Zero2Cool
16 years ago

[img_r]http://cmsimg.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=U0&Date=20081023&Category=PKR01&ArtNo=81023185&Ref=AR&Profile=1058&MaxW=318&Border=0[/img_r]In six previous seasons since the NFL realigned into eight divisions, the NFC North has qualified more than one team for the playoffs only once. That was in 2004, when the Minnesota Vikings upset the division champion Green Bay Packers 33-27 in a wild-card game at Lambeau Field.

The North seems more likely than not to be a one-qualifier division again this season, with three teams in contention entering this weekends bye: the Packers and Chicago Bears at 4-3, and the Vikings a game back at 3-4.

Six other NFC teams the New York Giants (5-1) and Washington (5-2) in the East; Tampa Bay (5-2), Carolina (5-2) and Atlanta (4-2) in the South; and Arizona (4-2) in the West have higher winning percentages through seven weeks. That list doesnt include the Dallas Cowboys (4-3), who were favored to win the conference before dropping three of their past four games.

To secure a postseason berth, the Packers almost certainly will need five, perhaps six wins in their remaining nine games, depending in no small part on the play of the Bears and Vikings.

Heres a countdown of what the rest of the schedule holds:

4 division games

[ul]The Packers and Bears are 2-0 against the North, each having beaten Minnesota and Detroit, but they havent played each other.

The first meeting comes Nov. 16 at Lambeau Field, where the Bears knocked the Packers from the ranks of the unbeaten last October. The teams meet again at Soldier Field on Dec. 22, almost exactly one year after the Bears wind-blown 35-7 romp.

Since becoming Bears coach in 2004 and saying publicly his No. 1 goal was to beat Green Bay Lovie Smith has a 6-2 record in the rivalry. Packers coach Mike McCarthy is 1-3 against Chicago. But this could be the first time in years the head-to-head, home-and-home matchups play a major role in determining the North champion.

Though the teams have combined for all six division titles since realignment, the last time both finished with winning records in the same season was 2001, when the Bears won the old NFC Central Division at 13-3 and the Packers were a wild-card qualifier at 12-4. (Proving head-to-head play isnt always a deciding factor, the Packers swept the season series that year.) The teams have been separated in the standings by at least three games every season since.

The Packers play at Minnesota on Nov. 9 and host Detroit on Dec. 28.[/ul]

3 teams with winning records

[ul]This includes the NFLs last unbeaten team, the Tennessee Titans (6-0), as well as Carolina and the Bears.

The Nov. 2 matchup with the Titans is daunting in part because of their dynamic rushing duo: rookie speedster Chris Johnson and bruiser LenDale White. The pair has combined for 863 yards and 11 touchdowns in only six games, including 317 and four in last weeks 34-10 toasting of the Kansas City Chiefs. Tennessee ranks fourth in rushing (154.5 yards per game) and seventh in yards per carry (4.5), while the Packers defense ranks 25th (141.9 rushing yards allowed per game) and 29th (4.9 per carry). Tennessees defense also is stout and balanced, ranking third overall, fifth against the pass and eighth against the run.

But it might be the right time to face the Titans. The Packers will have an extra week to prepare because of the bye coaches began game planning early this week before taking a little time off while Tennessee will be on short rest after playing on Monday night against Indianapolis. The upside for the Titans is both games are at LP Field.

Carolina also boasts one of the NFLs top defenses (fifth overall, second against the pass, 14th against the run), presenting another significant challenge for the Packers 14th-ranked offense.

The combined record of the Packers remaining opponents (counting the Bears twice) is 30-29. They face one .500 team, Jacksonville (3-3), and four teams with losing records: Minnesota, New Orleans (3-4), Houston (2-4) and Detroit (0-6). The matchup with the lowly Lions closes the regular season on Dec. 28.

Statistically, the Bears have the easiest remaining schedule. Only three games are against teams with winning records (Tennessee, the Packers twice), and their opponents combined record is 27-31. They close against Houston.

The Vikings have to play six teams with winning records: the Packers, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Arizona, Atlanta and the Giants, who close the regular season at the Metrodome. The combined record of Minnesotas remaining opponents is 31-26.[/ul]

2 prime-time games

[ul]This number could increase if the NFLs flexible scheduling moves one of four eligible games. But for now, the only prime-time games remaining are Monday night matchups Nov. 24 at New Orleans and Dec. 22 at Chicago.

In two-plus seasons under McCarthy, including playoffs, the Packers are 4-6 in games kicking off after 5 p.m.; last season, they were 1-3. In the offseason, the Packers commissioned a study to dissect the anatomy of a prime-time game, which revealed four problem areas, including increased penalties and poorer turnover differential.

This season, the Packers have split their two prime-time games, beating Minnesota 24-19 on Sept. 8 and falling to Dallas 27-16. Penalties remained a problem in those games the Packers lost 186 yards on the 20 that were enforced but the turnover differential was plus-2.[/ul]

1 elite quarterback

[ul]With all due respect to Chicagos surprising Kyle Orton and Carolina veteran Jake Delhomme, New Orleans Drew Brees is the best passer the Packers will see the rest of the way.

The Saints might be struggling, but Brees remains on pace to challenge the NFLs single-season record for passing yards his 2,224 through seven games are 16.3 percent more than anyone else in the NFL and hes sixth in passer rating (98.5) for the leagues top-ranked offense. Brees has done it with top receiving threats Marques Colston, David Patten and Jeremy Shockey shelved by injuries for extended periods.

Orton ranks sixth and Delhomme 10th in passing yards, but theyre ranked significantly lower in passer rating (Orton 14th, Delhomme 18th). Its Brees who seems most likely to present a major challenge for a Packers pass defense thats riding high after last weeks shutdown performance against Indianapolis star Peyton Manning.

The only other top 10 offense on the Packers remaining slate belongs to the balanced Texans, who are sixth in passing, 12th in rushing and fifth overall. Houston quarterback Matt Schaub ranks 19th in passer rating (83.7).[/ul]


UserPostedImage
gbpfan
16 years ago
it may be tough but i think the pack will come out on top we have good corners and safeties i think they can stop brees like they did manning :icon_smile:
zombieslayer
16 years ago
Two things:
1) I doubt Brees continues that pace. Marino's record is safe for now.

2)

Packers coach Mike McCarthy is 1-3 against Chicago.



I really hope we sweep da Bears this year. I want to see that fixed to 3-3.
My man Donald Driver
UserPostedImage
(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷
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Zero2Cool (14-Feb) : Packers are hiring Luke Getsy as senior offensive assistant.
Martha Careful (12-Feb) : I would love to have them both, esp. Crosby, but either might be too expensive.
Zero2Cool (12-Feb) : Keisean Nixon is trying to get Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams lol
Mucky Tundra (11-Feb) : Yeah where did it go?
packerfanoutwest (11-Feb) : or did you resctrict access to that topic?
packerfanoutwest (11-Feb) : why did you remove the Playoff topic?
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Tua’s old DC won a Super Bowl Year 1 with Tua’s former backup
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : *winning MVP
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Funny observation I've heard: Carson Wentz was on the sideline for both Eagles Super Bowl wins w/guys supposed to be his back up winning
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : NFL thought it would get more attention week preceding Super Bowl.
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Yes, the Pro Bowl. It was played Sunday before Super Bowl from 2010-2022
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : pro bowl
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : From 2010 to 2022, it was played on the Sunday before the Super Bowl
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : They moved it to the BYE week before Super Bowl several years ago.
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : it was always after the SB.....
beast (10-Feb) : Though I stop following pro bowl years ago
beast (10-Feb) : I thought the pro game was before the Super Bowl?
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : ok now for the Pro Bowl Game in Hawaii
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : If I was Philly I would try to end it instead of punting it
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : VICTORY! We have (moral) victory!
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Hey they mentioned that we 3-peted
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : seems to me the 49ers should have traded Aiyuk when they had the chance
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : if the Eagles get it down to the 1, do they Tush Push or give it to Barkley?
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : 49ers have a money problem if they want to sign their QB
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Wait for real? Didn't he just get an extension two years ago?
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : 49ers gonna trade Deebo. Interesting
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Replays always never seem to show the holdings
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Great throw by Hurts
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Where Carter falls prey to bad off the field influences (to be clear, not saying he'd clip someone though)
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Had Carter not gone to Philly were they already had a lot of old college friends, he ends up in a similar spot to Aaron Hernandez
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : I think some of his coaches told scouts to stay away
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : the street racing incident+conditioning and motivation problems
beast (10-Feb) : Then Carter was street racing, where the other car crashed and people died... and other teams were scared to pick Carter for some reason
beast (10-Feb) : I think the Saints traded up, giving their next year 1st to the Eagles, and then they sucked and Eagles got the 10th overall pick
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : wtf Barkley?
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Getting Carter and Nolan Smith in the first round in 2023 was pretty darn good
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : for some reason i'm thinking of a draft where the Eagles where in the mid 20s and a top player fell all the way to them
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : I think so. I would need to look it up. Think it may have been Carolina's pick.
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : i'm not sure who i'm thinking of now
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : oh fuck me i messed that up
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Jordan Davis was 13th overall
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Carter was 9th overall
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Eagles had 15th and 10th selections, moved to 13 and 9 to get Davis and Carter back to back
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Eagles traded up for Carter, didn't they?
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Obviously he was a huge risk but getting a top 5 talent on the dline in the mid 20s is fortuitous
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Jalen Carter falling into their lap certainly helps
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : And we could only wish to have this type of D
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : It's not like Philly has had low draft picks, but has managed to get themselves a top notch pass rush. We spend so much draft capital of D
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : another crap halftime show
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : I think it is over, but then I think of Atlanta and want Philly to go in with the same intensity in the second half
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