Love for Green Bay Abounds

by Green and Bold on Sep 2, 2009 3:24 AM CDT

Take a look around the major sports websites, and you'll uncover a common theme: Everyone is in love with the Packers.

It is a bit ironic, given the fact that a few months ago, most analysts had us finishing 3rd in the NFC, failing to transition into the 3-4 smoothly, and not improving much on our 6-10 record. But after three dominating preseason performances, the Packers' bandwagon is quickly filling up.

As a wise man once said, "Back then they didn't want [the Packers], now [we're] hot, they all on [the Packers]."

I guess it just goes to show you that actions remain louder than words-- and when those actions include 12 takeaways by your starting defense, a 151 passer rating by your QB, and no punts by your first-team unit on a dozen drives, they're louder than a fog horn.

Take "The Jump" to see what everyone's saying.

Don Banks, of Sports Illustrated fame, declares the Packers his top pre-season performer, and says they've been "the closest thing in the league to a juggernaut" thus far. He also expects their success to continue into the regular season, especially considering their cupcake schedule early on. In fact, Banks guarantees that the Pack "will be no worse than 5-1 when November arrives."

Peter King, the Monday Morning Quarterback himself, also seems to see the Packers as the favorite to win the NFC North, and claims that the division, at least one through three, may be the best in the league. He points to the Packers' incredible off-season attendance, at 97%, as a prime factor for their present resurgence.

Speaking of SI's Packer love, Aaron Rodgers will grace the cover of the magazine's September 7th edition, accompanied by the title, "The Toughest Job in the NFL."

On to Sporting News, where Clifton Brown contends that Aaron Rodgers' stock has risen the most out of just about any other player in the NFL this preseason. Also, you know this writer is legit when he starts off his segment on Rodgers with a phrase I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot of this year- "Brett who?"

Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post says the Packers are the youngest team in the league, and also have 70 blue points. Apparently, this is good, because Mike goes on to say, "The future looks very bright on the frozen tundra." I don't know what blue points are, but I'll take it.

Now on to NFL.com. Although it's a fantasy related article, it's worth noting that Michael Fabiano thinks "there hasn't been more a more impressive quarterback this preseason than Aaron Rodgers," and that #12 i is "the real deal."

And possibly the biggest "hoo-rah" for the Pack can be found on NFL.com's preview of the Packers' upcoming season. Five NFL experts analyzed 09-10 for Green Bay and offered their predictions. The results? Four out of five experts say the Packers will win the division, all of them say they'll avoid another losing season, and one of them (Bucky Brooks, bless his soul), says the Packers will finish with the league's best record. High praise indeed. Although you gotta wonder about good ol' Pat Kirwan, who says Rodgers is just now "on the verge of being a top 10 quarterback." Huh? We're not in 2008 anymore Patty.

Anyway, it feels good to see all this positive talk about the Packers. But one thing to remember. It is all still just speculation. These guys now saying we'll go 11-5 are the same ones who said two months ago we'd finish 7-9. At the end of the day, they don't know much more than you or I, because predicting something like the outcome of an NFL season is dang near impossible.

But oh well, I can't help myself. I think the Pack will go 11-5, beating the Vikings for the division crown on the basis of two head-to-head victories.

Feel free to leave your predictions and thoughts in the comments.

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by PackerBacker4Life on Sep 2, 2009 9:18 AM CDT reply actions

I Love the Love

that the Pack is getting.

As I mentioned in my season preview, I have a nagging feeling that we’ll split the season series with both the Vikes and Bears, but that we’ll still finish 11-5. We had BETTER be no worse than 5-1 after six games, considering the cupcakes we start the season against.

by texwestern on Sep 2, 2009 1:55 PM CDT reply actions

It's deserved

People are finally starting to see that we have the right personnel for the 3-4, and that our defense will be improved this year.

Add that to our offense, and there is no reason to believe we won’t be one of the better teams in the league.

by packallday555 on Sep 2, 2009 3:29 PM CDT reply actions

It just makes sense...

we blew 8 fourth quarter leads and we hung in there with the best of them last year…Tennessee, Carolina, etc., and we were decimated by injuries on the defense…

Great great article and good links.

I don’t see us winning any less than nine games this year.

knock on wood that injuries don’t crop up this year

by PackFaninFL on Sep 2, 2009 4:59 PM CDT reply actions

Great link roundup

I still expected most publications to put them behind Minnesota and Chicago. I guess a great preseason can change some people’s minds.

by Brandon on Sep 3, 2009 12:34 AM CDT reply actions

I guess preseason does matter...

Crown ’em.

by Sand0 on Sep 3, 2009 7:57 AM CDT reply actions

I would rather people predicted them to be bad

and they fly under the radar like they did back in 07. That being said, like they said in Deadspin’s article about the Packers, despite having a losing record outscored their opponents by 39 points so that should be a sign of a quick turnaround so at the very least, I would expect a much better season than last year.

by Charlie Kelly on Sep 3, 2009 10:47 AM CDT reply actions

Also

There is a lot to be said about the camaraderie that the Packer team has with each other and the coaches. That goes a long way to having a successful team and season. I dont see as much of that with the rest of the central division. So I believe also that the Pack can take the division title this year and maybe more. Go Pack Go!!

by whooya on Sep 3, 2009 12:02 PM CDT reply actions