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Packers coaching staff preps for three different opponents

CREATED Jan. 5, 2012

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  • Mike McCarthy. | Photo: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Next game: Sunday, January 15th vs. Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions or New Yor Giants in NFC  divisional playoff
Packers Gameday at 1:00 p.m. on Newsradio 620 WTMJ, a live blog here and coverage on Live at 10 on TODAY'S TMJ4

Click here to listen to Packers Coach Mike McCarthy on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's "Wisconsin's Morning News"

GREEN BAY - The head coach of the defending world champion Green Bay Packers says that his staff has begun extensive pre-planning for all three possible opponents in the NFC divisional playoffs - the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and New York Giants.

"Most of it's already been done," said McCarthy in an exclusive interview on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's "Wisconsin's Morning News."

"The preliminary game planning for Atlanta and Detroit is pretty much completed.  We're on the final touches for completing the Giants (preliminary game plan) so that when we do come in here, whether the determination is made Saturday night after the Saints/Detroit game or Sunday afternoon after the Giants/(Atlanta) game, we'll jump right on it as a staff Sunday and we'll go into a normal game-planning mode."

If the Lions beat the New Orleans Saints, the Packers will face Detroit in the divisional playoff.  If not, they'll battle the Falcons/Giants winner.

That game will happen on Sunday, January 15th at Lambeau Field.

Green Bay has beaten all three possible opponents during the 2011 season.

"It definitely gives you confidence, and confidence is part of being successful in the playoffs.  The fact that you have played each opponent and been successful against them, playing them at home; we can be confident regardless of who we play."

McCarthy says, however, that having additional matchups against previous regular season opponents brings new wrinkles in opponents game plans that they may need to prepare for in these weeks.

"There'll be deceptives.  There'll definitely be variations of concepts that you probably ran in the first contest that you played against each other.  I think it's a normal progression in how opponents play each other the second time around, especially in the playoffs."

McCarthy, a husband and father of two young girls, told us that he'd probably watch the Saturday night at home with his family, but would catch the Sunday game at his Packers offices.