128 yards and a touchdown at the Metrodump this year. He was inactive in the rematch at Lambeau.