Packers SB champs in '07/08

[Zombieslayer]

Folks, when Samuel got disgruntled, my eyes opened up. I started thinking a lot of scenarios of how the Packers could win it all this year. Hear me out and let me know if this is possible.

What are our weaknesses? Safety, TE, special teams, and need one more playmaker, right? Well, consider this. Packers trade for Samuel and trade for Randy Moss. We draft Olson as our first round pick, and find a speedster WR from a small school in one of the later rounds to be our KR/PR. Woodson moves to Safety. I love our defensive front four now that it's solidified, and love our Linebackers. Our OL is starting to gel, and hopefully year 2 we're solid enough that we don't have to keep an extra two men back every passing down.

I may disagree with a lot of you, but I'm sold on Morency/Herron. I really don't see the need to have one running back get all the carries. We split carries in '96 and look where that got us. With the ZBS, you don't need Barry Sanders in the backfield to be a good running team, you just need somebody decent back there, and Morency/Herron are good enough. When Green went down last year, they both stepped up to the plate and scored.

I remember last year, a lot of you said that Driver wasn't a true #1 receiver. Now, NOBODY is saying that. Imagine Driver/Moss/Jennings. NOBODY will be able to handle them, not one team in the NFL. That would open up our running game big time.

You don't have to be a dominant team any more to win the big one. Pittsburg two years ago was by no way dominant. Many of us felt last year that the Bolts were the best team, yet the Colts won it all.

Now, the problem with this scenario is obvious - cap space. I love Fergy for what he does on Special Teams, and have always been rooting for the guy, but if we trade away both Fergy and KGB (who I like but he seems to have lost a step) and Aaron Rogers (for Moss), we just may free up enough cap space to make it happen. I'll admit my math sucks so maybe someone can prove me right or wrong here.

Is this a pipe dream? And if it's a possibility, will this be enough to give us a shot at winning it all this year? More than anything, I'd love to see Favre retire with at least one more SB ring.

 

[net]

You forgot one important name: Brett Favre. Old or not, he's still the only viable option this team has at QB in the same phrase as Super Bowl.

Playmakers. Plain and simple. Someone on another board nailed, I feel, all the Ted Thompson backers there when he/she said that Ted had built a solid base of players in Seattle. They are coached by, love him or hate him, a genius in the modern football world in Mike Holmgren. So why can't Seattle get over the top? Playmakers. Ted brought in solid players like he is here, but the SB is won by the "dogs". Brady, Manning, Harrison, etc.

I'm not sold on the current running backs at all. All have experience, but none are battle-hardened to the point of completing a 16 game season. Morency is the perfect change-up back, but he only delivers on occasion. Don't forget he was given up on by Texas. Herron is a journeyman. A solid guy and player, but Super Bowl? No way. The Packers need a back capable of 25 carries a game for 16 games with a feel for hard blocking, great hands, open field running, and the ability to make the first man miss.

Donald Driver is the man. He is a playmaker. But they need, in a primal way, a non-selfish deep threat on the opposite side. He isn't on the roster. Jennings played his way to the third receiver last year. Oddly enough, I though Ruvell Martin showed some promise, as did Holliday. But they need 'THE MAN'.

They need a tight end capable of opening up the short passing game.

They will soon need a capable backup to Chad Clifton.

Defensively, they need a meat-eater at DT. They need a replacement for KGB at end. I'm almost certain they will move him before the draft.

Linebackers are getting better. Remember, regardless of the contract Barnett signed, he has never been to the Pro Bowl. Poppinga is still a defensive end trying to be a linebacker. Hawk will be a star, no doubt.

The secondary needs help. Harris is aging, Woodson will likely not finish the season at corner. If you look at his career, injuries are a problem.

The safeties need upgrades. If Collins can't step up, new talent is needed there. Manuel is a bust.

But the main area to upgrade, believe it or not, is special teams. For several seasons the Packers have been ok to bad in this area. The SB winners rarely have bad special teams. It's the third leg of the football stool and the Packers' stool has only had two legs.

But if Brett Favre retires, all this could go out the window. I'm not at all certain Aaron Rodgers is any good.

 

[bozz_2006]

wow. i'm blown away net. great post friend. i'm not great at criticizing the packers. i'm normally a bit on the pessimistic side and am VERY quick to offer criticism, but my love for the packers causes me to have blinders on. so, i couldn't have elucidated the points that you brought up, but i agree with them 100%. again, great post man.

 

[flapackfan]

To make it to the superbowl what do we need? We need ALL of the following:

1. Big time receiver as good as Driver or better who can jump in right away and play well in our system. Not another rookie, not Mark Boerighter, a BIG TIME talent.

2. An athletic tight end who can make catches down the middle of the field CONSISTENTLY. Someone who wont be dropping half the balls thrown his way. Someone who keeps the chains moving and is consistent. We havent had that since Chewy left.

3. A good veteran smart safety who can jump in and learn the system and be depended on to not have blown coverages all the time like we had last year.

4. An excellent receiving running back who can split time with Morency. A versatile guy who is fast, good at receiving and he does not have to carry the load nescesarily. A Dave Megget/Charlie Garner type guy.

I love our front 7 for the most part except for Popinga but we can still win with him in there. I think our offensive line will be much better next year. I like 3 of our defensive backs. I like Driver, Favre, liked what i saw of Miree and i think Jennings can be one of the best "third receivers" in the league next year.

If we can get all of those pieces, i like our chances, if Bubba is starting in week one with Jennings & Driver, get ready for another frustrating season.

 

[Greg C.]

The Packers need a back capable of 25 carries a game for 16 games with a feel for hard blocking, great hands, open field running, and the ability to make the first man miss.

You make a lot of good points, net, and I especially agree with you about the special teams. They were a problem under Sherman, and they have yet to improve under Thompson.

But please, let's stop looking for an RB who can carry the ball 25 times per game. I hear this in other places too, and it bothers me. You know how many RB's averaged 25 carries last season? One: Larry Johnson, and I think he set a record for most carries in a season. In fact, there were only seven RB's (including Johnson) who averaged more than 20 carries per game for 16 games. Of those, none were on teams that made it as far as the conference championships. Only two of the seven (Johnson and Tomlinson) were on teams that made the playoffs, and both of their teams were immediately eliminated by teams that had more diverse offenses. It's mostly bad or marginal teams that kill their RB's by overusing them.

For those who are interested, here are the stats, sorted in the order of most carries:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/stats/2006/rushing/0_byRUSH.html

 

[retiredgrampa]

Obviously(IMO) we're going to improve as a team but may still only reach 8-8. If we have a great draft, I could see a real run for the Lombardi in 2008-9 but ONLY if we get improved QBing. Where is that coming from? This team is too young yet and our weaknesses have not been adequately addressed. I do see a high energy team with high goals. I just don't believe we're there yet.

 

[Obi1]

Win a few more games and about 3 games in the playoffs... Then We're in! I guarantee it!

 

[all about da packers]

Great thread, but I'd like to add that all the Packers players/Packer nation might want to be praying during the season that Tom Brady miss the Superbowl... perhaps not because of injury, maybe he has another child due to be born on the same day, or gets stuck in a snow storm of something. IMO the Pats are making it to the Superbowl, and any team would be hard pressed to stand with them blow for blow after the additions they made.

 

[all about da packers]

You forgot one important name: Brett Favre. Old or not, he's still the only viable option this team has at QB in the same phrase as Super Bowl.

Playmakers. Plain and simple. Someone on another board nailed, I feel, all the Ted Thompson backers there when he/she said that Ted had built a solid base of players in Seattle. They are coached by, love him or hate him, a genius in the modern football world in Mike Holmgren. So why can't Seattle get over the top? Playmakers. Ted brought in solid players like he is here, but the SB is won by the "dogs". Brady, Manning, Harrison, etc.

I'm not sold on the current running backs at all. All have experience, but none are battle-hardened to the point of completing a 16 game season. Morency is the perfect change-up back, but he only delivers on occasion. Don't forget he was given up on by Texas. Herron is a journeyman. A solid guy and player, but Super Bowl? No way. The Packers need a back capable of 25 carries a game for 16 games with a feel for hard blocking, great hands, open field running, and the ability to make the first man miss.

Donald Driver is the man. He is a playmaker. But they need, in a primal way, a non-selfish deep threat on the opposite side. He isn't on the roster. Jennings played his way to the third receiver last year. Oddly enough, I though Ruvell Martin showed some promise, as did Holliday. But they need 'THE MAN'.

They need a tight end capable of opening up the short passing game.

They will soon need a capable backup to Chad Clifton.

Defensively, they need a meat-eater at DT. They need a replacement for KGB at end. I'm almost certain they will move him before the draft.

Linebackers are getting better. Remember, regardless of the contract Barnett signed, he has never been to the Pro Bowl. Poppinga is still a defensive end trying to be a linebacker. Hawk will be a star, no doubt.

The secondary needs help. Harris is aging, Woodson will likely not finish the season at corner. If you look at his career, injuries are a problem.

The safeties need upgrades. If Collins can't step up, new talent is needed there. Manuel is a bust.

But the main area to upgrade, believe it or not, is special teams. For several seasons the Packers have been ok to bad in this area. The SB winners rarely have bad special teams. It's the third leg of the football stool and the Packers' stool has only had two legs.

But if Brett Favre retires, all this could go out the window. I'm not at all certain Aaron Rodgers is any good.

Absolutely amazing post, I totally agree.