UPDATE 2015/08/24: WR Jordy Nelson out for the season with right knee injury
The Green Bay Packers just suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the NFC Conference Championship Game last season to the Seattle Seahawks, so you know that they’ll be out for blood this 2015.
As +550 favorites to win this year’s Super Bowl in Santa Clara, the Packers are primarily sticking with their winning formula from last year and are will do everything to prevent a disaster such as squandering a 16-point halftime lead in a playoff game once again.
Read on as we take a closer look at what the Packers have in store for the rest of the NFL this season. Go on and head on over to our previews of the two other odds-on favorites to win Super Bowl 50 in the Seattle Seahawks and the Indianapolis Colts right after this.
[sc:Football ]2015-2016 Green Bay Packers Preview
Overview
A 12-4 record and a fourth-straight NFC North title for the 2014 Packers meant nothing to the team as they still ultimately failed to take home the Lombardi Trophy even after torching one opponent after another. Green Bay led all offenses in the NFL last season with an average of 30.4 points per game and ranked sixth overall in average yards per game with 386.1.
But as their NFC Conference Championship game against the Seahawks had proven, the Packers must improve their defense this new season to prevent a huge lead from disappearing. The team had a run-of-the-mill defense last season – smack-dab in the middle of the league’s rankings at 15th-place in total yards allowed.
Offseason Review
Unfortunately, the Packers defense lost more key players that they gained this offseason. Star linebacker A.J. Hawk and reliable cornerback Tramon Williams left to play for different teams. On the bright side, the Cheeseheads in Wisconsin will be thrilled to welcome back their coveted defensive tackle B.J. Raji back into the lineup. Raji failed to suit up all of last year after suffering from torn biceps.
[sc:NFL240banner ]As for the offense, a healthy Aaron Rodgers is what the Super Bowl doctor ordered. The reigning league MVP was not at a hundred percent heading into last year’s playoffs because of a calf injury that nagged on him from Week 17 of the regular season onwards.
After putting up 4,381 yards in the air for 38 touchdowns and just five picks, Rodgers will likely notch yet another monster 4,000-yard season this 2015. The offensive line is still intact and tenacious as ever (the Green Bay front office had even re-signed standout tackle Bryan Bulaga), and Rodgers’ favorite targets downfield are still around.
However, a sudden unfortunate event occurred during the preseason when standout wide receiver Jordy Nelson went down with a freakish knee injury. The strange thing about the incident was that there was no forceful contact from the opposition when Nelson made catch. It just so happened that he landed awkwardly after leaping, causing his right knee to buckle. Apparently, while the Green Bay front office won’t specify the actual extent of the injury even after the MRI result came in, many still speculate that the injury is indeed a torn ACL in his right knee, and that the Packers’ number one receiver will definitely miss the entire regular season.
But if there’s any team in the league right now that can live through losing its top wideout, it would be none other than Green Bay. The Packers still have a deep pool of receivers, and of course, the Aaron Rodgers factor. And thankfully for Green Bay, Nelson’s fellow wideout Randall Cobb decided to stay with the team during the free agency period in favor of winning and not a bigger paycheck. Both Cobb and Nelson accounted for 2,806 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns last season.
Key Player – Eddie Lacy
Another beneficiary from the Packers’ solid o-line has certainly been running back Eddie Lacy. The second round pick from ‘Bama posted his second-straight 1,000-yard season in as many years as a pro and put up nine touchdowns along the way. He even raised his average yards per carry from 4.1 yards in 2013 to 4.6 in last year.
What’s even better is that apart from taking some of the pressure off of Rodgers’ passing attack with his grinding play on the ground, Lacy had become a viable target for Rodgers in the passing game just as well. He had 427 receiving yards and an average 10.2 yards per catch to go along with four catches in the end zone.
As long as Lacy is putting up numbers from both sides of the offense, no other offense in the NFL would likely compare to the Packers’ own.
Key Game – vs. Seattle (Sep 20)
You know this rematch is going to be good. What would only make Green Bay’s match with Seattle much better would be if the game would be played later on in the season when jockeying for higher playoff seeding is at a fevered pitch.
We might even see new and prolific Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham go stat-for-stat against Rodgers. And nope, not Aaron the quarterback, but Green Bay’s own tight end Richard Rodgers. Green Bay’s third-round pick from last year will get the rare opportunity to produce big numbers for the Packers’ high-octane offense. The team would also relish in the fact that two Rodgers beat the Seahawks as a way of redeeming themselves from their 2014 Conference Championship Game blunder.
Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case Scenario
Super Bowl 50 Champions. It’s just hard to fathom anything less from this historic football club. With the way that the Green Bay offense has been clicking with Rodgers and Lacy at their peak, anything less than a Lombardi Trophy is considered a disappointment.
Worst Case Scenario
Rodgers gets hurt badly like in 2013 and his backup Scott Tolzien cracks under pressure. The defense feels the sting of having a young secondary as opposing offenses are now outgunning them in the passing game. A playoff berth as a wild card thanks to another stellar year from Lacy will keep the Packers’ Super Bowl dreams alive, but a first-round exit will cap another tumultuous season in Green Bay.
Complete Schedule
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Sep 13 | @ Chicago | 1:00 PM |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | Seattle | 8:30 PM |
| 3 | Mon, Sep 28 | Kansas City | 8:30 PM |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | @ San Francisco | 4:25 PM |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | St. Louis | 1:00 PM |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | San Diego | 4:25 PM |
| 7 | Bye Week | ||
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | @ Denver | 9:30 PM |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | @ Carolina | 2:00 PM |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | Detroit | 2:00 PM |
| 11 | Sun, Nov 22 | @ Minnesota | 2:00 PM |
| 12 | Thu, Nov 26 | Chicago | 9:30 PM |
| 13 | Thu, Dec 3 | @ Detroit | 9:25 PM |
| 14 | Sun, Dec 13 | Dallas | 5:25 PM |
| 15 | Sun, Dec 20 | @ Oakland | 5:05 PM |
| 16 | Sun, Dec 27 | @ Arizona | 5:25 PM |
| 17 | Sun, Jan 3 | Minnesota | 2:00 PM |
Writer’s Prediction
Green Bay reaches the Super Bowl this time around, but falls at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts.
Create a betting account now if you think Green Bay has what it takes for you to earn some mad cheese with your own predictions.
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