By Chris Havel

GREEN BAY—The Green Bay Packers can only wish it will be so easy in the playoffs.

The Packers beat Arizona just about every way possible last Sunday in what proved to be a regular-season finale/NFC wild-card game prelude.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy handled his game plan, preparation and in-game substitution pattern almost flawlessly.

Green Bay (11-5) finishes with a five-game turnaround from last year’s dismal 6-10 team. It also showed marked improvement on defense, especially with the continued excellence of Charles Woodson and Nick Collins, and the emergence of young players Tramon Williams, Clay Matthews, Brad Jones and B.J. Raji.

There is plenty of reason to be optimistic.

There are five things the Packers must do to advance deep in the post-season. They accomplished each in last Sunday’s 33-7 victory at Arizona while winning the franchise’s 15th regular-season finale in the past 16 seasons.

Here are the five keys:

• 1. No foolish penalties - The Packers had precious few penalties - foolish or otherwise - against the Cardinals, committing just four for 19 yards. That must continue during the NFC wild-card game and beyond should they win. Another words (are you listening, Johnny Jolly?) no head-butts, or butt-heads, allowed.

• 2. Emphasize the running game - McCarthy’s backfield trio of Ryan Grant (11 for 51), Ahman Green (12 for 42) and Brandon Jackson (6 for 17) tallied 29 carries for 110 yards. That’s the type of production and commitment the Packers have been lacking. Granted, it’s easier to run with a significant lead (26-0 at halftime) in a game whose outcome is inconsequential. Still, it is improvement nonetheless.

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