2011 Green Bay Packers Predictions
The Green Bay Packers finished the 2010 regular season with a 10-6 record and entered the postseason as one of the NFC’s Wild Card teams. Once in the playoffs, they pulled off the improbable by winning road games at Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago before defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. It was Green Bay’s fourth Super Bowl title and its first since the 1996 season.
With such a young and talented team, the Packers appear to be in position to contend for NFL championships for the next three-to-five years.
Offense: The Packers ranked ninth in the NFL in total offense and 10th in scoring last season with 358.1 yards and 24.2 points per game.
Led by Aaron Rodgers, the Pack did most of their damage through the air. Rodgers, who completed 66.0 percent of his passes for 3,922 yards with 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, helped Green Bay rank fifth in the league in passing offense with 257.8 yards per game.
Rodgers’ numbers are impressive no matter how you look at them, but they become even more impressive when you consider Green Bay’s lack of a running game.
An injury to starting running back Ryan Grant in the season opener forced Rodgers to shoulder the load while defenses zeroed in on the passing game. The running attack ranked 24th in the league with only 100.4 yards per game.
Grant’s injury led the Packers to look into an insurance policy in this year’s draft. They took former Hawaii standout Alex Green in the third round.
Green Bay’s receiving corps will get a boost from the return of tight end Jermichael Finley, who missed the majority of last season with a knee injury.
Greg Jennings, who caught 76 passes for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns, is the team’s top returning receiver.
The offensive line was still an issue at times last season, but it was much better than it was in 2009. More improvement should be on the way in 2011 with young standouts like Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod adding quality depth.
Defense: Green Bay’s stop unit ranked second in the NFL in scoring defense last season with 15.0 points allowed per game. It finished fifth in total defense with 309.1 yards allowed per contest.
The Pack lose Cullen Jenkins up front, but they still have budding star B.J. Raji. He’s incredibly athletic for his size and finished third on the team with 6.5 sacks.
Outside linebacker Clay Matthews also knows a thing or two about sacking the quarterback. He and Raji were a big reason why Green Bay finished second in the league with 47 sacks. Matthews accounted for 13.5 of those.
The defensive backfield is still anchored by the ageless Charles Woodson, who turns 35 in October. Woodson helped the Packers rank fifth in the league against the pass with 194.2 yards allowed per game and second in interceptions with 24. He had two picks, two sacks and five forced fumbles.
Tramon Williams led the Packers with six interceptions. Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins was second on the team with four.
Prediction: 1st Place NFC North – History is certainly against the Packers repeating as Super Bowl champs, but I feel better about their chances of doing so than I have about any other team in a long time. NFL odds makers have listed the Packers at 7/1 to win the Super Bowl.
Individual Team NFL Season Predictions
