In the NFC North, the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and even the Detroit Lions have garnered more online betting attention than the Green Bay Packers. And while the other three teams have made wholesale changes at the quarterback position this offseason, the Green Bay Packers should be considered king.
The Vikings are banking on Favre and his gimpy arm to last, the Bears are hoping that gunslinger Jay Cutler can still be a Pro Bowl pivot at Soldier Field and the Lions are hoping that first-overall pick Matt Stafford is the real deal. While those teams have stolen all the headlines, the Packers could be the ones stealing the wins when they meet in the regular season.
Consistency
Everytime the offseason rolls around, people making their NFL predictions always seem to fall in love with the teams that make the biggest splashes in free agency. As the Washington Redskins have shown us, that doesn't always work out.
The NFL odds makers know that the Green Bay Packers are a potential sleeper because they have so much consistency on their roster.
On offense, the Packers bring back the entire unit, which only figures to get stronger. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was a first-year starter last year, running back Ryan Grant had just received his payday and receiver Greg Jennings was breaking out into Pro Bowl form. All three will only get better this year.
The spotlight has - and will - shine on Grant after finishing with just four touchdowns last year. He started slow (137 carries for 464 yards in September and October) but finished strong (175 carries for 739 yards in November and December). He's looked particularly sharp in the preseason as well.
Transitioning To The 3-4
The Packers defense was awful last year yet the team finished 8-8. What does that say for their potential if the defense improves slightly?
In the offseason, the Packers missed out on a few sexy defensive coordinators and ended up with the tried, tested and true: Dom Capers. He's employing a schematic switch from the 4-3 style to the 3-4 and usually, there is supposed to be a year of growing pains. Not many people making their sports picks expected the Packers defense to be this good already.
One of the toughest aspects of switching to the 3-4 is finding linebacker depth but the Packers have plenty of it. From holdovers Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk, to the additions of second-round pick Clay Matthews, to the shift of end Aaron Kampman to outsider linebacker, to the emergence of third-year player Desmond Bishop, to the resurgence of veteran Brady Poppinga, the Packers have tons of options at linebacker.
The secondary returns intact, which should allow plenty of time for the front seven to develop. By the looks of it, they don't need much more time.
NFC Outlook
The Packers have the youngest roster in the NFL and should have a growth spurt this year. They won eight games with a horrible defense last year and if they improve along with the offense, which is completely feasible, the Packers not only could - but should - win the NFC North. Keep an eye on them for their Super Bowl odds as this team could be the biggest sleeper in the NFC.
The Vikings are banking on Favre and his gimpy arm to last, the Bears are hoping that gunslinger Jay Cutler can still be a Pro Bowl pivot at Soldier Field and the Lions are hoping that first-overall pick Matt Stafford is the real deal. While those teams have stolen all the headlines, the Packers could be the ones stealing the wins when they meet in the regular season.
Consistency
Everytime the offseason rolls around, people making their NFL predictions always seem to fall in love with the teams that make the biggest splashes in free agency. As the Washington Redskins have shown us, that doesn't always work out.
The NFL odds makers know that the Green Bay Packers are a potential sleeper because they have so much consistency on their roster.
On offense, the Packers bring back the entire unit, which only figures to get stronger. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was a first-year starter last year, running back Ryan Grant had just received his payday and receiver Greg Jennings was breaking out into Pro Bowl form. All three will only get better this year.
The spotlight has - and will - shine on Grant after finishing with just four touchdowns last year. He started slow (137 carries for 464 yards in September and October) but finished strong (175 carries for 739 yards in November and December). He's looked particularly sharp in the preseason as well.
Transitioning To The 3-4
The Packers defense was awful last year yet the team finished 8-8. What does that say for their potential if the defense improves slightly?
In the offseason, the Packers missed out on a few sexy defensive coordinators and ended up with the tried, tested and true: Dom Capers. He's employing a schematic switch from the 4-3 style to the 3-4 and usually, there is supposed to be a year of growing pains. Not many people making their sports picks expected the Packers defense to be this good already.
One of the toughest aspects of switching to the 3-4 is finding linebacker depth but the Packers have plenty of it. From holdovers Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk, to the additions of second-round pick Clay Matthews, to the shift of end Aaron Kampman to outsider linebacker, to the emergence of third-year player Desmond Bishop, to the resurgence of veteran Brady Poppinga, the Packers have tons of options at linebacker.
The secondary returns intact, which should allow plenty of time for the front seven to develop. By the looks of it, they don't need much more time.
NFC Outlook
The Packers have the youngest roster in the NFL and should have a growth spurt this year. They won eight games with a horrible defense last year and if they improve along with the offense, which is completely feasible, the Packers not only could - but should - win the NFC North. Keep an eye on them for their Super Bowl odds as this team could be the biggest sleeper in the NFC.
