LOL, the Packers at #8 is a joke. Behind the Bengals? REALLY?? I have no doubt this was simply meant to create some controversy around PFT's article in hopes of attracting more viewers. No intelligent person could actually believe that. Worse-case scenario, they need to be a couple spots higher, and more than likely in the top 5. The Packers defense will be better, and the offense will be one of the best in the league again. So long as the Packers stay relatively healthy, they will be tough to beat for any team, even the 49'ers. The Seahawks are definitely over rated, imo, and I think that will show this season.

Actually, I think Florio mentions (or maybe it was on CBS) that the lasting memory people have of the Packers defense was their getting torched on national TV in the playoffs. Yet there is still all this acclaim for the 49ers, who gave up 34 in their last game, and perhaps would have given up more without the extra half hour break to stop the Ravens' momentum.

Obviously there is more to ranking a defense than just yards allowed, and I would certainly like to see them play better, but the defense (11) actually ranked higher than the offense (13) last year. I feel a lot better about both because of what I feel will be a vastly improved running game this year, but the genral public tends to get their impression of how good a team is on O or D based on how often its stars get featured on ESPN. The Ravens' defense sucked last year, and there is a lot of hand wringing about how many guys they lost, bur I am guessing they will be much better this year.

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There was a lot of talking about the guys they lost. However, they plugged a few holes with some decent free agents signings and draft picks, so the talking heads on NFL Network generally seem to think their defense will be much better than last year, as a result. In addition to, of course, getting a few guys healthy. They likely can't be much worse than the slow unit they fielded for most of the Super Bowl game, anyway. They came into the Super Bowl with a great game plan, but the 49'ers definitely adjusted in the 2nd half, and were almost looking unstoppable, at times. Fortunately, the Ravens pulled it off.

Not sure why we are below the Patriots, but otherwise I am good with this. More to proof.

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Don't much care where we start - it's where we end that counts.

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The Packers will be right there at the end IF:
A) The young players they have that have shown promise do continue to improve.
B) The starters stay relatively healthy and we don't finish 1st in total games out by starters due to injury.

To the Right:
If Perry breaks out it opens up everyone to his right.

If Bulaga holds up it will inspire everyone to his right. If he's playing his ass off no way Sitton lets him down, no way EDS let's those two down, etc,.

I see these as two major keys in how far the Pack goes this year.

Aside from the fact the IR list cannot look like it did at the end of last year and expect to make a push against much healthier teams when it comes to playoff time. Playoff teams go for the throat and it's much easier to get your hands around that neck when too many quality players are over on the sidelines watching.

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