A big test for GB in the first part of the season...

[JTheGreat]

We have a tough schedule to start out the season and I cant wait to see how we match up in the first 4 weeks. We should know how physical our team will be by the end of week 4. We dont play any dynamite offenses until we match up with the saints in week 4, so maybe this can give our defense some confidence if they can play well. We play a physical and good 49ers team, then 4 days later match up against the physical bears, but atleast both games are home. Then we travel to seattle on mnf which will be a tough game, I think they will be an underrated team this year and give the 49ers a run if they can get good qb play, they also have a good defense with a good run game. Then week 4 we battle off with the explosive saints. All 4 of these games are going to be grudge matches and it makes me even more excited for the start of the season. Im thinking we will pull away from this stretch with a 3-1 start, obvisouly would hope for 4-0 but it would be tough. A 2-2 start wouldnt even be that bad either...

 

[I_am_smoked_cheddar]

I started a similar thread, then I found out about Frank Rizzo's thread "Ranking the 2012 Schedule". I appreciate your opinion though. It just shows that many of us are having the same thoughts lately. I believe we will go 14 & 2, win the division and the bye, then we shall see. GO PACK GO

 

[JTheGreat]

I started a similar thread, then I found out about Frank Rizzo's thread "Ranking the 2012 Schedule". I appreciate your opinion though. It just shows that many of us are having the same thoughts lately. I believe we will go 14 & 2, win the division and the bye, then we shall see. GO PACK GO

Yeah I would say 13-3 and 14-2 sounds reasonable!

 

[Vltrophy]

We have a tough schedule to start out the season and I cant wait to see how we match up in the first 4 weeks. We should know how physical our team will be by the end of week 4. We dont play any dynamite offenses until we match up with the saints in week 4, so maybe this can give our defense some confidence if they can play well. We play a physical and good 49ers team, then 4 days later match up against the physical bears, but atleast both games are home. Then we travel to seattle on mnf which will be a tough game, I think they will be an underrated team this year and give the 49ers a run if they can get good qb play, they also have a good defense with a good run game. Then week 4 we battle off with the explosive saints. All 4 of these games are going to be grudge matches and it makes me even more excited for the start of the season. Im thinking we will pull away from this stretch with a 3-1 start, obvisouly would hope for 4-0 but it would be tough. A 2-2 start wouldnt even be that bad either...

2-2 not bad? That's just plain crazy talk. All 4 will be tough but last yr Alex threw just 17 TDs. Rodgers threw almost 3x as many. Seattle is a tough place to play & their D is getting better but the Saints will be our toughest game out of the 4.

 

[milani]

We have a tough schedule to start out the season and I cant wait to see how we match up in the first 4 weeks. We should know how physical our team will be by the end of week 4. We dont play any dynamite offenses until we match up with the saints in week 4, so maybe this can give our defense some confidence if they can play well. We play a physical and good 49ers team, then 4 days later match up against the physical bears, but atleast both games are home. Then we travel to seattle on mnf which will be a tough game, I think they will be an underrated team this year and give the 49ers a run if they can get good qb play, they also have a good defense with a good run game. Then week 4 we battle off with the explosive saints. All 4 of these games are going to be grudge matches and it makes me even more excited for the start of the season. Im thinking we will pull away from this stretch with a 3-1 start, obvisouly would hope for 4-0 but it would be tough. A 2-2 start wouldnt even be that bad either...

Indeed, it is a brutal start. I hope our guys come out with more than just trying match up against possible post season opponents. I would think they will have a sickening taste in their mouth that still lingers from the January debacle at home. We did not face a defense like the 9ers last season. Except for New Orleans they did not face an offense like ours either.

 

[13 Times Champs]

I think the Saints have lost more than just a coach and players and don't think they are as potent as in the past. 49ers can't match us offensively. Seattle has this Matt Flynn guy at QB so that should be no problem. Actually the Bears game is of more concern to me. In any case it's not about the early season, it's the late season and how you are finishing.

 

[HyponGrey]

I think the Saints have lost more than just a coach and players and don't think they are as potent as in the past. 49ers can't match us offensively. Seattle has this Matt Flynn guy at QB so that should be no problem. Actually the Bears game is of more concern to me. In any case it's not about the early season, it's the late season and how you are finishing.

Exactly, get hot in the middle and roll through play-offs

 

[JTheGreat]

2-2 not bad? That's just plain crazy talk. All 4 will be tough but last yr Alex threw just 17 TDs. Rodgers threw almost 3x as many. Seattle is a tough place to play & their D is getting better but the Saints will be our toughest game out of the 4.

I was just trying to be optimistic, hell we could even start 1-3.

 

[AmishMafia]

I would say the 49ers, Bears, Seahawks, and Saints have a big test. Packers are the measuring stick to assess your franchise and not the other way around.

 

[TJV]

Those first four games will probably make it more difficult than usual for Packers fans to keep a sense of perspective. McCarthy breaks the season into four 4-game periods with the goal being to win each one. I'm not sure how that plays in the locker room but I do know it will be much more important how the Packers are playing in the "fourth quarter" of the season than in the first.

 

[peteralan71]

I am excited that we are going to be starting the season off with a "bang", against these good, challenging teams. However, I would rather finish off the season with the difficult teams so that we don't get too lax against the easier teams in the league. I don't really like finishing against the Titans and Vikings, presuming they are both pushovers throughout the season. If we end up with a bye--which I know is way too soon to talk about--that will really relax our players and I would rather they have an "edge-of-your-seat" intensity that can only come from battling great teams to the last few minutes of the game for the previous weeks.

 

[realcaliforniacheese]

I wish we could have started out with a little easier schedule and give the rookies on the D some time to get going. But hey, If we are going to be champions then bring it on.

 

[P-E-Z]

I'm not worried about the Seahawks..... The Saints they did not play well with the Sean Payton in the box. Now he not there at all. I think the Falcons will win that div. 49ers, our defense needs to keep 49ers offense off the field. Our offense needs to eat time by running the ball. The Bears, divisional teams is always dangerous. 3-1 or 2-2 are reasonable.

 

[I_am_smoked_cheddar]

The 49er's game, IMO, will prove to be the toughest of the first 4 reg. season games. Every part of the Packers will need to be operating at peak performance because the S.F.49er's will be. If TC and preseason focus on the goal of winning the opener, then they should be ready to take on all comers.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I agree that the 49ers will be the toughest opponent within the first four weeks. They were the second best scoring defense in the league, but the Saints showed in the divisional round that good offenses can score against them. But our defense has to improve dramatically for us to win this game, as the Niners proved they can score against bad defenses as well (had more than 30 points four times last season).

 

[milani]

Those first four games will probably make it more difficult than usual for Packers fans to keep a sense of perspective. McCarthy breaks the season into four 4-game periods with the goal being to win each one. I'm not sure how that plays in the locker room but I do know it will be much more important how the Packers are playing in the "fourth quarter" of the season than in the first.

Ist quarter can make or break the season.
Bears have an easier first game and get us on a short week after we play a very physical and emotional first game. Urlacher, Cutler, and Lovie want revenge.
First time we face Pete Carroll since he was in New England. Hawks have a pretty good defense and they will certainly be up for us on national TV at home.
Saints will still have Drew Brees and co. and are going to throw the kitchen sink at everyone. They'd love to get us for last year even without Payton.
The real test is the 9ers. All their guys are back on defense. Strong special teams, strong running game. And now they have 3 bona fide wide outs and a good TE. It will be up to Smith to get them the ball if he needs to do so. My fear is that we will have to account for Moss deep which will open up the run game and short passing. If our pass rush and leaky secondary are what they were last year it could be as ugly as the Giant game. Go get em Capers.
If the 9ers win this one they will certainly be the favorite to go to the SB. I wish Singletary was still their coach.

 

[Pat4DaPack]

12-4 at the worst, 14-2 at the best.

 

[TennMike]

The NFC is stacked this year. Seattle? Not so much.

NFL Rule #34: If it takes you longer than 3 seconds to name the starting quarterback, that team is not good.

 

[Kitten]

It will be a brutal start but it will be very telling of where this team is at. I look forward to seeing if we can bring it.

 

[FrankRizzo]

It will be a brutal start but it will be very telling of where this team is at. I look forward to seeing if we can bring it.

Well stated as usual from the Kitty Kat.

Bottom line is this, as we have learned clearly the past 3 seasons.
All that really matters at this level is what we do in January.

2009, we were red hot going into the playoffs, everyone said watch out for the Packers as our offense was unstoppable.
Well we lost to Arizona 51-45.
2010, all banged up, barely sneaked into the playoffs backdoor as the final wildcard, thanks to some help from Philly against NYG & Detroit against TB. We were all banged up, but not at the important positions. We know what happened in January.
Then last year, the talk of the league from the first game as champions.... can they go undefeated. Some asked if this was the greatest Packer team ever, etc.... almost went 16-0.
But then lost our first playoff game, in January, season a bad taste in our mouth.

I've seen this before.... our team might have a few letdowns during the regular season because they too are fully aware that it's January-February that really matter.

I want to hit the FF button and get to the playoffs and then start killing teams beginning with the Giants.
If they make it in.

 

[TJV]

Ist quarter can make or break the season.

Only if a significant injury, or injuries occur IMO. The Packers are likely to be playing a lot of youngsters on D this season and it’ll be much more important how they’re playing at the end of the season than at the beginning. And that goes for the entire team too. IMO the Packers could start 1-3 (as incredibly unlikely as that would be) and still win the title. If the last two seasons have taught us anything it’s the importance of playing your best football at the end of the season, not the beginning.

 

[I_am_smoked_cheddar]

Well stated as usual from the Kitty Kat.

Bottom line is this, as we have learned clearly the past 3 seasons.
All that really matters at this level is what we do in January.

2009, we were red hot going into the playoffs, everyone said watch out for the Packers as our offense was unstoppable.
Well we lost to Arizona 51-45.
2010, all banged up, barely sneaked into the playoffs backdoor as the final wildcard, thanks to some help from Philly against NYG & Detroit against TB. We were all banged up, but not at the important positions. We know what happened in January.
Then last year, the talk of the league from the first game as champions.... can they go undefeated. Some asked if this was the greatest Packer team ever, etc.... almost went 16-0.
But then lost our first playoff game, in January, season a bad taste in our mouth.

I've seen this before.... our team might have a few letdowns during the regular season because they too are fully aware that it's January-February that really matter.

I want to hit the FF button and get to the playoffs and then start killing teams beginning with the Giants.
If they make it in.

True enough, but I want to see the Packers put the fear of GOD into the rest of the league, week 1 !!!

 

[HyponGrey]

Ist quarter can make or break the season.
Bears have an easier first game and get us on a short week after we play a very physical and emotional first game. Urlacher, Cutler, and Lovie want revenge.
First time we face Pete Carroll since he was in New England. Hawks have a pretty good defense and they will certainly be up for us on national TV at home.
Saints will still have Drew Brees and co. and are going to throw the kitchen sink at everyone. They'd love to get us for last year even without Payton.
The real test is the 9ers. All their guys are back on defense. Strong special teams, strong running game. And now they have 3 bona fide wide outs and a good TE. It will be up to Smith to get them the ball if he needs to do so. My fear is that we will have to account for Moss deep which will open up the run game and short passing. If our pass rush and leaky secondary are what they were last year it could be as ugly as the Giant game. Go get em Capers.
If the 9ers win this one they will certainly be the favorite to go to the SB. I wish Singletary was still their coach.

I'd say 4 deep at wr including rookie Jenkins. The thing about their passing game is that all of their top targets are proven mavericks: nobody where they're supposed to be. Still got the 9ers as the current best team because of their depth chart, much as I hate to admit it.

 

[Aaron rodgers is god]

I agree that the 49ers will be the toughest opponent within the first four weeks. They were the second best scoring defense in the league, but the Saints showed in the divisional round that good offenses can score against them. But our defense has to improve dramatically for us to win this game, as the Niners proved they can score against bad defenses as well (had more than 30 points four times last season).

If you watched that game, the 49ers defense was nasty. The Saints got a couple quick scores in the 4th quarter because of missed tackles or broken plays. Otherwise that D-Line was roughing up Brees all game

 

[milani]

What is critical in that 1st quarter is the head to head match ups. The playoff positioning or jockeying can be determined by the head to head with the Bears, 9ers, and Saints. We have them at home. Let's not play like last January.