Nostradiggr back for another episode of, I will tell you how the Packers will do this season. PM Henry if you would like to know my track record of success.
This season will be topsy turvy for the Green and Gold. With strengths that make most teams envious and weaknesses in other areas that make even the bad teams think hey, we can do that.. The Green and Gold look to have a slightly above average season.
Led by Aaron Rodgers, the Packers have a stalwart at the QB position that is a surefire lock to amass 4000 yards barring injury. But without Brian Bulaga is Rodgers in more danger than he has been in the past? I know Newhouse almost got him killed at times last season, but for the most part over his tenure he has had the reliability of all-pro calibur (even above average in the times that clifton started his decline) guys like Bulaga and Clifton protecting his blind and strong sides. With the uncertainty of performance at the tackle positions in the pass protection aspect of the game, I do not see #12 making it through a full season - hopefully 75% or more. Bak and Newhouse need to step up big this season for the Pack to garner a 1 or 2 seed.
Eddy Lacy is going to have a huge season. 1200 yards or more barring injury. I expect nothing less. The other backs will see sparing time in the backfield - Franklin on 3d. Starks to spell Lacy when winded. McKnight to come in and fumble the ball (if he makes the squad).
Cobb is going to enjoy a monster season. Some of the touchdowns that went Jones's way last season are coming to Mr. Cobb this season. Jordy Nelson will also be the beneficiary of a little more lax endzone coverage as focus shifts to Jones in the RZ. Nelson should have a nice TD number by the end of the year. I do see a drop off for Jones coming as more attention will be coming his way. Finley will still get a ton of targets, but something in his very small brain has never clicked quite right and he will continue to drop balls and frustrate us to no end.
The defensive line is anchored by our charmin giant BJ Raji (16 solo tackles, 10 assists, 0 sacks). Since being drafted in the top 10, the most notable thing Mr. Raji has done was accidentally catch a pass in the playoffs and do a belly dance... other than that we have had one bad commercial, very little line penetration, few sacks, and a pretty bad run defense. Raji has had several modest seasons in a row now leading me to believe that this is a make or break year for the stay-puft belly dancing media darling. The rest of the defensive line is a year older and a year more experienced. Sizzurp and Pickett provide us with 2 large carcasses of relative dead weight out on the field for the opposing OL to push around. Datone Jones will be a better run defender than most would expect, I think he will have a nice season. Nick Perry adds another dimension to the line even though he will be in that hybrid LB role. He will help with pass rush duties on the DL - freeing up single coverage for the aforementioned charmin michellin tire man (can we get 5 sacks this year BJ... and some inspired TFLs...FFS) as well as the brothers Mike (daniels/neal) on passing sit.
Clay Matthews is stepping into more of a vocal leadership role with GB, and with a nice rebound in the sack department with 13 through 12 games last season the sky is really the limit for Clay. If he can stay on the field for 16 games, he looks like a lock for 15 sacks and 60 tackles. Brad Jones is terrible - I'd rather see this team play more 4-3. The linebacker unit as a whole should be terribly average with Matthews bringing up the lackluster ILB play who are more prone to catching up to guys 5-7 yards down field and giving the old Ole to TEs in pass coverage.
The secondary has back Shields and Williams. Two CBs that most NFL teams wouldnt mind having. On top of that Mycah Hyde and Casey Hayward are very promising young CBs. Morgan Burnett will have a Nick Collins like season.. he's a ball hawk and he is a consistent tackler. MD Jennings is shaky, but the strength of the other guys should help cover his deficiencies, some.
Crosby wont make it through the season. He'll end up having a bad game by week 4 and Ted will have to give up on Mason. Im not sure what pictures Mason has on Ted or Mike.. but man, they have been loyal to a fault to Crosby. I dont see them doing a repeat of last season. Out by the Bye week (4) is my guess.
Here it is, the Packers will come in at 10-6 this season, winning the NFC Tundra Division. The team as constructed with Rodgers at the helm for an entire season has 12-4 written all over them, but I do have doubts on whether he makes it the whole way this year. Without a reliable QB2 I am hesistant to give them a big wins #. 10 seems about right to me.
- Diggr (Henry's friend).
