2010 RECORD: 10-6-0
(2nd in NFC North)
HEAD COACH: Mike McCarthy
Offense: The Packers can score points and quarterback Aaron Rodgers leads the way.
Rodgers threw for 3,922 yards in 2010 and had 28 touchdown passes with just 11 interceptions. In the playoffs, Rodgers was stellar, including winning the Super Bowl MVP trophy. Matt Flynn is a decent backup who nearly helped engineer an upset on the road at New England when Rodgers was out for a game.
The wide receivers include Greg Jennings (76 catches, 1,276 yards and 12 TD), Donald Driver (51 catches and four TD) and James Jones, who had 50 catches in 2010 for 679 yards and five touchdowns.
Jordy Nelson is a good receiver as well, making 45 catches, including two for touchdowns.
The tight ends are Jermichael Finley (21 receptions), who is coming off an injury plagued season, and Andrew Quarless, who also had 21 grabs and a touchdown. Rookie D.J. Williams is also available at tight end.
The backfield will see Ryan Grant return after missing nearly the entire 2010 season. Grant had just eight carries for 45 yards last year. Gone is 2010 rushing leader Brandon Jackson, but the Packers do have James Starks, who was a force in the post-season as the Packers rolled to the Super Bowl title.
Also on hand in the competitive backfield will be rookie Alex Green (Hawaii) and of course fullback John Kuhn, who actually carried the ball quite a bit with all the injuries last season. Kuhn ran for 281 yards and scored four touchdowns.
The offensive line consists of center Scott Wells, guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang and tackles Bryan Bulaga and Chad Clifton. Too add even more depth to the unit, the Packers drafted Derek Sherrod from Mississippi State with their first pick.
Defense: This Packers defense is young and eager to prove they are NFL's best in 2011 after finishing fifth in total defense last year, allowing 309 yards per game.
Linebackers Clay Matthews (13.5 QB sacks) and A.J. Hawk (three interceptions) lead the way along with Nose Tackle B.J. Raji, who ahd 6.5 sacks and defensive ends Ryan Pickett and Mike Neal up front.
Matthews and Frank Zombo are the outside linebackers while Hawk and Desmond Bishop are on the inside.
The secondary has cornerbacks Tramon Williams (six interceptions) and 14-year veteran Charles Woodson. The safeties are Nick Collins (four picks) and Morgan Burnett.
Charlie Peprah, Jarrett Bush, Sam Shield and Brandon Underwood provide more depth to the secondary, which helped Green Bay finish fifth in pass defense (194 passing yards allowed per game) in 2010.
Green Bay totaled 47 quarterback sacks, which was good for second in the NFL and also had 24 interceptions, which was also second in the league. In addition, only Pittsburgh allowed less points in 2010 as the Packers defense gave up 240 points during the regular season.
OUTLOOK: After winning Super Bowl 45, what can the Packers do for encore?
Win another one of course, and this team is primed to do just that. They return nearly all of their starters on both sides of the ball.
With all the injuries they suffered last season, the Packers still managed to right the ship and get into the playoffs where they caught fire and won it all.
Can Rodgers continue to have the success? He will if the line protects him and they did a much better job last year than in 2009, when Rodgers was sacked over 50 times.
With Grant's return from injuries in the backfield and Finley once again starting at tight end, Rodgers has even more weapons to choose from.
The defense should be solid again after allowing opponents to score just 15 points per game on average. To beat Green Bay, you have to be able to score more than that.
This team, led by no-nonsense Head Coach Mike McCarthy, is set to do big things once again this season. The Packers play in football's toughest division, the NFC North, so it's never easy when they do battle there. Plus having the target of Super Bowl Champions on their collective backs adds to the pressure.
One thing should be remembered about the Packers' playoff run last year, they might have lost in the Wild Card Round once again had Philadelphia kicker David Akers not missed two very easy field goal tries, so there is hope for the rest of the league.
This team is deep (as shown by over coming so many injuries in 2010) and has the experience and should win their division. Once the playoffs begin, anything is possible, but the Packers should be favorites once again in the NFC to get to the Super Bowl.
Look for a 12-4 finish and a deep playoff run that may very well end up with the Packers' players hoisting the Lombardi trophy high once again.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- vs. New Orleans
Week 2- at Carolina
Week 3- at Chicago
Week 4- vs. Denver
Week 5- at Atlanta
Week 6- vs. St. Louis
Week 7- at Minnesota
Week 8- BYE WEEK
Week 9- at San Diego
Week 10- vs. Minnesota
Week 11- vs. Tampa Bay
Week 12- at Detroit
Week 13- at NY Giants
Week 14- vs. Oakland
Week 15- at Kansas City
Week 16- vs. Chicago
Week 17- vs. Detroit
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