How far do you realistically see us going this year?

[Vincenzo]

Hot upcoming topic, soon to be very juicy….
I saw this and totally agree:

Ceiling: Super Bowl Champions

Floor: 7-10

Realistic: 11-6 then lose in a Wildcard game or the divisional round due to Special Team.

[Joemailman]

476586-guy-looking-up-to-the-sky.jpg

[Vincenzo]

Only our Packers would extend our Head Coach to an undisclosed extension after such a poor performance to end last season.

I’m going 7-10 with a dream of a Super Bowl.

[texaspackerbacker]

As is so often the case, the Packers probably shouldn't be an underdog against anybody, so in a perfect world, they should win every game. Likely, there will be a few stumbles, but I doubt there will be many. They ought to finish with about 14-16 regular season wins. Whether shit happens in the playoffs or things go as they should is anybody's guess. As I always say, it's all about thregular season anyway. The playoffs are just frosting on the cake, and the SB just the cherry on top/just one game at the end of the season.

[pbmax]

Its all about health. With health at key positions, 11-13 wins. This also assumes that Kraft comes back on time. Parsons missing a good chunk of the first half of the season does no favors to a defense with no Gary or Enegbare. Van Ness and Wyatt could make me a liar here.

Without health (at WR, OL, DL) they will be lucky to make the playoffs.

[bobblehead]

7 seed. The trend is set!! Although that graphic on injuries we threw around last year spoke volumes. In todays game, with parity, injury luck REALLY matters. If we lose no significant starters and a few guys step up then an owl. But factoring everything in I'm actually thinking NFCC game if we don't have major injuries. Too many questions to think we can win an owl with this roster. Literally everything would have to break right (it could, but you can't project that.)

[bobblehead]

Its all about health. With health at key positions, 11-13 wins. This also assumes that Kraft comes back on time. Parsons missing a good chunk of the first half of the season does no favors to a defense with no Gary or Enegbare. Van Ness and Wyatt could make me a liar here.

Without health (at WR, OL, DL) they will be lucky to make the playoffs.

I just have just read ahead and said: This sounds right.

[Patler]

I'm not excited about the upcoming season. Hopeful, maybe, but not excited. My feeling starts out at 9-8, 10-7; plus or minus a game or two depending on their own injuries and the injuries of their opponents when they play them. My concerns:

- I'm losing faith in LaFleur. Haven't liked much of what he has shown the last few years.
- The stench of the end of last season and the playoff loss has not cleared.
- Running back position could be a real mess.
- Placekicking could be a real mess.
- Pass rush may struggle early with no experienced success to rely on.
- New DC adds uncertainty and a period of adjustment.
- Same for STC.
- Until new/young players prove themselves, the roster is weaker at RB, WR, DL and LB.
- Not sure the roster was improved at any position. Maybe CB, but that is certainly not a given at this point.

The team and coaching staff have a lot to prove after the miserable performance last year.

[Joemailman]

I'm not excited about the upcoming season. Hopeful, maybe, but not excited. My feeling starts out at 9-8, 10-7; plus or minus a game or two depending on their own injuries and the injuries of their opponents when they play them. My concerns:

- I'm losing faith in LaFleur. Haven't liked much of what he has shown the last few years.
- The stench of the end of last season and the playoff loss has not cleared.
- Running back position could be a real mess.
- Placekicking could be a real mess.
- Pass rush may struggle early with no experienced success to rely on.
- New DC adds uncertainty and a period of adjustment.
- Same for STC.
- Until new/young players prove themselves, the roster is weaker at RB, WR, DL and LB.
- Not sure the roster was improved at any position. Maybe CB, but that is certainly not a given at this point.

The team and coaching staff have a lot to prove after the miserable performance last year.

LaFleur: The pressure is on. Team has to be able to finish games.
Running back: Huge question regarding Jacobs and Lloyd. But if Jacobs isn't suspended and Lloyd is healthy, I think they're better than last year.
Placekicking: Who knows? Smack could be next Brandon Aubrey. Could be Nervous Narveson.
Pass rush: Big question mark until Parsons comes back. Gannon may have to be creative with pressure packages.
New DC and STC: Both those guys had success their 1st years as coordinators.
Wide receiver: They don't have the depth they had. But if they stay relatively healthy that might be a good thing. Savion Williams can be a factor.
Defensive line: Signing Hargrave, drafting McClellan and getting Wyatt back make them better.
Linebacker: Franklin isn't the athlete Quay was,but is a more instinctive player. We'll see how much he has left at 30.

[Fritz]

I think the offensive line will be better this year, and that's huge. Morgan will likely be a huge upgrade over Rasheed Walker, and surely Banks will be at least mediocre - if he can stay on the field. Rhyan might be a bit better than he was last year, given his experience at the position, and will be better than Jenkins was. Belton ought to be better just for the experience and practicing as a guard. Tom, if healthy, should be stellar. That's all better than last year.

I think the corner position will be better, though not by much.

I think the defensive line will be better this year, unless injuries strike key players. Still, I'd be curious what the asking price for Vita Vea would be.

The wide receiver room certainly has less depth. Injuries, again, will be key.

The running back room is iffy, even if Jacobs plays. He's slowing down a bit. And who can count on Marshmallow Lloyd?

Outside of Tucker Kraft, that is an awful tight end room. If he goes down, they're screwed.

Good at safety. Really good.

Linebacking group will be about like last year, I think. You lose Quay Walker's speed but gain Franklin's instinctual play.

EDGE rushers - I'm more excited about than most of you. I don't think losing Gary and Enagbare was bad. Those guys were okay, and that's all. Now they have young hungry guys to fight for spots. I like Sorrell, I like Cox (breakout year?), I like the Dentist. If Van Mess can stay healthy, he'll do well this year. So I think they can hold down the fort until Parsons returns.

Love can get the job done, no question. Especially if MLF turns him loose, which he might have to, given the state of the running back room.

I am trying to separate my dislike of MLF as a person (he seems pissy and snarky and not very genuine) from my analysis of his coaching. He's won a bunch of games, but has he gotten the most out of the talent he has, which is every head coach's job? I think maybe not. To be fair, I think he got stuck with a crummy defensive coordinator when he first hired on, and he's had a lot of injuries to deal with, but his in-game decision-making at key moments seems questionable and sometimes turtleish. The way his teams fell apart in fourth quarters last year does not speak well to his coaching.

All in all, in the NFL these days, as others have said, it's about injuries. If your major players stay injury-free or suffer only minor (missing a game or two) injuries, this team can get to the NFCCG and even win it. Maybe win an Owl, with some luck.

If however some of your major players go down, these team will be relegated to the mid- to lower tier of the NFL. But you could say that about most if not all NFL teams.

[Patler]

LaFleur: The pressure is on. Team has to be able to finish games.
Running back: Huge question regarding Jacobs and Lloyd. But if Jacobs isn't suspended and Lloyd is healthy, I think they're better than last year.
Placekicking: Who knows? Smack could be next Brandon Aubrey. Could be Nervous Narveson.
Pass rush: Big question mark until Parsons comes back. Gannon may have to be creative with pressure packages.
New DC and STC: Both those guys had success their 1st years as coordinators.
Wide receiver: They don't have the depth they had. But if they stay relatively healthy that might be a good thing. Savion Williams can be a factor.
Defensive line: Signing Hargrave, drafting McClellan and getting Wyatt back make them better.
Linebacker: Franklin isn't the athlete Quay was,but is a more instinctive player. We'll see how much he has left at 30.

All reasons why I have some hope for the season; but, I can't help but keep in mind that:

Lloyd has managed to be available for only 1 game in two years, and was injured in that game. Blocking is an unknown, fumbling a concern and we have no idea if he can be an effective NFL runner. He has no more experience than a rookie. To rely on him for RB2 is a huge leap from a guy (Wilson) who was a known capable runner. Wear is a concern for Jacobs even beyond the overlying legal issue. They have to have a reliable RB3, beyond a blocker.

Hargrave is interesting, but he will be closer to 34 than 33 when the season starts. He has been released before completing his last two contracts. I think he can help, but how much? I like Wyatt, but he hasn't been the most reliable either.

Relying on any rookie, especially after round 1, to improve your team immediately is not usually successful. Not that it doesn't happen, it does, but to expect any specific rookie to do so is a stretch in my mind. I can't expect that from any of the rookies.

If LVN, Savion Williams and Golden become .....
If Lloyd and Watson are reliable....
If Jacobs....
If injured players Thom, Parsons, Kraft, Wyatt ....
If rookies Smack, Cisse, McClellan, Barton, ....
If Morgan, Banks, and Belton ....
If new vets St. Juste, Hargrave, Franklin ....
If the new coordinators....
If the new and promoted assistant coaches.

So many "ifs", uncertainties and hopes. Too many, in my opinion. Surely some will not go the way the team wants.

[texaspackerbacker]

A lot of negativity in here. I guess that's predictable hahahaha.

[Patler]

A lot of negativity in here. I guess that's predictable hahahaha.

I don't really see it as negativity. It's just recognizing that a highly successful season relies on some players recovering quickly from major injuries; others contributing far beyond what they ever have before because of injury, opportunity or their own performance; and still others (rookies) adapting to the NFL quickly. A lot of players must step-up this year; more than usual.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

All reasons why I have some hope for the season; but, I can't help but keep in mind that:

Lloyd has managed to be available for only 1 game in two years, and was injured in that game. Blocking is an unknown, fumbling a concern and we have no idea if he can be an effective NFL runner. He has no more experience than a rookie. To rely on him for RB2 is a huge leap from a guy (Wilson) who was a known capable runner. Wear is a concern for Jacobs even beyond the overlying legal issue. They have to have a reliable RB3, beyond a blocker.

Hargrave is interesting, but he will be closer to 34 than 33 when the season starts. He has been released before completing his last two contracts. I think he can help, but how much? I like Wyatt, but he hasn't been the most reliable either.

Relying on any rookie, especially after round 1, to improve your team immediately is not usually successful. Not that it doesn't happen, it does, but to expect any specific rookie to do so is a stretch in my mind. I can't expect that from any of the rookies.

If LVN, Savion Williams and Golden become .....
If Lloyd and Watson are reliable....
If Jacobs....
If injured players Thom, Parsons, Kraft, Wyatt ....
If rookies Smack, Cisse, McClellan, Barton, ....
If Morgan, Banks, and Belton ....
If new vets St. Juste, Hargrave, Franklin ....
If the new coordinators....
If the new and promoted assistant coaches.

So many "ifs", uncertainties and hopes. Too many, in my opinion. Surely some will not go the way the team wants.

What if there was no light?
Nothing wrong, nothing right
What if there was no time?
And no reason, or rhyme

Ooh, that's right
Let's take a breath, jump over the side
Ooh, that's right
How can you know it if you don't even try?
Ooh, that's right

Every step that you take
Could be your biggest mistake
It could bend or it could break
But that's the risk that you take

(I love Coldplay.)

[texaspackerbacker]

So if Coldplay coaches the team, we go 17-0? ok, hire'em hahahaha.

Literally ALL of those "ifs" are way better than 50/50.