Making the Playoffs 2019

[Wi. Mike now in Florida]

With almost a complete reconstruction coming next year for the Packers with new players/coaches,
what chance do you think we have in turning this team around to even come close to
making the playoffs ?

On a scale from 1 to 10

 

[Snoops]

5.... 50/50 u just never know what’s gonna happen especially with new coaches etc.. we should all feel confident that there’s is always a chance with Rodgers but this season proved otherwise however I feel like this is a fluke yr

 

[Do7]

@Snoops Next year, you better stop jinxing this team dammit! Aside from the crappy play, I also blame you for jinxing us.

Next year I see this team, in particularly Rodgers coming back on a mission. This season was a huge disappointment but necessary as it really put things in it's proper place. We're NOT a bad team, as all our losses have been extremely close. We've proven that we can hang with the best of them, but we just have to play all 4 quarters and finish strong. With Rodgers developing more chemistry with the receivers, I'm sure they'll be much better. We're definitely gonna have our hands full next year considering we'll be playing against The Cheifs, Chargers, Broncos, and you know Dallas will want some payback next year. I expect Rodgers to have a bounce back year and be in the discussion for his 3rd MVP. But if Brees wins it all this year, Rodgers will be on a mission to get back to the big dance. Especially with this ridiculous notion that Brees is better than him.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

It's way too early to make an educated guess on the Packers chances to make the playoffs in 2019 as none of us has any idea about the coaching staff being hired as well as player movement next offseason.

 

[Half Empty]

I'm on board with the 50% answer, mostly as a way of agreeing that nobody knows. Let me rephrase that, as I contend that nobody ever knows. As noted, we have no idea who'll be in charge of the 53, probably 20 or so of whom will be new. More importantly, we've seen diverse opinions on virtually all the major players, and each one could be a bust or savior, depending on contract, health, and performance. A thread like this is OK when things are boring, as they are now, but it means no more or less than Predict our Record, Who's the Next Coach, Which Free Agent Should We Sign, Who Do We Want To Draft, et. al. These things are entirely out of our control and, in the grand scheme of things, mean nothing.

 

[Poppa San]

These things are entirely out of our control and, in the grand scheme of things, mean nothing.

Which is what most of the internet has evolved into. People giving opinions and predictions presented as facts. Heck, even my **** has been known to have been photo-shopped with different heads put on bodies nature never intended to exist.

 

[Half Empty]

Links?

 

[Poppa San]

Links?

It's on my work computer. I'm off now for another week yet.

 

[AKCheese]

Odds are we make the playoffs. It’s the NFC North. We have BY FAR the best QB in the division in a QB driven league. Given how a few games ended we very well could have made the playoffs THIS year. Gotta make a smart pick for HC, and he his staff. Green Bay has the talent right now to be a playoff team (a rather low bar seeing as how that standard alone puts you at the top of the middle third of the league). I felt MaCarthy has been holding this group back for several years.

 

[pacmaniac]

@SnoopsEspecially with this ridiculous notion that Brees is better than him.

Not ridiculous. They are both all-time great QBs, and there is no doubt Brees has had a much better season at 39 than Rodgers has had at 35.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Odds are we make the playoffs. It’s the NFC North. We have BY FAR the best QB in the division in a QB driven league. Given how a few games ended we very well could have made the playoffs THIS year. Gotta make a smart pick for HC, and he his staff. Green Bay has the talent right now to be a playoff team (a rather low bar seeing as how that standard alone puts you at the top of the middle third of the league). I felt MaCarthy has been holding this group back for several years.

Agreed. And the team will fix holes at safety, rusher, and O line. Can’t blame it all on MM, but he has held this team back and was a glorified OC. GB will return to the playoffs next year, if only as a WC.

 

[Firethorn1001]

There is no way this is a complete reconstruction. Offense is mainly going to be the same save for probably another starter at guard. Defense should see bodies at OLB and safety. This team needs a serious reload of depth, but starters are probably going to be mostly the same. Probably 18/22.

I'll put it at at 6 right now.

 

[HardRightEdge]

People giving opinions and predictions presented as facts.

It's easy to tell the difference, so what's the problem?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I say there is a 100% chance of another thread being created way before we have enough information to even form an uneducated guess.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

With almost a complete reconstruction coming next year for the Packers with new players/coaches,
what chance do you think we have in turning this team around to even come close to
making the playoffs ?

On a scale from 1 to 10

I'm going to go ahead and call 13-3 for 2019 and 2020.... Book it.

 

[PackAttack12]

I'm at an 8.

Rodgers rejuvenated, young receivers will feel more comfortable, upgrades will be made on the offensive line, and I think there will be another difference maker added in the passing game.

Defensively, Pettine (hopefully if he's retained), will continue the progress he's already made this season.

I like the Packers chances to make it back to being a double digit win ball club. Two 1st round picks, a slew of additional picks throughout the draft, and a significant amount of cap space. I have a lot faith in Gute.

 

[elcid]

I'm at an 8.

Rodgers rejuvenated, young receivers will feel more comfortable, upgrades will be made on the offensive line, and I think there will be another difference maker added in the passing game.

Defensively, Pettine (hopefully if he's retained), will continue the progress he's already made this season.

I like the Packers chances to make it back to being a double digit win ball club. Two 1st round picks, a slew of additional picks throughout the draft, and a significant amount of cap space. I have a lot faith in Gute.

I too feel like there is a significant chance we get to the playoffs next year. That being said, I had a similar sense of optimism last offseason, and look how that turned out. Last year I too felt that Rodgers would come back rejuvenated. I felt that Gute made succesful moves which would possibly get us back to the SB. Little did I know.

However, I do prefer Gutes approach over TT's. Rodgers will come back with a big chip on his shoulder, something which normally would drive him to great heights. Wilkerson and Breeland have shown enough to warrant a return, and too little to gain big contracts during the off season, making them feasible and great depth signings for us. Add in the fact that in recent memory we haven't had this much draft capital and cap space and I see us fighting for a SB spot yet again.

 

[Mondio]

Why does everyone think Gute is so different than Ted? Everyone is remembering Ted in the latter half of his career after he had assembled what should have been another Super Bowl roster. But when he got here, he signed a lot more FA's and turned over a roster in need of changing. We're in the same position today. Let's see if after Gute builds a roster to win a super bowl and has made significant investments in players he can't just cut or let walk he is the same in his approach to roster maintaining. One also has to remember one GM was putting a team to last around a young not yet to prime QB and the other GM is trying to fit enough players around an aging QB towards the back end of his career.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Because sometimes people like to remember the negatives or at least bring them up.

TT was successful early on with his draft and develop approach, but when he started whiffing on too many draft picks and not supplementing those misses with Free Agents or smart resigns, his once solid roster started to have too many glaring holes in it, as well as not having enough experience at depth.

I kind of look at Teddy as that old fisherman on the bank, single line with a hook and worm attached to a bobber. Knowing his fish, the water he was fishing in and patiently waiting for each fish. Gute seems to be more of the charter boat fisherman, maximum number of lines out, trolling at a quick steady pace and not afraid to toss back some of the smaller fish, in hopes of landing some big ones. TT's pond seemed to dry up and/or he ran out of quality worms. Let's hope Gute keeps the fish locator on and knows the right waters to fish in.

 

[PackAttack12]

No one is disputing Ted Thompson was a once great general manager, but it's absolutely undeniable that in the last few years of his tenure, he produced less than stellar off seasons, and was either afraid or unwilling to participate in free agency aggressively during that time.

It was time for some fresh blood in that role. And Gutekunst has done a pretty good job thus far, IMO.

 

[PackerfaninCarolina]

Too early to speculate on this since

1. We do not know who this next coach is yet so we don't know what he's going to bring to the table

2. The FA releasings, signings and then draft are going to be be big this year, and the big goal should be to surround Rodgers with high caliber talent on offense to enough of a point where he becomes less reliant on the deep balls

I feel right now it's Gute who really has to show what he's made of. His first year as GM has been one seems to show he has the right idea for building a roster, but it's really going to be this next season and the one after that that I think will be most telling.

If he plays his cards right, a new HC won't mean a slow rebuild. If he doesn't, Rodgers's elusive 2nd Superbowl trip may not happen.

 

[Mondio]

I know why this team is in the shape it is and I know the last few seasons of drafts were not that helpful for us.

Just commenting that it’s a little soon to be proclaiming that Gute is so different when it’s not really all that different yet. Unless you’re comparing 2 GMs under completely different scenarios, timelines and thinking it’s the same.

I think Gute will probably be a little more aggressive simply because of where we are in Rodgers’ career. But on top of that we have a roster that is in a completely different place than the one in 2014-2017.

 

[sschind]

It's on my work computer. I'm off now for another week yet.

On your work computer huh? Good idea. Hide it from the wife.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Why does everyone think Gute is so different than Ted? Everyone is remembering Ted in the latter half of his career after he had assembled what should have been another Super Bowl roster. But when he got here, he signed a lot more FA's and turned over a roster in need of changing. We're in the same position today. Let's see if after Gute builds a roster to win a super bowl and has made significant investments in players he can't just cut or let walk he is the same in his approach to roster maintaining. One also has to remember one GM was putting a team to last around a young not yet to prime QB and the other GM is trying to fit enough players around an aging QB towards the back end of his career.

While it's true that Thompson used free agency more often early in his tenure as the Packers general manager there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that Gutekunst is taking a more aggressive approach. He might not end up being as successful as TT was during the first few years though.

 

[Poppa San]

On your work computer huh? Good idea. Hide it from the wife.

Not wife, teenage daughter. I don't want her seeing it as a valid lifestyle choice or as a shortcut to fame and riches. The micro shorts and barely there tops she owns are bad enough.