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**BF4MVP** · 01-23-2008, 11:22 PM

I would put money on them reaching it again. They're not losing anyone significant* except for Corey Williams and I think we have some players who can step in for him.

*Provided Brett Favre comes back

**Tony Oday** · 01-23-2008, 11:35 PM

I think we make it regardless of the QB...I love Favre and think he is in the top three of any QB ever to play the game however the throws you need to be able to make in this system require a disciplined analytical passer that Favre proved he can be most of the time this year.

**CaliforniaCheez** · 01-23-2008, 11:44 PM

Injuries to the team is a variable no one can predict.

The Packers blew a great big golden opportunity this season.

**oregonpackfan** · 01-24-2008, 03:26 AM

I agree that one factor the Packers made it as far as they did was the lack of serious injuries to key players.

That said, I think the Packers have a good chance of making it to the Championship game next year. They are one of the youngest teams in the NFL and have excellent opportunities to improve with the experience they obtained this last year.

McCarthy and his coaches will be in their third year. They have grown in their cohesiveness and understanding of the game as well as the abilities of their players.

They have the potential to make it back to the NFC Championship game, IMO.

**LL2** · 01-24-2008, 08:17 AM

I think the Pack have a really good chance of making it to the NFC championship game next year, if not the SB, they just need to add a couple more weapons. They are real close and have a yong team that will be competitive for the next few years.

**Merlin** · 01-24-2008, 08:48 AM

If Brett Favre retires the Packers have a slim chance to make it to the NFC Championship game. Unless of course he retires and the Packers bring in a veteran QB who has been there done that which isn't likely. Aaron Rodgers will need at least one full season starting to get rid of his inability to look off receivers, make more then a primary read and develop some pocket presence. Sure, he can scramble well but the reason he has to scramble is because of the former statements. Then there is the injury issue with him. Craig Nall is probably more game ready the Aaron Rodgers but I wouldn't expect him to ever be a starter for us because Rodgers was a number one pick and we seem to have pinned our future hopes on him. If Favre doesn't retire I see Nall being cut or battling it out for the #3 QB position with whoever else we bring into camp. Nall will never be given the chance to battle for #2 with Rodgers, no one has been given that chance since Rodgers was drafted and that isn't likely to happen now. Which is not a smart way to evaluate that position. Rodgers needs competition and he has never had any, he was just given the #2 as a rookie and only lost it when he was "injured".

We should be able to make the playoffs with Rodgers at the helm (9-7, 10-6) because the rest of our team is going to be very good, but like any other first year starting QB, that first playoff game, that first big game start, is usually a rough one.

Barring the injury bug, we should be competitive in 2008. McCarthy brought in a new strength and conditioning staff and I think that ultimately will decide how next season will go. The 2008 draft will be an interesting one. We are now in the position to draft players that we can bring up in the system to step in for veterans as they leave. Will that be how Thompson approaches it? Or will Thompson draft what he thinks are needs?

Lot's of question and plenty of time to speculate unfortunately.

**Carolina_Packer** · 01-24-2008, 09:08 AM

I remember when Sterling Sharpe had the career ending injury; he was Favre's go to guy. What were the Packers going to do? Well, not panic for starters. I realize it's easier to lose a big-time receiver vs. a big-time QB, but I'm glad we've had a guy waiting in the wings who is young and has picked up the system if not the confidence of being the full-time starter, but that is the old catch-22 of needing experience to have experience (ever gone for one of those jobs?)

For all we know, if Favre retires, and the O-line gets addressed as it needs to be, Grant (if he stays healthy of course) could emerge as the offense's best weapon. That would be Rodgers' best friend of course, because they could do some damage in the passing game if they can run. I know QB's aspire to be the starter in the league, but imagine wearing the weight of following Brett for a second. Not exactly like following Randy Wright, now is it? My biggest concern about Rodgers is not his mental game, but his physical make-up, and ability to keep from getting nicked up. I'm guessing this is also a concern of TT.

My suspicion is that ol' Brett will keep playing. And why not? He had a bad game the other day, but there were some things that put pressure on him to feel like he had to force things. He's the ultimate competitor, but he also doesn't care about taking chances if he knows he has to do it in order to make a play. That is what makes him great and what makes him frustrating sometimes. I still say there is enough talent on the team that if they faced the Giants again, they could find a way to beat them. I'm sure the coaches and players feel that way too.

**Merlin** · 01-24-2008, 09:16 AM

One thing this team does is learn from mistakes. Remember what happened in 1996, the year after we got blown out in the NFC Championship? (Hopefully my years are right). If I remember correctly, we started out the season blowing teams out. We had a few let downs that season and then went to the Super Bowl and won. It has been a lot of years since we started out the season as well as we did this season. If we can start out the 2008 season where we left off, it may look a lot like 1996.

**The Leaper** · 01-24-2008, 09:18 AM

The Packers should have a reasonable chance to make it back...but winning the NFC North will not be easy. The Bears and Vikings were putting things together in the second half of 2007. If either one finds a QB worth a damn this offseason, they will be very good teams in 2008.

Winning 10-11 games will probably be the general consensus heading into 2008. We've got a tough schedule, as we are facing the AFC South...which is the toughest division in football. The Colts and Jags should be AFC title contenders again...and the Titans and Texans aren't bad teams. We were fortunate this year that the AFC West was weak, which allowed us to grab a first round bye. I'm not sure that will happen again in 2008.

**Carolina_Packer** · 01-24-2008, 09:47 AM

Originally posted by Merlin

One thing this team does is learn from mistakes. Remember what happened in 1996, the year after we got blown out in the NFC Championship? (Hopefully my years are right). If I remember correctly, we started out the season blowing teams out. We had a few let downs that season and then went to the Super Bowl and won. It has been a lot of years since we started out the season as well as we did this season. If we can start out the 2008 season where we left off, it may look a lot like 1996.

Yeah, and as I recall, in 1996, during their Super Bowl run they had a ton of injuries at receiver in the middle of the year, which is one of the reasons they lost back to back games, but then in the latter stages of the year they stepped on the gas. The 2007 team reminded me of the build-up in the 90's. If they can preserve Favre a little longer, who knows? I hope TT sees how close we are now and goes against character development-wise and is not afraid to pull the trigger on a difference making free agent. I'll leave it to him to decide who that is. It's one thing to be in rebuilding mode and acquire tons of picks to revitalize the roster, but another thing to shore up loose ends to build on your existing strengths. I think the team has a great foundation to build on and should be thinking they are close and have a go for it mentality and not miss out on someone who could put them over the top. They might argue that they already had the players, but I think if you improve the O-line at guard, get that settled and improve the defense's ability to collapse the pocket, and bring in a cornerback who could be feared as a nickle corner and be an heir apparent to Chuck and Al, that would be great. Another LB would be great too. They were dangerously thin and lucky to not have a serious injury to the starting three.

**denverYooper** · 01-24-2008, 10:07 AM

If our D steps it up next year, I think we make it. They were *pretty* good this year, 14-4 attests to that, and they have a lot of talent, but I think they often played much too conservatively at times when a big game was needed on that side of the ball.

Aw Hell, I'm probably just pining for the days we had back with the Rev.

**BF4MVP** · 01-24-2008, 11:27 AM

Originally posted by Tony Oday

I think we make it regardless of the QB...I love Favre and think he is in the top three of any QB ever to play the game however the throws you need to be able to make in this system require a disciplined analytical passer that Favre proved he can be most of the time this year.

I think we can with Rodgers at the helm too..I like Rodgers a lot..I always have. And I think he's ready to step in and lead this team now..But I was merely denoting Brett as someone significant whom we would be losing if he retired..Not saying we couldn't win if he decided to hang em up.

**Freak Out** · 01-24-2008, 11:37 AM

I hope I'm wrong but I don't think we make it back next year. Those odds are good but I just don't see it happening.

Our defense should get better....but our starting corners are going to be on that peak where they could fall off either way. The offense should get better but the Bears with horrid QBs beat us twice and you have to think that Minny is going to get better as well. Who the hell knows with Detoilet.....

**HarveyWallbangers** · 01-24-2008, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by Freak Out

Bears with horrid QBs beat us twice

I'm not that concerned. The first game we gave away. The second game was a total fluke because of the weather. Like Favre said, you could play the game 10 different times in those conditions and you'd have 10 different results.

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20% Chance of Reaching the NFC Championship Game next year?

20% Chance of Reaching the NFC Championship Game next year?

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