The Journal Times Online - Racine, Wisconsin

I don’t get it. Why did Packers coach Mike McCarthy challenge whether Adrian Peterson broke the plane of the end zone on a play that gave the Minnesota Vikings the go-ahead points late in Sunday’s game at the Metrodome?

Even if McCarthy was right, he’s only delaying the inevitable and allowing the Vikings to burn off precious seconds on the clock before scoring. But because McCarthy was wrong and the call wasn’t overturned, he forfeited a timeout that would have come in so handy during the Packers’ final drive.

By having that second timeout, so many more options could have been available, giving the Packers a better chance to drive deep enough into Vikings territory to create a much more makeable field-goal opportunity for Mason Crosby. Instead, he was forced to try a 52-yard attempt that sailed wide right.

I’ve never been a fan of those who give themselves the benefit of the doubt before second-guessing a coach. But even before Troy Aikman was pointing out what a questionable decision McCarthy was making while the call was being reviewed, I couldn’t believe he was challenging that call.

After the big plays by Nick Collins and Will Blackmon Sunday afternoon, there’s no reason why the Packers shouldn’t have left Minneapolis with a victory. What they instead left with was a morale-crushing loss with the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers on tap.

It was generally conceded that McCarthy would outcoach Brad Childress Sunday. But that didn’t turn out to be the case. And when everything plays out, it very well might end up costing the Packers a postseason berth.