Will The Packers Making the Playoffs?

[OldSchool101]

2 other options at Receiver. The obvious one is Hardman. While he might not be Jayden Reed, Mecole 100% offers a speed component that must be accounted for. It puts 2 WR’s on the field with 4.3’s speed. He’s also got requisite experience. Comparing Hardman to Reed he has more Yards (2,302) more TD’s (16) more games played (80) within 1 yard average reception (12.9) same Rushing TD’s (3). but add high level competition with 3 Championship Rings and a SB winning catch. His primary ? were ongoing injuries, not performance.

Then there’s Savion Williams. Considering how much of camp he missed I was impressed. His speed translated into pads. In his first meaningful action he looked very natural. Savion does have some prowess as a Receiver also. Last year alone he All Purposed 933 yards (60X611 receiving) and 12 TD’s Rushing/Receiving in the Big12.

 

[gopkrs]

2 other options at Receiver. The obvious one is Hardman. While he might not be Jayden Reed, Mecole 100% offers a speed component that must be accounted for. It puts 2 WR’s on the field with 4.3’s speed. He’s also got requisite experience. Comparing Hardman to Reed he has more Yards, more TD’s, more games played, within 1 yard average reception, the same 3 Rushing TD’s, but had 3 Championship Rings and a SB winning catch. His primary ? were ongoing injuries, not performance.

Then there’s Savion Williams. Considering how much of camp he missed I was impressed. His speed translated into pads. In his first meaningful action he looked impressive. Savion does have some prowess in the Passing game that can gradually be exploited

Well, you picked two big ifs and maybees

 

[OldSchool101]

Well, you picked two big ifs and maybees

Life is one maybe after another. Show me a 100% positive on any player decision in football and I’ll show you an injury 2 plays later. Out for the season (or career)

 

[milani]

Especially considering +15 points came in the last 1-5 minutes of game clock in contests that were 14+ point spreads on our opponents final drive. Even so we allowed opponent flashy points to run the gameclock for a W. Still running 15.5 pts/GM allowed against a pair of Top 10 Offenses.

Strong first halves by the offense gave the defense a little extra in the tank in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Both the Lions and Washington were taken some out of their game plan. If we can force some turnovers now it will give us a chance to get that running game ball control going.

 

[milani]

2 other options at Receiver. The obvious one is Hardman. While he might not be Jayden Reed, Mecole 100% offers a speed component that must be accounted for. It puts 2 WR’s on the field with 4.3’s speed. He’s also got requisite experience. Comparing Hardman to Reed he has more Yards (2,302) more TD’s (16) more games played (80) within 1 yard average reception (12.9) same Rushing TD’s (3). but add high level competition with 3 Championship Rings and a SB winning catch. His primary ? were ongoing injuries, not performance.

Then there’s Savion Williams. Considering how much of camp he missed I was impressed. His speed translated into pads. In his first meaningful action he looked very natural. Savion does have some prowess as a Receiver also. Last year alone he All Purposed 933 yards (60X611 receiving) and 12 TD’s Rushing/Receiving in the Big12.

Some of these kids are made for the fast indoor game of which we play 3 this season. Can they catch the ball in the cold, icy conditions?

 

[Heyjoe4]

OK, so after two games ... they got it rollin' against Detroit and 2-0 is not a slow start. Neither team would be considered "also-rans". I did however prove that I don't know anything. I think that the first three regular season games should be considered the "real" pre-season for fan prognosticators too... and, for professional NFL Offensive Coordinators to find a work around this newly discovered Packer pass rush.

Yeah you make a good point - no other team has experience with this Packer D - and by that I mean the addition of Parsons and how he has changed/improved the overall play of the D.

After the third week, there is enough video to give an opponent some idea of what may be coming. But I don't know how an OC plans for Parsons. The guy is a force of nature. The only other D that is maybe this good is Philly. I watched them play KC yesterday, and they still get sacks/pressures with only four guys.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Especially considering +15 points came in the last 1-5 minutes of game clock in contests that were 14+ point spreads on our opponents final drive. Even so we allowed opponent flashy points to run the gameclock for a W. Still running 15.5 pts/GM allowed against a pair of Top 10 Offenses.

Good point. The TD by the Lions was on an absolutely freakish catch in garbage time (not taking anything away from the guy who made that catch, it was incredible, OBJ-level good), and I think both Commander TDs came in garbage time.

And the Lions showed how powerful their offense still is against the hapless Bears.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Some of these kids are made for the fast indoor game of which we play 3 this season. Can they catch the ball in the cold, icy conditions?

Good point milani. I had no idea GB had so few indoor games.

Hardman will be activated, but he cannot be compared to Reed, not even close. Hardman brings some solid experience and I guess speed, but he'll compete with Heath for targets, meaning very few. Maybe Hardman can be used on KRs and PRs.

Reed is a significant loss. But Doubs looks great and Wicks is catching the ball. Heath is an excellent blocker. I'm guessing Golden/Musgrave will be seeing more targets. And Kraft is off-the-charts good. Watson will be back soon.

Anyway, the receiver group is thankfully deep. And maybe Reed gets back by Thanksgiving. Rodgers broke his collar bone early in a season. Seem to recall he missed 8 games. But Reed is a receiver, he's gonna get tackled a lot. I'd be happy if he's back for Thanksgiving.

 

[Thirteen Below]

After the third week, there is enough video to give an opponent some idea of what may be coming. But I don't know how an OC plans for Parsons. The guy is a force of nature.

I was watching film of the game last night, and there were times the dude was triple-teamed and still hurried Daniels. Triple-teamed, and Daniels still had to deal the ball away sooner than he wanted to, since he had no place to run because Wyatt was bulldozing the center backwards and the left tackle was getting walked back by LVN. I think the only way you plan for that is the way you plan for a hurricane - just try to survive for 3 hours, and pray you're still alive when it's over.

This guy is a monster. I remember saying a few days ago that he may actually turm out to be an even better player here than he was in Dallas, because he'll be surrounded by so many other good players and has coaches who scheme better for him, and after the other night I can't help wondering if that's what we're already seeing. I wonder if this trade is putting him in a position to show how good he really is for the first time.

Which is borderline frightening.

The only other D that is maybe this good is Philly. I watched them play KC yesterday, and they still get sacks/pressures with only four guys.

I haven't seen a full Eagles game yet, but honestly, from watching two full Packer games, it's hard to imagine Phildelphia being any better (although they did a hell of a job making Mahomes look human this last weekend). It's hard to really get a handle on it this early, because we really haven't had time to measure how good their opponents are this year. But damn, them birds do look good.

That Monday night game at Lambeau on November 10 is going to be one of the most watched games of the season. Very good chance that it will be the preview of the NFCCG. Scheduling that on a Monday night, at Lambeau, in the final 1/3 oif the season as both teams are gearing up for the stretch run was sheer marketing genius. Guys are going to be sitting on their couches with empty Gatorade bottles next to them so they don't have to get up and run to the bathroom.

And just think... they made a significantly better offer for Parsons than we did. Can you imagine if that had gone the other way???

Hardman will be activated, but he cannot be compared to Reed, not even close. Hardman brings some solid experience and I guess speed, but he'll compete with Heath for targets, meaning very few. Maybe Hardman can be used on KRs and PRs.

Returns would be a great use for him; eliminate the risk of one of our better receivers (or a cornerback) being injured. Assuming he can hold onto the ball, of course, especially when you consider that he does have a history of muffing punts. There were 2 or 3 just in 2024 alone; he seems to have a tendency to be looking way downfield and focusing on where his gaps are going to be before he completely finalizes the part about catching the ball and securing it. He made that AFCCG against the Bills a lot closer than it needed to be.

I'm crossing my fingers that he can be coached out of that.

Reed is a significant loss. But Doubs looks great and Wicks is catching the ball. Heath is an excellent blocker. I'm guessing Golden/Musgrave will be seeing more targets. And Kraft is off-the-charts good. Watson will be back soon.

Anyway, the receiver group is thankfully deep. And maybe Reed gets back by Thanksgiving.

Barring any further injuries, the WR department should be fully staffed by December, when we see the Broncos, Ravens, Vikings, and BearsX2 before the playoffs. Everyone will have 5 games to get back into the groove and give Lafleur and Vrable a month and a half to see where everyone is at and how best to fine tune the machine.

I get it... it's only 2 games. But I really don't remember the last time I felt so damned good after the first couple of games of the season. There's not a single "Ah, well, Green Bay always gets off to a slow start, I'm not gonna worry about it", or "Hey, it's OK, they'll work out the kinks", or "Yeah, but Detroit and Minnesota haven't looked that great either".

Instead, we're at "I know it's only two games, so it's too early to be talking about whether we're the best team in the league, but so far there's nothing to complain about."

I kinda like it better this way, for a change.

 

[Heyjoe4]

I was watching film of the game last night, and there were times the dude was triple-teamed and still hurried Daniels. Triple-teamed, and Daniels still had to deal the ball away sooner than he wanted to, since he had no place to run because Wyatt was bulldozing the center backwards and the left tackle was getting walked back by LVN. I think the only way you plan for that is the way you plan for a hurricane - just try to survive for 3 hours, and pray you're still alive when it's over.

This guy is a monster. I remember saying a few days ago that he may actually turm out to be an even better player here than he was in Dallas, because he'll be surrounded by so many other good players and has coaches who scheme better for him, and after the other night I can't help wondering if that's what we're already seeing. I wonder if this trade is putting him in a position to show how good he really is for the first time.

Which is borderline frightening.




I haven't seen a full Eagles game yet, but honestly, from watching two full Packer games, it's hard to imagine Phildelphia being any better (although they did a hell of a job making Mahomes look human this last weekend). It's hard to really get a handle on it this early, because we really haven't had time to measure how good their opponents are this year. But damn, them birds do look good.

That Monday night game at Lambeau on November 10 is going to be one of the most watched games of the season. Very good chance that it will be the preview of the NFCCG. Scheduling that on a Monday night, at Lambeau, in the final 1/3 oif the season as both teams are gearing up for the stretch run was sheer marketing genius. Guys are going to be sitting on their couches with empty Gatorade bottles next to them so they don't have to get up and run to the bathroom.

And just think... they made a significantly better offer for Parsons than we did. Can you imagine if that had gone the other way???




Returns would be a great use for him; eliminate the risk of one of our better receivers (or a cornerback) being injured. Assuming he can hold onto the ball, of course, especially when you consider that he does have a history of muffing punts. There were 2 or 3 just in 2024 alone; he seems to have a tendency to be looking way downfield and focusing on where his gaps are going to be before he completely finalizes the part about catching the ball and securing it. He made that AFCCG against the Bills a lot closer than it needed to be.

I'm crossing my fingers that he can be coached out of that.



Barring any further injuries, the WR department should be fully staffed by December, when we see the Broncos, Ravens, Vikings, and BearsX2 before the playoffs. Everyone will have 5 games to get back into the groove and give Lafleur and Vrable a month and a half to see where everyone is at and how best to fine tune the machine.

I get it... it's only 2 games. But I really don't remember the last time I felt so damned good after the first couple of games of the season. There's not a single "Ah, well, Green Bay always gets off to a slow start, I'm not gonna worry about it", or "Hey, it's OK, they'll work out the kinks", or "Yeah, but Detroit and Minnesota haven't looked that great either".

Instead, we're at "I know it's only two games, so it's too early to be talking about whether we're the best team in the league, but so far there's nothing to complain about."

I kinda like it better this way, for a change.

Thanks for your thoughtful additions 13, much appreciated.

The last time I felt close to this good about the Packers so early in a season was the 96-97 SB winner. When they won in 2010-2011 they came from the back of the line and got three road victories on their way to a SB win over the Steelers. But that team came put of nowhere to win in all, and they were fortunate to even be in the playoffs. But a SB win is a SB win - no complaints.

This team is something different. With the D being so dominant, the O doesn't have to carry the team. And I believe defense wins championships.

I guess my only concern, and it's a luxury, is having so much success so soon (I know, an embarrassment of riches). And that's my only concern. MLF and Hafley are good enough to keep the team on an even keel, I believe.

I didn't know Parsons almost went to Philly. I guess Jerry was at least smart enough not to trade him to a conference opponent. As for Philly, their offense, other than Barkley, has been subdued. And even Barkley isn't having monster games, well not yet. Right now in the NFC, it's Geen Bay and Philly and everyone else.

 

[OldSchool101]

Good point milani. I had no idea GB had so few indoor games.

Hardman will be activated, but he cannot be compared to Reed, not even close. Hardman brings some solid experience and I guess speed, but he'll compete with Heath for targets, meaning very few. Maybe Hardman can be used on KRs and PRs.

Reed is a significant loss. But Doubs looks great and Wicks is catching the ball. Heath is an excellent blocker. I'm guessing Golden/Musgrave will be seeing more targets. And Kraft is off-the-charts good. Watson will be back soon.

Anyway, the receiver group is thankfully deep. And maybe Reed gets back by Thanksgiving. Rodgers broke his collar bone early in a season. Seem to recall he missed 8 games. But Reed is a receiver, he's gonna get tackled a lot. I'd be happy if he's back for Thanksgiving.

Just piggybacking. I saw a Sports Doctor predict Reed comes back between our Eagles game or our Vikings game 2 weeks later

 

[Half Empty]

I didn't know Parsons almost went to Philly. I guess Jerry was at least smart enough not to trade him to a conference opponent.

Figure you meant division opponent

 

[Voyageur]

I was watching film of the game last night, and there were times the dude was triple-teamed and still hurried Daniels. Triple-teamed, and Daniels still had to deal the ball away sooner than he wanted to, since he had no place to run because Wyatt was bulldozing the center backwards and the left tackle was getting walked back by LVN. I think the only way you plan for that is the way you plan for a hurricane - just try to survive for 3 hours, and pray you're still alive when it's over.

This guy is a monster. I remember saying a few days ago that he may actually turm out to be an even better player here than he was in Dallas, because he'll be surrounded by so many other good players and has coaches who scheme better for him, and after the other night I can't help wondering if that's what we're already seeing. I wonder if this trade is putting him in a position to show how good he really is for the first time.

Which is borderline frightening.

This is exactly what I see too. What we're going to see from Parsons is far more than he could have ever achieved in Dallas. Hafely had a plan to use him, and we've just seen the beginning of where it will go. His play will put a spotlight on every other Packer defender across the board because their game will also improve.

 

[milani]

Thanks for your thoughtful additions 13, much appreciated.

The last time I felt close to this good about the Packers so early in a season was the 96-97 SB winner. When they won in 2010-2011 they came from the back of the line and got three road victories on their way to a SB win over the Steelers. But that team came put of nowhere to win in all, and they were fortunate to even be in the playoffs. But a SB win is a SB win - no complaints.

This team is something different. With the D being so dominant, the O doesn't have to carry the team. And I believe defense wins championships.

I guess my only concern, and it's a luxury, is having so much success so soon (I know, an embarrassment of riches). And that's my only concern. MLF and Hafley are good enough to keep the team on an even keel, I believe.

I didn't know Parsons almost went to Philly. I guess Jerry was at least smart enough not to trade him to a conference opponent. As for Philly, their offense, other than Barkley, has been subdued. And even Barkley isn't having monster games, well not yet. Right now in the NFC, it's Geen Bay and Philly and everyone else.

The 2011 season appeared to be the most promising. A lot more than 2010 with a gazillion injuries everywhere. The invincible offense collapsed and the defense showed its stripes.
Take 2025 with a grain of salt right now. Our first two games were at home. There are some very strong teams out there.
Philly showed its physical toughness in KC. Baker Mayfield is a gamer. He snatched victory from defeat with that 4th and 10. The Bucs O Line can run block. And either the Vikings forgot how to stop the run or Bijah Robinson could be the Barkley of 2025. Atlanta has a pass rush. How does anyone stop Allen and the Bills? Harbaugh brought defense to the Chargers. 5 starting QBs are out and we are only 2 weeks in. The Lions are not going to retreat just like that. Matt Stafford still gets it done. 15 games to go in the regular season. It is a long haul.

 

[Voyageur]

I love threads like this. We have so many thoughtful posters who share information and opinions without it being taken as a personal affront when someone disagrees. It's too bad other venues out here don't understand this is how it's done.

 

[OldSchool101]

How does anyone stop Allen and the Bills?

Similar to how we stop Jayden Daniels. Now Josh has the size advantage over Daniels. Yet the bigger they are the harder they fall. Spy him like we did Daniels and Rush 4.
I like our LB’s. They mostly fioat around 240lb+ but they are every bit as fast as Josh Allen mixed with instincts. Thats why Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery were stifled.

The passing game I can understand takes a bit to ratchet up. The Running game for Detroit and Washington just flailed. That doesn’t happen by accident. (Not suggesting you think that). The speed of our front 4 are similar to LB’s. The LB’s are like RB’s. Hafley and Covington will have a very tailored approach for Allen. Not suggesting he might not have a couple scampers, but this D is legit fast and hairs like a gang tackle mentality. I’ve seen guys hold up the ball carrier and a 2nd guy come in punching. I’m surprised we haven’t had a few more Forced Fumbles. It’s coming. Mark my words.

 

[milani]

Similar to how we stop Jayden Daniels. Now Josh has the size advantage over Daniels. Yet the bigger they are the harder they fall. Spy him like we did Daniels and Rush 4.
I like our LB’s. They mostly fioat around 240lb+ but they are every bit as fast as Josh Allen mixed with instincts. Thats why Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery were stifled.

The passing game I can understand takes a bit to wrench up. The Running game for Detroit and Washington just flailed. That doesn’t happen by accident. (Not suggesting you think that). The speed of our front 4 are similar to LB’s. The LB’s are like RB’s. Hafley and Covington will have a very tailored approach for Allen. Not suggesting he might have a couple scampers, but unless he wants to become QB #6 on the injury report he might think twice.

I just think it will be somewhat different on the road. We still have such a young team. Concentration and nerves can impact the performance of youth in either direction. After watching all the games this weekend the number of penalties are abysmal. That is what scares me. And that can ruin a hard effort any week. I hope we show the cool we had in 2023 when we beat both Detroit and Dallas on the road.

 

[OldSchool101]

I just think it will be somewhat different on the road. We still have such a young team. Concentration and nerves can impact the performance of youth in either direction. After watching all the games this weekend the number of penalties are abysmal. That is what scares me. And that can ruin a hard effort any week. I hope we show the cool we had in 2023 when we beat both Detroit and Dallas on the road.

THIS. One thing I’ve noticed is we travel better now. When we had Favre and Rodgers we’d dominate at home, but we’d have some suspect type losses. Since Love I’ve noticed when we travel cross country we don’t drop off much if any. Every loss last year except Detroit and Eagles was a 2pt-5pt game.

That first 2024 Detroit contest was GB hurting GB as much as Detroit playing good. I’ve watched it 3X and the score doesn’t give the game feel. We were very evenly matched, maybe a 2-3 point underdog in retrospect. The Eagles at Philly similar. If we don’t fumble on Teams play #1 that’s at most 1 score game also. At Philly. We stifled Philly for much of the game.

That was then and this is now. Imo GB roster last year ranked a 8.25 out of perfect 10.00. This year? We’re hovering at a Solid 9.0-9.25 with ability to click at 9.5-9.75/10 if the Offense gets clicking. We now are a Buffalo type quality Defense or slightly better

 

[Thirteen Below]

The speed of our front 4 are similar to LB’s. The LB’s are like RB’s. Hafley and Covington will have a very tailored approach for Allen. Not suggesting he might not have a couple scampers, but this D is legit fast and hairs like a gang tackle mentality. I’ve seen guys hold up the ball carrier and a 2nd guy come in punching.

This summarizes something I've been starting to notice the last couple of weeks, and just haven't clearly put into words yet. We've been noticing certain patterns to Gutekunst's drafting strategies for several years, and it seems like this year it's starting to become more clear.

He's been slowly accumulating a defense that's loaded with fast, aggressive athletes, and the last year or two he's been placing an emphasis on strong, physical players. When Lafleur hired Hafley, I think he found the perfect DC to get the most out of that group of players, with his aggressive, "attack, attack, attack" philosophy. It's starting to look as though this year, that whole set of factors is coming together in a perfect storm, and we are seeing Gute's vision come to life.

We've had a reputaion for many years as a finesse team, and it feels as though we're starting to establish ourselves as a tough, hard-hitting team, especially on defense. The last two games, I keep thinking back to the Eagle's "Gang Green" defense under Buddy Ryan, about 35 years ago. When they lined up before the snap, you actually almost felt sorry for the O-line. It was like they were facing a firing squad.

And you're right about the focus on forcing fumbles. Remember, Green Bay actually has an assistant coach whose primary role is to teach the players how to force turnovers. I don't know if I've ever even heard of that before. It's Wendell Davis, whose official title (according to Hafley and Lafleur) is "Ball King", and in training camp he led off every day's defensive meeting with a rundown on which players are doing the best job of creating turnovers. It's being drilled into them on a daily basis, and I'm surprised we haven't seen the results of it so far. But I think we will before long.

https://www.packersnews.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2025/07/30/packers-ball-king-and-why-biggest-focus-in-training-camp-is-forcing-fumbles/85438141007/

 

[Voyageur]

When you have the speed to make plays, and swarm the ball, good things happen. It's what creates most turnovers. Even the majority of INTs happen because the QB is being swarmed by a defense forcing them to throw before they're ready. It also blows up running plays from sideline to sideline because you have the speed to stretch runners out to the sideline so help can arrive from the secondary to make tackles for loss. Between the tackles, it turns what could have been five-yard gains into less than two-yards or less. It's also that swarm tackle that knocks the ball loose causing fumbles.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Figure you meant division opponent

Correct, thanks for the correction HE.

 

[Heyjoe4]

The 2011 season appeared to be the most promising. A lot more than 2010 with a gazillion injuries everywhere. The invincible offense collapsed and the defense showed its stripes.
Take 2025 with a grain of salt right now. Our first two games were at home. There are some very strong teams out there.
Philly showed its physical toughness in KC. Baker Mayfield is a gamer. He snatched victory from defeat with that 4th and 10. The Bucs O Line can run block. And either the Vikings forgot how to stop the run or Bijah Robinson could be the Barkley of 2025. Atlanta has a pass rush. How does anyone stop Allen and the Bills? Harbaugh brought defense to the Chargers. 5 starting QBs are out and we are only 2 weeks in. The Lions are not going to retreat just like that. Matt Stafford still gets it done. 15 games to go in the regular season. It is a long haul.

Good perspective. I love the fast start, and yes, there are 15 games left and a lot of things we just can't know.

The best approach is to study and prepare for the next opponent on the schedule. I'd be surprised not to end Sunday 3-0, but the overwhelmingly great performances in weeks 1-2 can be taken for granted against a lesser opponent.

Stay frosty.

 

[Voyageur]

Good perspective. I love the fast start, and yes, there are 15 games left and a lot of things we just can't know.

The best approach is to study and prepare for the next opponent on the schedule. I'd be surprised not to end Sunday 3-0, but the overwhelmingly great performances in weeks 1-2 can be taken for granted against a lesser opponent.

Stay frosty.

Underestimating an opponent in the NFL happens so darned often it's hard to believe they still fall into that trap. When you realize that the last team to finish an entire season undefeated was the 1972 Dolphins. This is the 53rd year since then. We hear matchups but after all matchups are really game plans based on how the coaches envision the other team's strengths and weaknesses, and the players understanding that no matter what record each team has, they can be vulnerable to the right attack.

 

[milani]

Good perspective. I love the fast start, and yes, there are 15 games left and a lot of things we just can't know.

The best approach is to study and prepare for the next opponent on the schedule. I'd be surprised not to end Sunday 3-0, but the overwhelmingly great performances in weeks 1-2 can be taken for granted against a lesser opponent.

Stay frosty.

I believe the Browns are a trap game.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Underestimating an opponent in the NFL happens so darned often it's hard to believe they still fall into that trap. When you realize that the last team to finish an entire season undefeated was the 1972 Dolphins. This is the 53rd year since then. We hear matchups but after all matchups are really game plans based on how the coaches envision the other team's strengths and weaknesses, and the players understanding that no matter what record each team has, they can be vulnerable to the right attack.

Yeah and Cleveland actually has a decent defense, even beyond Garrett. Stay frosty.