Packers Preview: Bouncing Back? Scary Thought

Zero2Cool
Elite Member Topic Starter

11 years ago

The Green Bay Packers seem to have everything a professional football team could ever want:

[list]

An innovative offense directed by a likeable but no-nonsense head coach and quarterbacked by a 29-year-old superstar.

A multifaceted, young, athletic defense.

A front office led by a respected former NFL player (team president Mark Murphy), along with a venerated general manager: Ted Thompson, a keen talent evaluator who has at his disposal one of the best scouting departments in football. In the last four years, three of his top executives—John Schneider, Reggie McKenzie and John Dorsey—have been named general managers.

A quaint hometown where fans’ loyalty is deep and unwavering, and where the pressure to win is palpable but not suffocating.

A rich history that includes not just 13 world championships (dating to 1929), but also a Super Bowl victory and a 15-win regular season within the last three years.[/list]

In a testament to the NFL’s fine line between good and great, these near-perfect Packers—who were perhaps better-stocked a year ago—are coming off a fairly underwhelming 11-5 season, in which their offense was not razor sharp (falling from first to fifth in scoring and third to 13th in yardage) and their defense uncharacteristically got out-schemed and embarrassed in a 45–31 divisional round loss at San Francisco.

Thus, Green Bay’s motif this year is “bouncing back.” Make no mistake, though: This club is primed to do some extraordinary things in 2013.

MMQB wrote:

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play2win
Senior Member

11 years ago

I agree. Somehow, we've been able to land what looks to be a very effective rushing tandem in Lacy and Franklin. We've been able to find what looks to be a diamond in the rough as a starting LT in Bakhtiari. We've been able to add competent WR depth and TE depth at the bottom of our roster. We're experimenting with Patrick Lewis at both LG and C, and he looks to be holding up quite well, for a team in need of quality depth at C.

That is a lot of new talent added to a already potent offense. Quite possibly 3 steals from the 2013 draft and UDFA class on that side of the ball.

Add possibly 3 or 4 more steals on defense with the additions of Datone Jones, Micah Hyde, Sam Barrington, Andy Mulumba, and the signing of one Johnny Jolly. Wow.

A lot has to come together, as we've had some significant losses to injury and FA, but it looks like this new talent could help make this Packers team far better than 2011-2012.

Dulak
Veteran Member

11 years ago

Originally Posted by: play2win

ya Im feeling a bit less 'bad' about losing woodson, drivers, Jennings, bishop ... although - our WRs still may be a little weaker and our DBs too our other positions look improved.

And plus we got young guys to train up so they could be better then what we had ... finley sure looked like a different dude out there - we might have to pay him again next year

play2win
Senior Member

11 years ago

Yeah Dulak, its kind of funny. All those guys you mentioned, Woodson, Driver, Jennings and Bishop, they are all pretty much done. We saw their play and health decline since winning the Super Bowl 2010, in every case. Driver is retired. Woodson still has a little left in him, but not at the money he would have wanted to stay. Jennings will prove that Rodgers really made him better, now that he has Ponder throwing to him. I bet his receiving yards will be under 700 with MIN. And then there is Bishop, who I could easily see being cut.

Meanwhile, Ted Thompson had what may very well be his best draft ever. We may be more talented than ever in his tenure. Lots of proving to do though. We will see.

DoddPower
Veteran Member

11 years ago

The 2013 draft class is looking like it could be a "great" one. Definitely impressive. Almost every pick looks good, and some look very good.

musccy
Veteran Member

11 years ago

I'm nervous about WR depth, most of the OL, and much of the front 7 still has a lot to prove. People are optimistic about Franklin, but McGinn (I believe) just had an article over the weekend about how he's been quite underwhelming thus far.

With that said, Lacy really does look like the real deal, Finley is giving me some hope, and Bakahrti and D. Jones also appear to be great pick ups. I also can't wait to see Cobb's continued growth.

Dulak
Veteran Member

11 years ago

Originally Posted by: musccy

I agree about franklin - so far I havnt seen much to warrant him being the 2nd coming as a back for us. Ok he can run a bit and they put him on some ST returns ... but starks and green appear to be doing just as well as him in the running game.

Lacy looks better then the rest so far.

I am also concerned about our WR depth - as long as nelson and cobb come back ok - then ok then ... but if not ... I think we will be struggling a bit.

nerdmann
Premier Member

11 years ago

Originally Posted by: Dulak

They've overthrown Franklin on some screens.

Lacy and Starks are your up the middle/between the tackles guys.

Franklin, Green and Harris are the guys you wanna get out in space with some blockers in front. Anyone of these guys can make the first man miss and then accelerate to the house.

I question Green's vision at times, he's got a little Ryan Grant in him. But I'd keep all 5.

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

Mucky Tundra
Veteran Member

11 years ago

Originally Posted by: nerdmann

Agree on their running styles. With Green I'm not sure he has what it takes to be an every down type of back but he seems to get pass blocking and receiving from what I saw vs the Rams.

“Nah. I like having the island. It’s pretty cool...not too many visitors”

"I’ve got it." -Aaron Rodgers

Gaycandybacon
Member

11 years ago

#10

Franklin hasn't looked horrible, I think it's premature to right him off.... Like Nerd said there is a couple instances where they couldn't get Franklin in situations where he fits best.

Screens, Check downs, swing passes, tosses, etc.

I'm pretty damn sure we haven't seen what he could do yet.

In the Cardinal game he caught a screen pass for a pretty good gain.

I'm optimistic about Franklin. He definitely has a learning curve, but if someone can get him a ball in open space he can do damage..

I heard someone come on the radio and say they should cut him... I laughed so hard!

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Zero2Cool (16h) : doubt he wants to face the speedsters

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Zero2Cool (18h) : No Doubs could be issue Thursday

Mucky Tundra (23h) : Bears. Santos. Blocked FG

Zero2Cool (24-Nov) : Bears. Vikings. OT

Mucky Tundra (24-Nov) : Thems the breaks I guess

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packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : Report: Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but not for the Jets

beast (23-Nov) : That's what I told the Police officer about my speed when he pulled me over

packerfanoutwest (23-Nov) : NFL told Bears that Packers’ blocked field goal was legal

packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : 49ers are underdogs at Packers, ending streak of 36 straight games as favorites

Zero2Cool (22-Nov) : 49ers might be down their QB, DL, TE and LT?

packerfanoutwest (22-Nov) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL

Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?

Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”

beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout

beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL

Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.

Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.

beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?

beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources

packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.

packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks

packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.

packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked

Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.

packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?

beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.

Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.

bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year

Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league

packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt

Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why

Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.

beast (18-Nov) : Dennis Green "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"

Martha Careful (17-Nov) : comment of the day Z2Cool "Bears better than we want to admit. Packers worse than we think. It's facts."

Mucky Tundra (17-Nov) : my worst case scenario: Bears fix their oline and get a coach like Johnson from the Lions and his scheme

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