The only prediction bolder than picking the Packers to come away with a win on the road against the reigning Super Bowl champions is forecasting a 12-win season for a team that has lost three players for the year before the regular season is even underway.
Starting the season thin on both lines isn’t usually the makeup of a contending club in the NFL. However, the portion of the Packers’ roster that is healthy is about as dangerous as any lineup in the league. Despite the departures of Jermichael Finley, James Jones and Johnathan Franklin, Green Bay has arguably the most electrifying offense in the NFC, with the league’s best quarterback and newfound greatness in the running game.
Talent is a bit more spotty on the defensive side of the ball, though the additions of Julius Peppers and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix paired with return of Casey Hayward could improve a pass defense that has struggled mightily in recent years. Sad as it is to say, many fans simply hope that the defense is good enough – or, as good as it was in February 2011 when the organization last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
I expect Mike McCarthy to continue his dominance of the NFC North, dropping only one meeting with the Bears and one game versus Detroit in the season finale (which always has potential to be a meaningless match). I speculate that the Packers will surprise against Seattle and New England but fall against the Saints a week before the bye (just when injuries begin catching up with them). The Packers could be susceptible to an upset late in the season against a Buffalo team trying to make a push for the playoffs.
If the Packers (and one specific player in particular) stay healthy, there is no reason why they aren’t a part of Super Bowl conversation in late January. I believe that the 2014 Packers boast one of the most explosive offenses in recent memory but are missing just a couple key contributors on defense. Not usually an optimist in my predictions with the Packers, this 12-4 season ending in the NFC Title Game speaks to my confidence that this team can go just about anywhere with Aaron Rodgers under center.
