Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are my surprise team in 2020. They started 1-7 in 2019 but finished 6-2 in the second half of the season, including wins against San Francisco and New Orleans. The Packers always struggle to stop Julio Jones. Do we have enough firepower to keep pace? I am going to say no.
(1-3)
@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Now the pressure is on. I suspect most will leave the Packers buried heading into this game, but they really matchup well with Tampa Bay. We can rush the passer and the Bucs weakness is their offensive line. Oh, they also have a stationary QB that cannot extend plays. With the season on the line, I think this is the upset that jump-starts the season.
(2-3)
@ Indianapolis Colts
Everybody talks about Philip Rivers, but the Colts have a productive running game. The Packers didn’t address their run defense in the off-season, and it will bite them somewhere. I vote this game due to Marlon Mack and Jonathan Taylor.
(5-5)
Philadelphia Eagles
The Packers should be able to handle the Eagles at home this time around. First, I thought they outplayed the Eagles last season. They struggled inside the red zone, which was kind of a fluke. I wanted Philly instead of Seattle in the playoffs last season. The Seahawks scared me more. This time around you have a more well-defined Green Bay offense and a defense that does play well at home. The Eagles game was the lone exception. More important, the Eagles will be coming off a Monday night game against a feisty Seattle. Six days later, they travel north to play a December game at Lambeau. Unlike the San Francisco game, this is one example of the schedule makers doing the Pack a favor.
(7-5)
@ Detroit Lions
There really is no reason why the Packers shouldn’t beat the Lions in both games. The Packers have the better roster, quarterback, coaching staff, and defense.
(8-5)
Carolina Panthers
It is December and it’s Lambeau Field. If Aaron Rodgers is healthy, then Green Bay is going to be dangerous in this game. The Panthers are going to struggle on offense, as Teddy Bridgewater lacks vertical options in the passing game.
(9-5)
I felt the Packers overachieved in 2019 and I suspect they come back to earth in 2019 due to a tougher schedule and getting less breaks. Seeing them land in the 9 to 11-win range feels right.
Originally Posted by: porky88
Great breakdown and I might have to go revisit mine, as I was thinking about the Colts winning before, but your right, with their running game and play calling and OL, plus Rivers, our defense is going to completely have their hands full.
Certainly will with the Falcons and Bucs offenses, but it's been their defense holding then back.... I think the Packers split these, still thinking they beat Falcons and lose to the Bucs.
Colts and Eagles, I want to split them too, but maybe I have it backwards, though I need to look at their defense more. But yes I'll switch and say loss against the Colts but the question is the Eagles.
So at the moment I'm 9-6 and one Eagles game decision... Packers out moved the Eagles, but the Eagles won the game by being more physical and man handling the Packers. Packers tried to get better there in the draft, but the Eagles were also so injured coming into that game, that if healthy, they're even tougher. I'll go with a Packers win 10-6 still, but I might be closer to 9 wins than 11 in my mind.
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I thought about making a new thread about this and maybe I still will, but I think this team might be better than last year team, but the results will be a hell lot worse, as the opponents offenses will be a hell lot better than last years.
The defense straight up carried us through a number of games (same with the Superbowl year IMO) and didn't get enough credit.... so I'm expecting a while lot of bitching about defense this year, and people making silly claims that the 49ers offense exposed this defense, when in reality, last year the Packers were just lucky as hell, facing so many poor offenses and poor QBs (5 of which, I don't believe we're starters week 1) and others (Mitch trubisky) who shoulder be starting and struggle with pressure and teams with weak OLs.
Veteran QBs carved up our defense, and this is the best group of opposing veteran QBs I've seen on a schedule that I can remember. Pettine isn't going to be able to trick them that often... gonna have to trick the protections and just try to out play them.
The one advantage the Packers defensive might have over last year's (other than the ILBer is a better fit what the scheme) is that the Packers have the pieces to fully run LaFleur system and they have been trying to add some power elements, and the offensive players will be more used to the scheme, not being new to it, and so hopefully longer offensive drives, give the defense more rest.
But when people start complaining about the defenses decline, please realize it's more about the opponents, where Packers faced weak ass QBs last year and pressured them around.... where Packers are facing some of the best this year, and their DBs will be getting burned often IMO. My prediction is we'll either be screaming for CB or DT as the biggest need next draft.
Which FYI, CB is much more needed IMO, because the scheme (at least what they ran last year, and I don't know if that will continue) helped the CBs out and they (King) still struggled a lot. Where the scheme is all about pass rush for the lineman, making it extremely hard on the DL to run block.
But my point is... if you have better coverage, you can easily adjust the scheme to help the DTs... but if you have a better DL, you really couldn't do any more to help the DBs. So better CBs gives them more options. Also the 49ers head coach said he attacked the Packers edge rushers, and he seemed to avoid Clark as much as he could, so a strong run defense isn't all about the DTs either.