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State of the Pack
Green Bay surges to end the season
By Ken Ryan
The Packers have the ingredients to make a deep postseason run in the weak NFC in 2007
The Green Bay Packers’ 2006 season featured several highs and lows on the emotional roller coaster.
They blew games they should have won against New Orleans and St. Louis at Lambeau Field, en route to a 1-4 start.
Then after the bye week, the Packers rallied for two straight wins and appeared headed for a third straight victory, but were undone by turnovers in Buffalo. A win the next week in Minnesota was followed by three straight losses, including blowout defeats to the Patriots and Jets in Titletown.
With Green Bay staring at a 4-8 record, head coach Mike McCarthy was able to rally the green and gold for four straight wins at San Francisco, vs. Detroit, vs. Minnesota and at Chicago in the season finale, giving fans hope for a double-digit win total next season.
The Packers’ 8-8 record wasn’t good enough for postseason play due to the strength-of-victory tiebreaker, which went to the New York Giants. Had Green Bay won any of those three games that they undoubtedly should have (New Orleans, St. Louis or Buffalo) they would have made the playoffs.
Even though those games did not go the Pack’s way, the season should still be considered a success, considering the Packers have the youngest team in the NFL and were coached by a first-year guy.
Pending the return of quarterback Brett Favre and a few sound acquisitions by general manager Ted Thompson, it appears the Packers have the ingredients to make a deep postseason run in the weak NFC in 2007.
Green Bay is a startling $30 million under the salary cap and is selecting 15th in April’s draft. Here is a position-by-position break down of the Green Bay Packers.
Offense
Quarterback: Brett Favre was able to cut down on his interception totals significantly from 2005. His ability to elude pass-rushers and make all the throws signify that he can still play the game at a high level. The expectation here is that he returns for a 17th year. If he does come back to lead the offense, the sky is the limit for this team. Eventual Favre heir apparent Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken foot in his only extended action this season. All signs show that he is progressing well and should be ready for the teams quarterback off-season workouts that begin in March.
Running Back: While injuries may have slowed Ahman Green, he still runs extremely hard and his 2006 season was a pleasant surprise. He’s earned himself a starting job with this team. Change-of-pace backs Vernon Morency and Noah Herron both had 100-yard games this season, which will make it tough for either to be beat out in training camp.
Fullback: Brandon Miree may be the long-term solution for this team at fullback because of his familiarity with the zone-blocking scheme. It’s to be determined if William Henderson will be back for a 12th season. He is the consummate professional and a great leader in the locker room.
Wide Receiver: Donald Driver once again had an amazing year and was quite deserving of his second Pro Bowl appearance. Despite facing nagging injuries and double-coverage, Driver excelled. Rookie starter Greg Jennings had a solid first half to the season but appeared to be slowed by an ankle injury down the stretch. It is imperative that he gets healthy and is able to participate in the off-season workouts. Unheralded Ruvell Martin and Carlyle Holiday played themselves into a potential roster spot in ’07. Also, Robert Ferguson comes back from injured reserve and Koren Robinson, who showed flashes of brilliance, from the suspension list in the middle of the 2007 campaign.
Tight End: Bubba Franks struggled mightily this season and backups David Martin and Donald Lee couldn’t stay healthy. This position is in dire need of an upgrade.
Offensive Line: Veterans tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher continue to prosper. Scott Wells improved over the course of year in pass protection. Rookie guards Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz were under a lot of pressure but improved over the course of the season and were a big part of the team’s improvement. Fellow rookie Tony Moll did well for himself by filling in for Tauscher for five games. The depth of the O-line will need to be addressed in the coming months.
Defense
Defensive Line: Aaron Kampman had a phenomenal year with 15.5 sacks and earning a Pro-Bowl selection. Cullen Jenkins was a boost at the other end spot over “KGB.” Still, defensive end is a position of concern. In the interior, Corey Williams is an up-an-coming player while Ryan Pickett proved to be a tremendous signing in Free Agency. This group had one of their better years in recent memory.
Linebacker: Along with the D-line, this position group has long-term potential. Middle backer Nick Barnett looked better than ever as a sideline-to-sideline player and deserves a long-term extension. It turns out A.J. Hawk was the perfect fit for this team after being the fifth overall pick in the draft. He showed great athleticism and toughness. The other outside backer, Brady Poppinga, is solid against the run and showed improvement in pass coverage, though he still has a way to go there. Rookie Abdul Hodge is a starter-in-waiting. Thompson may search for an upgrade over Poppinga. A potential free agent is Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears.
Defensive Back: Cornerback Al Harris was undeservingly left off the Pro-Bowl squad. He constantly shuts down the other team’s top wideout and has proved he is worthy of a new contract. On the other side of the field, Charles Woodson proved to be worth every penny of the deal he signed due to his eight interceptions. At free safety, Nick Collins battled inconsistency and appeared to regress in his second season. However, he has a tremendous upside as evident of his spectacular game at Chicago in the finale. Another glaring need for Green Bay is strong safety, where starter Marquand Manuel turned out to not be the player the Packers thought they were getting when they signed him in free agency. He is solid against the run, but is an extreme liability in coverage of the play-action and vertical passing game. This group played very well late, but the problems early in the year with dropped interceptions and miscommunications are a big reason they weren’t able to advance to the postseason.
Special Teams
Kicker Dave Rayner did himself well in filling the enormous shoes of the departed Ryan Longwell. Punter Jon Ryan had a tough year battling with family tragedy. Both Rayner and Ryan will likely hold their spots for next year, but Thompson will at least consider other candidates. The return game continues to falter and Thompson will likely look to upgrade the situation.
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