rilamann wrote:I wish I could wait 24 hours to make my prediction because while I am 50/50 right now about the Packers either being a 9-7 black cloud team or a 14-2 team that had it's fire lit in Seattle last January I think I will be able to get a pretty good idea of which way the team is going even after just one game.Especially after next week against Seattle.
I don't normally judge a team on their first game of the season,I'm not one of those fans.But I think if this team is a coiled cobra ready to strike its venom into the rest of the league you'll see it right off the bat week 1.I also think that if the team got shook from the Seattle game and is going to have the black cloud effect you will see that right off the bat too.I just feel really strongly that this won't be the same old 11-5 type of team that has a puncher's chance in January because of Aaron Rodgers.
With all that said I am going over to the coiled cobra side of the fence,that sounds dangerous and with this Packer team's issues not relating to talent it could be a dangerous prediction.By ''issues'' I mean the above the neck stuff,don't worry I won't get into all of that right now.
But here's a few reasons why I am going in that direction.
Aaron Rodgers is one of the best QBs to ever step on an NFL field and he is in the prime of his prime with added motivation after the way last season ended.
Mike McCarthy giving up play calling,not so much that in itself but it showed that McCarthy was admitting the approach needed some change.That in itself could be big.
Eddie Lacy.It sucks Jordy is out for the season but now the Packers will (hopefully) be forced to use Lacy properly and by properly I mean use him more and maybe stop giving his goal line touches to Kuhn like we saw in the Seattle game.Kind of goes along with the approach change.I think Lacy is one of the best backs in the league and while the Packers will never be a ''running team'' with Rodgers in his prime (and rightfully so) I don't think that the team has used Lacy properly up to this point and taken full advantage of his talents.I think that might change this season.Oh and more screens please.
We have a bunch of guys on our defense who are ''just guys'' (Neal,Perry,Raji ect) that are free agents,not bad players but they're nothing special.But put those type of guys in contract years and you might see some career years.How do you win in the NFL? Get a great QB and a bunch of ''guys'' in contract years.
Despite how hard the Packers choked in Seattle I think that they proved to themselves in that game how good they really are and how good they can be.Maybe more importantly that game also proved to them that you have to stay aggressive for 60 minutes and not take your foot off the gas.I think they have the confidence and motivation along with a valuable lesson learned.
One intangible that could prove big is getting both Dallas and Seattle in Green Bay in the regular season.Both teams are likely your two biggest competitors in the NFC and for HFA.Getting them both head to head and both at home gives the Packers an opportunity to have an edge in the important the race for HFA.
And lastly the NFC simply isn't all that good and the Packers have the best QB in the league.There's a few good teams but other than Seattle there really isn't a team that scares me if the Packers are on top of their game and Rodgers plays like an MVP.The Cowboys are still pretty good but I just can't see them being the same team we seen last year now that they no longer have Murray.Eagles don't scare me,no one in our division or the NFC south scare me.
Like I said before,when you take all these factors into consideration along with the fact Rodgers is in his prime, if the Packers can't get it done this season we probably need to start getting used to the idea of Rodgers retiring with one ring.You have the team,you have the motivation and experience now get it done.
I would be horribly disappointed if they start out sluggish the first few weeks and lose a couple games early on but I am mindful that it's important to play your best in November through January when the playoff push is really key.
I like the coiled snake analogy sounds like the 96 team that just ran over everyone with something to prove.
Yet again in 2010 it took them getting hot come the final stretch to get in and staying hot throughout the post season.
Two very different ways the season unfolded.
It seems in past seasons the team has gained momentum as the season goes on maybe it's because of all the youth that has to get their feet wet and has growing pains first couple of months of the season. I can give Dick and davante as examples of that.
But maybe this season is different, as has been we documented we are returning starters at almost every position and even returning a lot of backup players. To your point we have a bunch of guys in contract years, well that means they've been in the system for 3-4 years now, they should be reaching their potential at this point and no longer having those growing pains.
With very few needs for rookie contributions this is a team that is more mature than previous years and should be able to hit the ground running.
They had a crappy preseason so I could see some rust tomorrow but I would expect by week 2 they should be hitting on all cylinders.
So while of course it's best to peak during December this is a team that should be peaking all year based on the experience and maturity of the starters.
