Awe ****. King has us #1.

[ReasonablySober]

1. Green Bay. It's not just the maturation of Aaron Rodgers. It's the carryover from a fluky end to 2009 (the weird playoff loss at Arizona) and the fact that only one team in football -- New Orleans -- had a better point differential than the Pack's plus-164 last year. I like Jermichael Finley to become a great player in his second starting season. I don't trust the pass-rush (where Clay Matthews is the only real thing), and I worry about two of the top three corners coming off ACL surgery, and aging. But the defensive front is formidable, and a very good match for the good run teams of the AFC North. I also like Weeks 2 through 5 on the schedule (Buffalo, at Chicago, Detroit, at Washington), which sets up for a strong start.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/w ... z0oC3Caaao
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[LeopoldStotch]

Like last year, we'll be getting a lot of preseason love. I think Rodgers opened a lot of eyes in the AZ playoff game and a lot of the national media realize he's on track to be one of the next great QBs. Combine that with out #2 defensive ranking and they think we're on the verge of greatness.

What they probably don't realize is just how easy our schedule was last year. Detroit twice, Chicago twice, St. Louis, Cleveland, Tampa Bay (a loss), San Fran and Seattle. I know nothing's a given, but those are 9 games any good team should win. Plus, AZ basically laid down the last game of the regular season. Our only good wins were Dallas and Baltimore and both came at home.

I do think we'll be good this year, but I don't think our defense was nearly as good as our ranking last season. We've seen what our pathetic pass rush leads to against good teams (Pittsburgh, Minn and AZ). Maybe we're better in year 2 of the 3-4, but I'm concerned about the defense, not to mention our special teams.

[MickeyDavis]

Kiss of death

[Siefer]

Like last year, we'll be getting a lot of preseason love. I think Rodgers opened a lot of eyes in the AZ playoff game and a lot of the national media realize he's on track to be one of the next great QBs. Combine that with out #2 defensive ranking and they think we're on the verge of greatness.

What they probably don't realize is just how easy our schedule was last year. Detroit twice, Chicago twice, St. Louis, Cleveland, Tampa Bay (a loss), San Fran and Seattle. I know nothing's a given, but those are 9 games any good team should win. Plus, AZ basically laid down the last game of the regular season. Our only good wins were Dallas and Baltimore and both came at home.

I do think we'll be good this year, but I don't think our defense was nearly as good as our ranking last season. We've seen what our pathetic pass rush leads to against good teams (Pittsburgh, Minn and AZ). Maybe we're better in year 2 of the 3-4, but I'm concerned about the defense, not to mention our special teams.

I think you hit the nail on the head here. Our D very well might improve in the 2nd year of the 3-4, but we still have major issues getting to good QBs, and 2 of our top 3 corners are reaching the age where most non-punters fall off pretty dramatically. I agree with you, I think we're going to be good this year, but number 1 is way too high for this team right now.

[LarryHarris]

Like last year, we'll be getting a lot of preseason love. I think Rodgers opened a lot of eyes in the AZ playoff game and a lot of the national media realize he's on track to be one of the next great QBs. Combine that with out #2 defensive ranking and they think we're on the verge of greatness.

What they probably don't realize is just how easy our schedule was last year. Detroit twice, Chicago twice, St. Louis, Cleveland, Tampa Bay (a loss), San Fran and Seattle. I know nothing's a given, but those are 9 games any good team should win. Plus, AZ basically laid down the last game of the regular season. Our only good wins were Dallas and Baltimore and both came at home.

I do think we'll be good this year, but I don't think our defense was nearly as good as our ranking last season. We've seen what our pathetic pass rush leads to against good teams (Pittsburgh, Minn and AZ). Maybe we're better in year 2 of the 3-4, but I'm concerned about the defense, not to mention our special teams.

+2, great post, Butters!

[RiotPunch]

This is awesome.

[MikeIsGood]

Well it was a good season. There's always next year.

[jerrod]

looks like a perfectly sound and well reasoned article to me

[Mags FTW]

looks like a perfectly sound and well reasoned article to me

3. Baltimore.

[ReddRum]

This list looks a little more accurate, although I think the Jets are gonna be real tough this year.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings

[humanrefutation]

This list looks a little more accurate, although I think the Jets are gonna be real tough this year.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings

Those rankings are from February, immediately post-Super Bowl. It doesn't take into account anything that's happened over the last three months, i.e. FA moves, trades, and the draft. Thus, I can't take it too seriously.

But, I don't think the Packers can be considered the #1 team until we figure out how good our secondary will be. Harris's recovery will be key.

[notoriousTJ11]

Kiss of death

Peter King predicted the Patriots over the Bears in the Super Bowl last year

[Kerb Hohl]

This list looks a little more accurate, although I think the Jets are gonna be real tough this year.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/powerRankings

While I think he will improve to be better than Russell, I'm not sure JaMarcus Sanchez will be so good and they may not win so many close ones when he doesn't play that well.

Who knows, though. He could burst out, too.

[notoriousTJ11]

Peter King also predicted the Saints would be 24th last year

[Icness]

Like last year, we'll be getting a lot of preseason love. I think Rodgers opened a lot of eyes in the AZ playoff game and a lot of the national media realize he's on track to be one of the next great QBs. Combine that with out #2 defensive ranking and they think we're on the verge of greatness.

What they probably don't realize is just how easy our schedule was last year. Detroit twice, Chicago twice, St. Louis, Cleveland, Tampa Bay (a loss), San Fran and Seattle. I know nothing's a given, but those are 9 games any good team should win. Plus, AZ basically laid down the last game of the regular season. Our only good wins were Dallas and Baltimore and both came at home.

I do think we'll be good this year, but I don't think our defense was nearly as good as our ranking last season. We've seen what our pathetic pass rush leads to against good teams (Pittsburgh, Minn and AZ). Maybe we're better in year 2 of the 3-4, but I'm concerned about the defense, not to mention our special teams.

You wanna just write the Packers preview for me this summer?
I think you're going to see the Pack as a trendy pick to win it all, or at least the NFC. But for the reasons you laid out, they will not be mine. Still debating whether I pick them to make the playoffs.

[LUKE23]

I think we're a playoff team based on the fact that we have a potent offense and we will once again shut down the run (given the talent and depth of the defensive line). The gap between us just being a playoff team and being a legit SB contender rides on:

1. Corner depth and health
2. Brad Jones showing he can be a legit #2 pass rushing threat

Right now, I have questions on both of those. We didn't add any corners (I do think Burnett will be good and will overtake Bigby as a starter by midseason), and we have Harris coming off major injury at age 35, and then two other unproven guys in Lee and Blackmon both coming off injury. I'm worried about our corners right now.

With the pass rush, it's the most important aspect of D in today's NFL. I believe the Packers think improved DL depth and talent will help there, but to truly get into the top 5ish range for sacks we will need Jones to be a stud.

I don't see anyone stopping our offense this year though. Another year of maturation for Rodgers and Finley, we have Clifton and Tauscher both from day 1, and improved depth on the line overall with the addition of Bulaga. I don't see the OL being anywhere near as bad as it was the first half of last year.

One other wild card: special teams. They were awful last year. Am praying that the new punter and Shields as a returner can help us get more of a field position advantage than in years past.

Right now, I'll say 11-5 again, with a ceiling of 13-3 if everything fell into place.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Are we number 1 in the division?

[Wade-A-Holic]

Anything less than 11-5 would be considered a major letdown. There is a ton of tape of our defense getting lit up by teams with good QBs spreading us out, and that is exactly what teams are going to try doing to us next season. How Capers and our defense respond to that will go a long way in determining the difference between 11-5 and 13-3. Aside from that, it's the usual suspects in terms of uncertainty: health/depth in the secondary, quality at linebacker positions, and special teams.

[rilamann]

The Packers had a pretty easy schedule last season but with the exception of Tampa Bay we destroyed the bad teams.

If we went 11-5 and eeked out wins vs the bad teams last year I'd be nervous.But based on beating some good teams and destroying some bad ones I'm not worried from that perspective.

The Packers biggest problem last season was was not coming out focused for all 16 games,if we had we would of probably went 14-2.

[LeopoldStotch]

The Packers had a pretty easy schedule last season but with the exception of Tampa Bay we destroyed the bad teams.

Good point. Looking back at the scores, we did blow out a lot of those games. Maybe I should be more excited about our 2010 chances, but I'm trying to keep my expectations lower.