10 positives of the Packers 2012-13 season

adambr2

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 8, 2012
Messages
4,013
Reaction score
609
1 - We were division champions yet again, and one of the final 8 teams in the running for the 3rd straight year, something 24 other teams cannot say.

2 - We ended the season of our two biggest rivals.

3 - We were able to remain competitive despite another injury riddled year.

4 - With Casey Hayward's emergence, we are now looking very good at corner for the foreseeable future.

5 - We are sitting better on the offensive line than most people think. Don Barclay was a nice surprise, and we will gain two additional offensive lineman without any offseason acquisitions just from IR returns.

6 - Harris has given us some long-awaited excitement from the RB position and leaves us with some hope there for next year.

7 - We have potentially a lot of money coming off the cap next year, giving us flexibility for FA signings, extensions of Rodgers and Matthews, etc.

8 - Giving up 300+ yards rushing certainly isn't a good thing, but at least makes it glaringly obvious on what we need to ugprade/improve on for next year.

9 - Randall Cobb emerged as a big time WR threat, making Jennings departure much easier. No matter what happens with him, Nelson/Cobb/Jones is still a great #1/#2/#3.

10 - Just like last year, we have potentially 2 complementary draft picks to add to TT's arsenal in the draft and get us sitting good for next year.

It's another disappointing end to the season, but there's only 1 team out of 32 that is happy at the end of the season. That's the NFL. There's little question what we need to improve on, we are going to add a great deal of talent just from getting guys back from the IR alone, and there's no reason why we can't be in position to be a Super Bowl contender again next year.
 

BorderRivals.com

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 12, 2012
Messages
594
Reaction score
77
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Need to improve the O-line and i don't see Dujuan being the long term answer.

How would you propose to improve the line? We have our last two 1st rounders coming back in Bulaga and Sherrod. Bulaga was near Pro Bowl level a season ago. With Barclay showing he belongs, we have four tackles (assuming Sherrod can live up to his draft slot) that can get the job done. At guard, Lang and Sitton are above-average starters. EDS is a question mark, but seemed to hold up well at center. Remember, this line did just hold the 49ers to 1-sack, gave Rodgers ample time in the pocket throughout the game, and helped DuJuan have a respectable 1st half running it against an elite run defense.

It's easy to say we need to improve the line because we had 51 sacks on the season. But, you have to remember that we had several injuries and we played a well-past-his-prime Saturday at center. Once Barclay got in there and solidified the RT position, things started getting better because Lang moved back to his best position and eventually EDS replaced Saturday.

Considering we've locked up both guards to long-term contracts and TT has spent two 1st round picks on tackles, I don't expect much changes to the line other than welcoming back the injured players. At best, we add a player via mid- to late-rounds for interior line depth.
 
OP
OP
A

adambr2

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 8, 2012
Messages
4,013
Reaction score
609
I think adding a C is a possibility if they're not sold on EDS, but not a necessity.

Our sack numbers are always a bit inflated because of Rodgers' tendency to remain in the pocket and avoid throwing into coverage.

Though we still don't know what we have in Sherrod, we can feel good about our tackle situation going forward with Bulaga, Newhouse, and Barclay. Datko is a work in progress with good upside as well.

Judging by our performance last Saturday, I would expect the draft focus to be on defense.
 

Oshkoshpackfan

YUT !!!
Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Messages
3,286
Reaction score
260
Location
Camp Lejeune NC
I think adding a C is a possibility if they're not sold on EDS, but not a necessity.

Our sack numbers are always a bit inflated because of Rodgers' tendency to remain in the pocket and avoid throwing into coverage.

Though we still don't know what we have in Sherrod, we can feel good about our tackle situation going forward with Bulaga, Newhouse, and Barclay. Datko is a work in progress with good upside as well.

Judging by our performance last Saturday, I would expect the draft focus to be on defense.


C'mon man.......Newhouse? Really? that guy gets beat more often than a red headed step child. He is a weak link in the chain.
 
OP
OP
A

adambr2

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 8, 2012
Messages
4,013
Reaction score
609
Actually, he's made tremendous strides this year. He was pretty awful in 2011, but he's much improved.
 

BorderRivals.com

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 12, 2012
Messages
594
Reaction score
77
Location
Minneapolis, MN
C'mon man.......Newhouse? Really? that guy gets beat more often than a red headed step child. He is a weak link in the chain.

Granted, Newhouse isn't great. But what do you want instead? Another 1st round pick devoted to tackle? Signing a better LT? Well, we've already selected tackles with two 1st rounders recently. And any free agent upgrade would come at the cost of not being able to resign the plethora of players that need resigning for us or the inability to pursue FA's at positions that are bigger needs. Given this, Newhouse/Sherrod are good enough for this offense to succeed. Obviously, it'd be great to have an elite line like SF, but they've spent 3 first-rounders on that line - all within the last 3-4 years. They're going to have difficult choices when those rookie deals expire. Not every player can be elite with a salary cap. So, you make do with options that have proven serviceable. And that's what Newhouse and Co. are at this point.
 

Oshkoshpackfan

YUT !!!
Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Messages
3,286
Reaction score
260
Location
Camp Lejeune NC
Granted, Newhouse isn't great. But what do you want instead? Another 1st round pick devoted to tackle? Signing a better LT? Well, we've already selected tackles with two 1st rounders recently. And any free agent upgrade would come at the cost of not being able to resign the plethora of players that need resigning for us or the inability to pursue FA's at positions that are bigger needs. Given this, Newhouse/Sherrod are good enough for this offense to succeed. Obviously, it'd be great to have an elite line like SF, but they've spent 3 first-rounders on that line - all within the last 3-4 years. They're going to have difficult choices when those rookie deals expire. Not every player can be elite with a salary cap. So, you make do with options that have proven serviceable. And that's what Newhouse and Co. are at this point.

When you have an elite QB, you do what it takes to protect his blind side. Half-***ing it will only get you burned in the long run. If it takes free agency to get it done, so be it. That will be money well spent. Having some sort of patch work O line is just plain out playing with fire. Get a top dawg and be done with it, this is not a position to be fooling around with and flip flopping guys in and out of all season long and expecting it to work out and protect our star QB.
 

El Guapo

Cheesehead
Joined
Dec 7, 2011
Messages
6,111
Reaction score
1,590
Location
Land 'O Lakes
Focusing on one position will also get you burned in the long run. What is your magic plan for getting a "top dawg" in here, that doesn't jeopardize the team's other needs? Give us a name and a contract amount that Oshkoshpackfan - GM of the Packers would pay.
 

Oshkoshpackfan

YUT !!!
Joined
Aug 14, 2012
Messages
3,286
Reaction score
260
Location
Camp Lejeune NC
Focusing on one position will also get you burned in the long run. What is your magic plan for getting a "top dawg" in here, that doesn't jeopardize the team's other needs? Give us a name and a contract amount that Oshkoshpackfan - GM of the Packers would pay.

That is why they have highly paid number crunchers to figure out tough situations......we seem to be good at wasting it on dumd **** somehow ( jeff saturday)

my main point: protect your elite QB, if it takes $$$, then do what it takes.
 

FrankRizzo

Cheesehead
Joined
May 2, 2010
Messages
5,858
Reaction score
771
Location
Dallas
C'mon man.......Newhouse? Really? that guy gets beat more often than a red headed step child. He is a weak link in the chain.
He didn't kill us at all.... he did a good job on Jared Allen twice, and neither of the Smith Bros. stopped Rodgers.
I don't know how much he improved, but the evidence is there that he did.

Still, I see little positives in 2012 because our defense still sucked and it's getting worse as Ponder-Peterson-Crabtree-Kaepernick showed.
 
OP
OP
A

adambr2

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 8, 2012
Messages
4,013
Reaction score
609
1) We are a draft and develop team. We aren't going to go after big name linemen in free agency. Saturday was probably the biggest name we'll see, and he couldn't even beat out EDS by the end of the year. When you're a draft and develop team, you focus on keeping your own guys like we did with Lang. If you thought our defense looked bad on Saturday, wait and see what it looks like without Matthews when we can't afford him because of pricey offensive linemen that may or may not pan out.

2) As far as the O-line, I don't think they could have done much better than they did on Saturday, and that was with the patchwork O-line. Next year, they'll have Bulaga and Newhouse back. I'm okay with drafting a center, but just cutting Newhouse or Barclay and signing a big name tackle is the Eagles panic approach and it isn't the answer.

3) Pro Football Focus had us as the 12nd ranked O-line in their last update. We are not as bad as people think. Many, many of our sacks are either on Rodgers, or coverage sacks on the receivers not getting separation. We'll grab another guy in the draft, and we have a number of young guys with upside.

4) There needs to be a continued focus on defense. All the protection in the world for Rodgers won't help if the defense is giving up 45 in playoff games.
 

HyponGrey

Caseus Locutus Est
Joined
Mar 18, 2012
Messages
3,758
Reaction score
221
Location
South Jersey
Need to improve the O-line and i don't see Dujuan being the long term answer.
I concur with BoRiv. 2 First Round Tackles, Guards that the money says we plan to stick with, and a Center that has the full endorsement of our QB. Where do you have room to upgrade?
 

AmishMafia

Cheesehead
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Messages
7,279
Reaction score
2,395
Location
PENDING
That is why they have highly paid number crunchers to figure out tough situations......we seem to be good at wasting it on dumd **** somehow ( jeff saturday)

my main point: protect your elite QB, if it takes $$$, then do what it takes.

Not every problem has a solution. Throwing money at a player does not make him better. If so, we could just double Saturday's contract. Hey, now we spent big money so he must be good.

Great OTs don't grown on trees, there is only a few in existence right now and the teams that have them usually have them locked up. That leaves us with developing one on our own, like it or not. Most OTs don't hit their stride for 2-4 years in the NFL. Newhouse was marginal his first year below average last year, and this last year he was slightly above average. I am encouraged and hope that he comes back next season even better - he still has plenty of upside.
 

AmishMafia

Cheesehead
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Messages
7,279
Reaction score
2,395
Location
PENDING
1 - We were division champions yet again, and one of the final 8 teams in the running for the 3rd straight year, something 24 other teams cannot say.

2 - James Jones emerged as a reliable go-to guy.

3 -
Suggest one edit - otherwise, nice list!
 

Members online

Latest posts

Top