I like this Packers team

I have not been posting as much the last few months but I was waiting for a "feeling" of "yeah, I think this team has a real shot."

I think they finally have a real shot. A lot might be based on health too though heading into the playoffs. 2010 anyone?

I like the adversity of this season for the Pack. The grit. Last year was almost too easy at times.

Just saying, I am starting to dig the "vibes" if you catch my drift.

A little more 2010 and a little less 2011.

The wins are ugly but they are wins. They also go right down to the wire most of the time and I think that is a good thing. This team has to battle their *** of right until the end to get a W...just like 2010. Last year they would get up big and sit on their heels. It showed at the end of the season too. The injuries this year have also given a ton of experience to the rookies and udfa's and free agent pick ups during the season.

Offensive line and FG kicker too big of weaknesses to overcome for a Super Bowl run. I like your optimism though!

And I LIKE this Packers QB too.

I'd like it better with Nate keading on it.

If Rogers stays healthy we will be in every game. He is simply unbelievable with his feet (as he has to be with his protection), and with his arm.

Or somebody. They've got to sign somebody, even to the practice squad to shock Crosby back to life, if that's possible.

If we lose in the playoffs bc of Crosby I hope for his sake he doesn't return to wisc

I am still on the fence about winning the whole she-bang. I do, however, think our chances our better than last year. We have a respectable defense, where as our defense last year was pathetic. The two times we held CHI to 3 pts after Grant and our coaches gave them the ball on our end was impressive. These last 4 wins have not been impressive - but our defense pulled us through, as a good defense often does in close games. I think we win game 1 for sure. For now everybody has 49ers penciled in as champ but they have shown themselves to be beatable, at least by other teams.

17-29 Crosby is... That's so bad it's mindblowing that he still is employed

This team fights for victories, as 7thFloor mentioned. Not everything is clicking but the core is there. I'm am worried about the competition. The Falcons at home aren't the same Falcons of 2010 or '11. The 49ers owned GB so I'm not confident that we've yet put together an offense that can beat that defense. Seattle played us HARD during the Ref Game and is peaking (maybe too early) right now, but I like our chances if we play them at Lambeau. I love the multiple scenarios of playing the Bears or Cowboys in the Wildcard round, not so much liking if we play the Giants again.

Actually in some ways the 2012 Pack remind me of the 2006 Colts and the 2011 Pack the 2005 Colts. The 2011 Pack like the 2005 Colts were SB faves with the best record in the league with a high powered offense. Both started 13-0 before falling to an AFC West team and then had a death of a coaches son.

The 2006 Colts were the third seed at 12-4 and GB could finish 12-4 as well. And I think both teams started the year as the favorites in their conferences. The Pack are not thought of as highly as the Falcons/49ers heading into the playoffs and sometimes Seattle. In 2006 the Colts were not thought of as highly as the Chargers/Ravens and sometimes NE.

And the 2006 Colts got a huge spark back when Bob Sanders returned for the playoffs. The 2012 Pack will get a huge spark back when/if Charles Woodson returns. Woodson hopes to return for the playoffs or before.

The 2005 Colts lost to the eventual SB Champ Steelers in the divisional round who got hot at the right time. The 2011 Pack lost to the eventual SB Champ Giants in the divisional round who got hot at the right time.

Peyton Manning ironically was a bit underrated in the 2006 regular season IMO. The attention seemed to go elsewhere. Aaron Rodgers is a bit underrated in 2012, the attention seems to go elsewhere.

And yes the 2006 Colts won the Super Bowl. The 2012 Packers?......

This is optimistic thinking........but still awesome.

Weird I remember people giving up on this team this year

Haha, yea, I remember that too. We have some wishy washy fans in our mists. Hehehe

Yeah, groovy man...I'm hip and can dig the rap.

I thought you had abandoned us because the Colts don't stink anymore.

Hey, love your optimism...I'm just going to enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts. A few negatories that I just can't shake ... and I do recognize that I'm playing with my own mind a little here ... I'm usually not one for a post hoc ergo propter hoc type mindset, but I've just been unable to shake the knowledge that this team wasn't just beaten by the 9'ers and Giants ... they pretty much had their noses shoved in their own poo by those two teams. Can't get around how closely Seattle played the Pack.

Yeah, what happens in the regular season has ZERO to do with anything once you're in the playoffs - I recognize this...once you're in, anything can happen. All shortcomings aside, this team has heart. They keep swingin' away and I love that about this team. I felt we had a good chance at winning the division - and have my Divisional Championship hat already to prove it ... I'm just going to keep myself from getting too high (as I've prevented myself from getting low at the start) ... and watch this baby play out. Go Pack!

People need to get off the "pathetic" 2011 defense already. The defense was tied for #1 in takeaways, had the 9th best QB rating surrendered, and if they had started all their starters in the last game last year, they would have been somewhere around 13th in points given up. This year, so far, they're 9th in points given up and 6th in QB rating surrendered, but are only 18th in takeaways. Was last year's mediocrity disappointing considering the Packers gave up the 2nd fewest points in the league over 2009 & 2010 combined? Sure. And they are solid "good" this year, but let's not get carried away with bashing last year's defense. The Packers gave up about the average number of yards to the Giants that they had to 6 playoff caliber teams they played in the regular season, going 6-0 in the process. The factor that changed and contributed to the washout was giveaways with 4.

The Packers were 32nd in yards given up, but the two Super Bowl participants were 27th and 31st. Sort of takes the wind out of the sails that yards really matter all that much. Two of the best teams in terms of yards and yard-margin are San Diego and Philadelphia. How's that been working out for them? Of course they have been terrible in turnover margin as well. And considering that 5 of the last 8 Super Bowl winners gained fewer yards than the loser, and the mean, median, and mode in turnover margin for the Super Bowl champion is 1, I'll go for turnovers over yards as more important.

Given how the NFL is today, any team should have cautious optimism. Any team that makes the playoffs has a chance to win it all because the biggest factor in winning it all today (and over the last decade or so) is winning the turnover margin. And all sorts of shapes and sized of teams have accomplished that task. The regular season has much less impact on the outcome of the playoffs. Everything gets reset, and whoever pretty much wins the turnover margin is champ (a small % of the time the team that's #2 in margin has won in the last 12 years, beyond that you're not going to win it all). The net result is going in as a 14-2 juggernaut should have less optimism, and a 9-7 6th seed should feel a little more confident that years ago. The Packers have the talent and the schemes to win it all. They simply need to hang onto the ball, get the lead, and wait for the other team to make mistakes. They have the potency to do that, perhaps as much as any team. If they decide to give the ball away like 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009. or 2011, they won't stand a chance. If they play the game tight, but decide overtime is the preferred time to give just one away like 2003 or 2007, the results will be just as disappointing. If the Pack give the ball away twice in four games, but take it away 5,6,7, times, I'll be shocked if they don't win it all.

But if "if's and but's" were candy and nuts....

A win over the Chiefs gives us the 5th seed. Who would have thought heading into the year? This team is a trip. They won't go far assuming they get in, but they will go down fighting. And Pagano may be back next weekend. This team is precious. Andrew Luck is precious and probably can't even walk at times during the week due to our o line.

I have been too caught up in Colts forums this year for sure. They are ridiculously entertaining and especially the Peytonites which you guys know about because they are pretty much the Favre version of Peyton fans but IMO worse.

But, as always on those lonely winter nights my mind can't help but wander to the Packers and you all. And Aaron.......Aaron.

Because of the Colts win over the Pack, if we lose before you guys in the playoffs I will lend you Adam Vinatieri as your kicker if you want him.

No problem with the Colts turning it around quickly. Colts fans have always been OK in my book. Oh...I'll take the kicker too...thanks.

I love seeing good teams who are under the radar heading into the playoffs. But, will Woodson be back?

Are the Pack considered "under the radar."? Maybe. Not anyone I really know is putting them in the SB. I think most have the 49ers locked in almost...

There is little or no question that the Pack would be "under the radar" at this point. Not so much as 2010, when they fooled me ... hard to be totally an afterthought when your team has Aaron Rodgers (let the drooling being...someone get Jules a bucket).

No doubt that Charles Woodson will be back and he'll have to play before the playoffs just to get back into playing condition. I mean, he doesn't have any bruises right now.

It happens. They are more into other QBs right now of course.

Whoever beats the Falcons seems to be the pick for the NFC in recent years. God help us if Atlanta gets in the big one.

You guys are so chill, chiller then last season. This is good. It took me a long time this year to get the feeling GB had "it". Still more to prove but they are on the "it" road again.