2009 Green Bay Packers Preview
By SBGGlobal.com
If you are looking for a team in NFL odds to make a serious improvement from last year you need look no further than the Green Bay Packers. Last year the Packers slipped to 6-10 just a year after going 13-3. The 2009 Packers should be a lot more like the 2007 team than last year’s flop.
Last year the Green Bay Packers had to deal with the Brett Favre saga and it seemed to carry over into the regular season. Aaron Rodgers had an excellent year but many other players did not. The big problem for Green Bay last season was a defense that was 22nd in the league in points allowed. The Packers look to be much improved this season with new defensive coordinator Dom Capers. He will bring in his 3-4 defense and get the Packers to play with intensity. “I just didn’t feel we were headed in the right direction on the defensive side of the ball,” McCarthy says. “It was really an evaluation of our last three years.”
The offense for Green Bay looks really good. Rodgers threw for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns last season with a passer rating of 93.8. Those were far better numbers than Favre put up in New York. The problem for Green Bay is that they had games in which they could have won but didn’t. Seven times the Packers had the ball in the last five minutes with a chance to win and they went 0-7. The Packers did not get a good season out of Ryan Grant in 2008 and they need more out of him this year. The receivers in Green Bay are very talented led by Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. James Jones and Jordy Nelson fill the other two spots. The offensive line is good but the team did draft a couple of players they hope can help in Eastern Michigan's T.J. Lang (fourth round) and South Carolina's Jamon Meredith (fifth round).
The Packers drafted Boston College nose tackle B.J. Raji with the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. He will be a big part of Green Bay’s defense this season. The linebackers look great with A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett and Aaron Kampman who is moving from defensive end to outside linebacker. The team also got Clay Matthews at No. 26 overall in the draft and he may start right away. The secondary is deep and experienced with cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris plus they have safety Nick Collins who made the Pro Bowl. Kicker Mason Crosby led the league in scoring but the team does need a new punter.
The Packers will be improved in 2009 and should be a team that makes the NFL playoffs.
Dont be down on their punter either. I give the kid credit for coming in at the end of the season with little real experience and not having the advantage of training camp and a full season to get into a groove. Probably got nervous too playing in the greatest city on earth. He had a decent average and his net got affected by the amount of punts he was trying to place inside the 20 yard line. Plus 3 of 4 games were also played in the freezing cold where the ball is a rock. I think we'll be surprised at what he does this preseason.
As a former kicker myself and a huge Packers fan, I'd say we have no weaknesses coming into this year!