Notebook: Despite clinching, McCarthy won't let up

A year ago, with his team's playoff destiny secure, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy chose to rest his core starters during its regular-season finale against Detroit.

Minus Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and several others, the Packers held off the Detroit Lions 45-41 to finish 15-1, but fell two weeks later in the NFC Divisional playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

The Packers punched their ticket back to the playoffs with Sunday's 21-13 win over Chicago - marking their first back-to-back NFC North Division titles under McCarthy - but it also begged the question ...