For whatever reason I'm not as concerned about the defense as some. I probably project a lower ceiling than some as far as how the defense will play -- but I think they'll be much improved in a few areas. I guess what I'm saying is I anticipate improvement on defense.

My concern is that the offensive line and running game will still be inconsistent. Right now on NFL Network they are replaying the Packers/Titans game from last season. Here's the anatomy of a Packer drive:

With about 11:00 left in the 4th quarter the Packers trail 16-13. Rodgers completes a first down pass to driver which brings the Packers closer to midfield. On first down it's a zone stretch to the right side. Grant gets filtered towards the sideline and dropped for a loss of 1. Second and 11 Rodgers drops back, the lineman come through (by design) to setup a screen. The result: Grant drops an easy catch. Okay. Third and eleven. Rodgers receives the shotgun snap and almost instantaneously is pressured. He escapes one guy, moves to his left and is hit low by another Titan defender. Tennessee only had four guys rushing. Green Bay had five lineman and a TE.

Now, I know that's one scenario on one drive in one game. But when it's only a three point game in the fourth quarter our offense needs to sustain drives. They can't get all of their offensive production from the receiving game. I suppose I'm worried the o-line will struggle. I'm afraid of Grant failing to return to his '07 form.

If the offensive line play and overall defense improve even marginally I think we're already better by 2 or 3 wins (particularly considering our schedule).

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Losing Birk might hurt a tad but they have a solid O-Line and the best RB in football behind it. I'm not sure why you think their Def. will break down? As far as special teams they are much better off than GB. With the addition of Percy and GB's already struggling unit minus Hunter I think they sit better than we do at this point.

I think Minn and Chicago duke it out for 1 & 2 while the much improved Lions and GB battle for the 3rd spot. It's going to be an interesting season in the NFC north

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I'm worried (i think concerned is a better word for it) about the running game.
To me, if Grant doesn't show me thats he's "the" guy, i yank him out and sit him. Last season, he was awful. 1000 yards in a 16 game season isn't what 1000 yards meant in a 14 game season. He went down WAY to easy last year. Hopefully, it was the injury, and he'll show up ready to prove himself.
If i were coach, i'd have a short leash, and if he stumbles, yank him and put in Jackson.
JMO

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Not a huge point of contention, but we did add some guys via the draft that should be special teams impacts (Quinn Johnson and Brad Johnson stick out -- if Clay Matthews is used in special teams he could make an immediate impact as well).

Just sayin'. You cite the loss of Hunter. But what's the net outcome?

I'm a glass half full kinda Packer fan. You hate [most] everything about Thompson. Just trying to demonstrate the difference I guess.

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The funny thing is I hope you're right. Not that Detroit and Green Bay battle for 3rd, but that we have an interesting season in the NFC North and that all four teams are competitive. I'd like to see it come down to the final game. The NFC North has been boring for years. I'd like to see a year in which every team had a legitimate shot at the playoffs -- and not because the division was mediocre but because the division was a powerhouse.

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So our addition of Clay Matthews, who can contribute on Special Teams means nothing to you? Or our other late rounders who make no difference whatsoever? Did Green Bay make no improvement over this offseason, that you dare compare us to the 0-16 Lions? Have you so little faith in the team you purport to follow? We "lost" Hunter because he made 3, THREE special teams tackles last season. He wasn't worthy of a roster spot with that amount of production. That's it.

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Yes I'm sure we will get some production from the young guys, just like Minnesota's guys will as well. If I look at the draft as a whole however, Minny upgraded their ST unit more than GB did and they were better to begin with.

I think our ST unit will improve, I was just following up on the comment that Minny's ST unit was weak. I do think we will comptee with Det. for the 3 spot in the division. Not so much because the Packers got worse as much as Detroit has improved.

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I don't really think you see the prob lem with special teams in as much that with the wedge being taken out of the equation more athletic players r needed I honestly belie ve that GB st is a faster and more athletic as a whole unit. The differance. Between 07 and 08 was injuries in the front line guys which sucked off of ST. Look at hester for chicago since converting to a full time WR his return production went with it. As far as running game yes AP is superb but he is fumble prone and runs upright. He is also a liability in 3rd and long he is not a complete back. Would I want him on the pack u bet.

Another thing is that Childress is a very predictable offensive minded person increativity wise. Look at his time in wisconsin. He is smart but can over think a problem as can MM from time to time.
I think that offensively the pack is very very powerful even though grant was limited he still obtained 1200 yards so his bad year was average in production in terms of running backs.
Rodgers will have also gained credability in the passing game which will help with teams having to respect the pass more knowing rodgers is capable of burning them.
O-line will also be improved in the terms of being able to gel we have all seen the resullts of a rotating line I think we will be more stable in that area.
D will b. Tricky and will take a lil time. Injuries and poor pad level (sorry had too) caused a large drop in the ability in crunch time to produce stops was the biggest differance in what was a 9-7 team dropping to 6-10.
Minnies introduction of sage will do little to spice things up for them. Chi introducing a Cuttle to their offense willl make them less cuddly bears but don't think that they are positioned in weapons like the Pack are.
I predict the Pack will fall in at 10-6 for second place in division with the vikes finishing 12-4/11-5 Pack will make playoffs and face minny and win in their house for some long overdue retribution for the randy game in 2003 was it?
Sorry for the long typing

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Well, I don't think the other teams in our division have done enough to improve more than we have by virtue of the fact we needed to improve the defense and pass rush and the collective moves in coaching staff and personnel will get this done.
I will go full-cycle here and just say I agree with Raider in that we need to be ready in week one and take advantage of a weak schedule thru the break.
Every team in the North has their crosses to bare and I don't think they have done enough to offset the fact we were a blocked and missed FG from cleaning the slate in the North last year.

Chicago got a better QB but they still don't have the WR's, their OL is ancient, and their defense is overrated and they didn't do much over there to get better.

The Vikings are the Vikings of last year by not fixing the QB position. They are still beatable thru the air and we have even managed to run it pretty good against them. Let's not forget they will not have some pretty important players the first part of the year either.

The Packers have the best pass defenders in the North and even though people want to beat on our OL we were far and away the best offense as well. For me it's exciting knowing Arod will definately be better for having a year under his belt and our WR core blows the rest of the division off the map.

The key to '09 is taking advantage of the schedule and getting up in the standings early. Chicago kicks off with us and then the Steelers and the Vikes are without some studs on defense early. The schedule couldn't be better for us in that we won't have to play perfect to win alot of those games and I expect our defense to jell over time and allow us to be competitive with the better teams we play late.

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Cutler is over-rated in my opinion, he's keeper of a stellar 17-20 record and is already lighting up the gossip pages down here in Chicago with his drinking. I predict a flame out of huge proportions.

Minny's D ain't all that, remember, they were one incredibly horseshit interference call from losing to the much maligned Lions last season. (beat us by one point remember, and, according to some, the Packers are pedestrian at best)

Our offense is far and away better than any of the other division teams. Get consistency out of the O-line and we will remain in the top ten offensively.

Our new D-line coach is a former D coordinator, we've added a highly respected secondary coach and a former player who will light a fire under some asses, and Capers is one of the best. He will play to the strengths of our D players and bring the 3-4 along as they improve. Hopefully the injuries have cleared up (still believe that the defensive injuries is what brought us to 6-10 last season) and if so we should take the division no problem.

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