Getting over the hump

rmontro

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Question:
Obviously we're going to be contenders (barring an early AR injury), and be the favorite to win the NFC North.
But have the Packers done enough to get over the hump (be a legitimate threat to win the Super Bowl)? Can they actually get through a playoff run unscathed? Have they fixed the problems that held them back last year?

I would be curious to hear some opinions.
 
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Question:
Obviously we're going to be contenders (barring an early AR injury), and be the favorite to win the NFC North.
But have the Packers done enough to get over the hump (be a legitimate threat to win the Super Bowl)? Can they actually get through a playoff run unscathed? Have they fixed the problems that held them back last year?

I would be curious to hear some opinions.

Unfortunately I don't believe the Packers have done enough to be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender as the team's two biggest weaknesses in cornerback and outside linebacker haven't been adequately addressed so far.
 

armand34

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There are positions still in question that will affect this. In no particular order

1. Running Back - I believe Rip is our best blocking RB
2. Outside LB ("EDGE") - we have 2 legitimate rushers, 3 that are TBD
3. Inside LB - Joe Thomas & Jake Ryan, after them it drops quite a bit
4. Corner - there's a small chance this could be a strength, but just as likely a liability

5. might as well throw Guard in there as well, one injury to one of our guards and fan favorite Barclay returns to the lineup!
 
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There are positions still in question that will affect this. In no particular order

1. Running Back - I believe Rip is our best blocking RB
2. Outside LB ("EDGE") - we have 2 legitimate rushers, 3 that are TBD
3. Inside LB - Joe Thomas & Jake Ryan, after them it drops quite a bit
4. Corner - there's a small chance this could be a strength, but just as likely a liability

5. might as well throw Guard in there as well, one injury to one of our guards and fan favorite Barclay returns to the lineup!

I don't consider running back and guard as that important with the Packers having Rodgers at quarterback. The performance on the defensive side of the ball will be the deciding factor on the success of the 2017 season.
 

GBkrzygrl

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I think it's too early to tell. I want to see how they play during the pre-season to form my opinion. Considerable number of question marks that's for sure.
 

armand34

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I don't consider running back and guard as that important with the Packers having Rodgers at quarterback. The performance on the defensive side of the ball will be the deciding factor on the success of the 2017 season.

We are talking about winning the Super Bowl. Sure, Rodgers is the best bandaid a team can have and what is stopping him from winning another SB?

The Packers will NOT win a Super Bowl if he's pressured from the middle due to poor guard play( or injuries). They will not win a Super Bowl by being unable to convert pivotal short down & distances in the playoffs. They cannot win a Super Bowl if the RB can't pick up a blitz (Ty, Rip, & ? for 3rd down back). Yes, G & RB are not as "valued" as other spots, but they need to be for a team reliant on the offense.

The Defense is the most obvious need of improvement and can be well supplemented with consistency on offense. I can see the defense getting a little better this year, but I'm not expecting much.
 
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I think it's too early to tell. I want to see how they play during the pre-season to form my opinion.

I guess it's most likely better to wait at least until a few weeks in the regular season to make an educated evaluation as teams play a lot of second and third stringers as well as vanilla schemes during the preseason.
 
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We are talking about winning the Super Bowl. Sure, Rodgers is the best bandaid a team can have and what is stopping him from winning another SB?

The Packers will NOT win a Super Bowl if he's pressured from the middle due to poor guard play( or injuries). They will not win a Super Bowl by being unable to convert pivotal short down & distances in the playoffs. They cannot win a Super Bowl if the RB can't pick up a blitz (Ty, Rip, & ? for 3rd down back). Yes, G & RB are not as "valued" as other spots, but they need to be for a team reliant on the offense.

The Defense is the most obvious need of improvement and can be well supplemented with consistency on offense. I can see the defense getting a little better this year, but I'm not expecting much.

The Packers offense is capable of scoring a lot of points even against top defenses without an above average running game. I believe that as long as Evans stays healthy pass protection will be absolutely fine.

As I've mentioned above improvement on defense is essential for the team to be considered a legitimate contender. Unfortunately I'm not convinced Thompson has added enough pieces on that side of the ball to make it happen.
 

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I think it's too early to tell. I want to see how they play during the pre-season to form my opinion. Considerable number of question marks that's for sure.

Let's hope that most of the guys playing in the preseason won't be on the 53.
 

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The answer depends on which part of
But have the Packers done enough to get over the hump (be a legitimate threat to win the Super Bowl)?
we're addressing. I would say that, no, they haven't done enough. However, are they a legit threat? Sure, even folks like me realize it could happen - we've just been let down too much to expect it. There are just a whole lot of 'ifs' that have to fall into place - in general, health, improvement/return to competence from last year's roster, contributions from the new guys, etc. Lots broke right in 2010, mostly that the long IR list didn't hurt much and actually helped in certain situation and that 'next man up' really worked.
 

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Thanks for freeing up my Sunday's this fall. No sense watching if there is no chance to win the only thing that matters.
 

XPack

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Have they fixed the problems that held them back last year?

They have...to an extent.

I like both King and Jones and both have necessary traits to elevate our secondary up a notch. Add in House, plus the expected upside of healthy, Randall, Rollins, Gunter...it looks good on paper.

I predict our D will be better than last year, but enough to get over the hump? I'm still 50/50 on that.
 
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I like both King and Jones and both have necessary traits to elevate our secondary up a notch. Add in House, plus the expected upside of healthy, Randall, Rollins, Gunter...it looks good on paper.

Well, considering Randall, Rollins and Gunter struggled mightily last season, House is average at best and King hasn't played a single down in the NFL there's no reason to currently feel confident about the Packers' secondary.
 

XPack

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Well, considering Randall, Rollins and Gunter struggled mightily last season, House is average at best and King hasn't played a single down in the NFL there's no reason to currently feel confident about the Packers' secondary.

It's all projections and potentials for now. I have high hopes for King.
 

brandon2348

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Were gonna find out early what we have with opener against Seahawks (which I'll be going too) and then at Atlanta. We can't afford a slow start.

I think this team can go to the Super Bowl but we need to get a bye and home field for the best probabilities. This team needs to win 12-13 games and win important head to head games to achieve home field. This 10 win stuff isn't gonna cut it.

Capers has plenty of high picks and talent on the defensive side of the ball so he needs to figure it out this year.
 

Sky King

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Were gonna find out early what we have with opener against Seahawks (which I'll be going too) and then at Atlanta. We can't afford a slow start.

I think this team can go to the Super Bowl but we need to get a bye and home field for the best probabilities. This team needs to win 12-13 games and win important head to head games to achieve home field. This 10 win stuff isn't gonna cut it.

Capers has plenty of high picks and talent on the defensive side of the ball so he needs to figure it out this year.
I'm anticipating that a healthy Eddie will be highly motivated to prove a point to a whole lot of people in that particular stadium.
 

brandon2348

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I'm anticipating that a healthy Eddie will be highly motivated to prove a point to a whole lot of people in that particular stadium.

Yeah, I am sure he will but I don't expect Eddie to be a huge factor. I think Capers will take the run game away and make Wilson throw which has actually worked well for us against Seahawks.

The Seahawks still have OL issues too. Right now Joeckel is penciled in at LT for them.
 
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For just a brief second I thought the thread title had something to do with Aaron's breakup again :tup:
No. I don't feel like we did enough to "get over the hump" ..yet I think we graded out as good as most 2016 playoff caliber teams as far as the draft. We just had too many holes to fill and I feel like we are still 1-2 position impact players away from an NFC Championship level season. Sorry to rain on the parade
 

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Thanks for freeing up my Sunday's this fall. No sense watching if there is no chance to win the only thing that matters.

If it's not me to whom you're replying, I apologize, but this came right after mine.

1. I didn't say there's not chance, I said a lot of stars have to line up for it to happen.

2. I watched during the Gory Years, when there really was no chance. Enjoyed that stretch because expectations were low, so producing upsets during the regular season was enough. Making the playoffs every year and then not winning the only prize is what's frustrating - it's just not our of reach.
 

PackAttack12

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With Aaron Rodgers behind center, the Packers will always be a threat to win the Super Bowl, because they have been in the playoffs every single year since his 2nd year in the league, but to have a legitimate shot at first getting to, and secondly winning it, we're going to need more production and big plays from a defense that was rather poor far too often in 2016.

And unfortunately I have very little confidence that the moves made thus far will produce the results necessary to put the Packers in that position, regardless of the greatness of #12.
 
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We don't necessarily need to be a top 5 Defense to win a Championship. What we DO need is to stay relatively healthy and improve into at least a top 10-15 Defense going into the playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers will be himself and keep us in the game as long as the Defense doesn't give up 30+
 
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PackAttack12

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We don't necessarily need to be a top 5 Defense to win a Championship. What we DO need is to stay relatively healthy and improve into at least a top 10-15 Defense going into the playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers will be himself and keep us in the game as long as the Defense doesn't give up 30+
Huge caveat though considering we've been eliminated in the playoffs 7 out of the past 8 seasons due to the defense giving up nearly 37 points per game in 7 losses.

I'm sick and tired of praying for good health to take us to the promised land.
 

J.A.

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It makes for a fun discussion in May, but it's obviously way too early to tell. Before the 2007 season started, would anyone have said we were legit contenders? We were one boneheaded interception away from making (and probably eventually winning) the Super Bowl. I don't remember thinking we were legit contenders after back-to-back OT losses in 2010, but that season turned out OK. We didn't look very legit getting our rear ends handed to us in Seattle to start the 2014 season, but if not for an epic choke job in the NFCCG, we would have had another Super Bowl appearance.

I guess my point is - I think we're always legit contenders. We won't dominate the league with this roster, but I think we've got the players to get there - they just need to play like they're capable of and also catch a few breaks along the way. And, as always, there will be a few players that will step up surprise us.
 

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