Packers 2014

[SkunkedAgain]

Let's get the official thread going. Things are looking good as usual in most aspects. Rodgers is back along with Eddie Lacy, and Aaron still has a good group of receivers to throw to in Nelson, Cobb, Boykins, and others. The o-line should be solid if TT's gamble at center pays off, and the reliance on Sherrod as the backup OT works out. I like the defense better this year but we lack depth at all of the linebacker positions and safety. Injuries will once again be the deciding factor for this team, not talent.

I'll just take the easy road and predict another playoff run but probably a loss in the divisional round assuming that we have to go on the road to a Seattle, San Francisco, or New Orleans. The biggest question is which NFC will be the surprise playoff team?

[BrianLucky13]

The pieces are in place. Lacey is gonna have a huge year if he stays healthy. Playoffs for sure with maybe a Super Bowl run. Defense worries me

[Todd S.]

Should be great balance on offence between the run and pass, defences will have to respect the run even more than they did last year bringing less coverage down field opening up the big play.

I think defence will be significantly improved over last year baring injury of course. Can't really hope for anything other than playoff spot at this point, but all signs to me are pointing up. I wouldn't be surprised if Vikes or Lions both have good to great seasons as well, The North looks pretty good on paper across all teams I think, we'll see how that changes on the grass.

I hate to push summer out the door, but man am I ready for Sept 4th and the rest of the season to get started!

[mrklean]

Health that's all I have to say, if they can stay healthy then they will be a tough team to beat, they cant stay healthy

[BuckSutherland]

I wish the Pack luck this year. If the Vikings cant make it I sure hope the Packers do. Hope they can stay healthy and dont have games stolen from them by the referees again this year.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Let's get the official thread going. Things are looking good as usual in most aspects.

Yeah, they look good as usual. On offense. There isn't one thing about the packers defense that scares me at all as a vikings fan. Rodgers and company better put up 30 pts a game, cuz they will need it every single week playing in the NFC north, where the offenses are all pretty good.

As a matter of fact I think the NFC north may be the WORST defensive division in the NFL and quite possibly the best offensive division

[SkunkedAgain]

I think the NFC north may be the WORST defensive division in the NFL and quite possibly the best offensive division

Good point. The Bears are no longer scary, the Packers and Vikings have soft defenses with a few good players sprinkled here and there, and the Lions do what they always do - disappoint with lots of talent.

Two years in a row now, the Packers get to face a nemesis for Game 1. Last year it was San Francisco, who had knocked them out of the playoffs in 2012. This year it is Seattle, who we haven't faced in a regular season game since the Fail Mary game. What I really like is that Green Bay's defense tends to play harder against Seattle's, as if they get more emotionally charged up. It should be a great start to the season, win or lose. I'm hopeful but realistic about the Packers' chance to win that opener.

[Scott K]

I think if the Packers D stays healthy, they would be average. Which combined with their above average offense, they will be back in the playoffs again.

[fishersofmen]

Something tells me Rogers knee will get tore up this year......

[SkunkedAgain]

Okay

[waterspaniel]

pack 8-8. Bears win North

[J_D]

Tough call this year(between bears, lions, GB) but I have to side with gb winning the division again. Either way it will be fun watching Rodgers, just a couple series last weekend got me all fired up for the season.

[BrianLucky13]

Something tells me Rogers knee will get tore up this year......

You had to be that guy????

[SkunkedAgain]

Some folks feel better about themselves when they rip on more successful people. You don't see anybody trolling the Vikings thread predicting an AP knee injury. Oh well.

I think that Green Bay's WR is still pretty stout with Nelson, Cobb, and the young up and comers. I would tend to be concerned about the TE position, but Aaron has done well without Finley so many times in the past. It would be neat to see GB develop two playable tight ends so they could run a version of the offense like when they had Chmura and Keith Jackson. Having two pass-catching TEs that can catch really opens up your running game. It could make Eddie Lacy have a spectacular season.

[fishersofmen]

Lets not get all butt hurt in here put the violins away.

Packers go 10-6.

Bears will win the division.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

Packers should be favored to win the division in my opinion, but they are not exactly a complete team. Everyone is riding the bears jock all of a sudden, but i don't see cry baby Cutler and company winning more then 9 games unless that offense is basically unstoppable. The Bears D is as toothless as can be and Cutler ALWAYS gets hurt. Im not sure about their O line either.

Heres how i think it plays out

Pack 10-6

Bears 9-7

Vikes 8-8

Detroit 7-9

I think it will be a close division race all season. The only reason I'm picking the pack is because of Rodgers. He's the best QB in the division without question. We all saw what the pack look like without him last year....

The vikings are going to be better then people are giving them credit for. They finally have the right coaching staff in place in my opinion, and thats gonna make a big difference. Should be a great race for all NFC north fans to follow, can't wait

[SkunkedAgain]

We all saw what the pack look like without him last year....

I'll respectfully disagree with that one. We've seen the Packers play at a high level and win without Rodgers before. What we saw last year is what happens when you have inexperienced backups thrown into the game. I guarantee it would be different this season.

[mrklean]

They went through 3 QB's in 3 weeks that didn't help, Flynn is the backup there should be no doubt about that.

[zepman]

Funny stuff Skunked...you're going to actually try and tell everybody that the Pack are and can be a good team without Rodgers at QB!? LOL!!

I think the whole world saw that mess last year...good luck to you and all Packer fans if Rodgers goes down again this year.

[BuckSutherland]

Funny stuff Skunked...you're going to actually try and tell everybody that the Pack are and can be a good team without Rodgers at QB!? LOL!!

I think the whole world saw that mess last year...good luck to you and all Packer fans if Rodgers goes down again this year.

As Vikings fans we have NOTHING to criticize the Packers for. If you havent noticed they have a full trophy case. We have nothing. In fact, we havent even been able to win the NFC championship since I have been alive. The last time we won one Jimmy Carter was president.

At least GB fans know what its like to have a winning QB. We have a revolving carousel of washed up putrid scrubs.

[CaptainMusky]

How big of an impact does losing Raji for the season have? I think its a huge loss, literally and figuratively.

I dont like seeing injuries like this in meaningless games.

Bradford out for the season and there were multiple others too.

[BrianLucky13]

Not good. Lacey got hit in the head too...

[CaptainMusky]

If Lacey will be out for a significant time that would be a huge loss. I still hate the Packers, but when the Vikings beat them I want them at their best. :-)

[mrklean]

Raji is a tough one he was almost worthless last year which is why no one wanted him but if he can play at the level he did 3 years ago hes a beast so time will tell but once again the injury bug hits the Pack

[Todd S.]

I haven't seen any info that Lacey is hurt, did not see any practice day reports for today either though. At the end of the day injuries will always plague every team, Packers depth this year is what most excites me as the next man up mantra has depth to the bench.

And let's not forget the only real injury that can crumble a season is an injury to Rodgers. When you have a QB with his skill sets he becomes irreplaceable. We saw last year that it's possible to a lose a game with Aaron, but it's almost impossible to win a series of games without him.

[picksbigwagon]

My son (11) and I are heading to Lambeau Thrursday night, 8 row, end zone. I don't have the heart to tell him Rodgers probably won't play, but it is his first trip to City Stadium, so needless to say, WE are both a little excited

[SkunkedAgain]

He will have a blast. Sitting at a night game at Lambeau is an incredible experience for anybody, all of my die-hard Viking buddies included. Not one intelligent person has ever disputed that

[Todd S.]

Picksbigwagon-he might not see Rodgers play, but he might be watching a star future QB in Tolzien, he is in the same place at his career I feel like Rodgers was under Favre.

[mrklean]

Went to my first packer game last year and its an experience for sure, you pretty much park in peoples yards, everyone is tailgating everywhere then the stadium is right there out of the neighbor hoods, cant wait to make it to another.

[SkunkedAgain]

Preseason records don't mean much, but from the looks of it Green Bay has even more depth than usual. OL, ILB, and probably DL are the thinnest but everywhere else is pretty stacked. That's good for a team that has been near the top of the league most recent seasons for injuries and IR players.

Week 1 should be fun rematch with the Seahawks