Is the Packer roster special?

[HarveyWallbangers]

When it mattered, yes, absolutely.

According to Football Outsiders, in terms of "Power Rank" in 2010 (defined as):

We were ranked #2.

We were also 5th best in the league in terms of preventing open-field running yards.

We could stop the run when we wanted to, but we played nickel 75% of the time. The Eagles may have to put 9 in the box to stop the run this year. Cole, Patterson, and Babin are all better pass rushers than run defenders. Same can be said for Jenkins when he's playing at DT. He's a good run stopping 3-4 DE, but put him at DT in a 4-3 and I'd say he's an ordinary run defender.

The Eagles starting LBs are Jamar Chaney, Casey Matthews, and Moise Fokou. Fokou is an ordinary third year player with 15 career starts. Matthews is a rookie mid round pick that hasn't looked good this preseason. Chaney was taken in the 7th round last year and has 2 career starts. Maybe these guys will surprise, but my guess is that teams will be able to run on the Eagles at will.

[KYPack]

We could stop the run when we wanted to, but we played nickel 75% of the time. The Eagles may have to put 9 in the box to stop the run this year. Cole, Patterson, and Babin are all better pass rushers than run defenders. Same can be said for Jenkins when he's playing at DT. He's a good run stopping 3-4 DE, but put him at DT in a 4-3 and I'd say he's an ordinary run defender.

The Eagles starting LBs are Jamar Chaney, Casey Matthews, and Moise Fokou. Fokou is an ordinary third year player with 15 career starts. Matthews is a rookie mid round pick that hasn't looked good this preseason. Chaney was taken in the 7th round last year and has 2 career starts. Maybe these guys will surprise, but my guess is that teams will be able to run on the Eagles at will.

That was my point in the "Hot seat" thread.

The Eagles have some talent, but they ain't deep and have big issues in both boiler rooms. If the Eagles only win 6 - 7 games, will the GM take the fall? He should, but they may pin things on Andy.
Philly could finish last in the NFC East. The Plowboys will be much improved on D with Rob Ryan. The Giants are badasses. If the Rat gets Washington going, it could be a long year in Philly.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Dallas still has major issues defensively, and I think the Giants lost two corners to injury already. Washington has no chance in that division. Not with Grossman or Beck at QB. It wouldn't surprise me if the Giants or Dallas win the division, but the Eagles should be the favorites. It's interesting that all three teams have issues defensively. Might be a different story in the NFC North. Green Bay and Chicago should be good defensively. Detroit is getting better and could have a dominant DL. I expect Minnesota's defense to bounce back.

[pbmax]

Eagles have moved Left Guard Herremanns to Right Tackle. Winston Justice still on PUP and the wonderfully named King Dunlap goes to the bench.

Remain calm. ALL IS WELL!

[Harlan Huckleby]

I watched some of MN-Dallas game. McNabb looked good, Peterson on fire, their offense might be ok. the o-line is improved.

[pbmax]

This is the reason you hang on to Finley, Twitter, mouth and all, even for a high price:

Tight end Jermichael Finley is such dynamic a receiver it’s easy to overlook his blocking. Early in his career he probably didn’t want to block, and I doubt it’s his favorite thing now, but he did well when they lined him tight to the formation or in the backfield as a lead blocker against the Colts. He got his hands on guys and kept them out of the pile. That’s Finley’s next step and will make him a better receiver because he can show block to a linebacker or safety then go downfield. The Packers will need him to block if they’re to have any success running the ball, especially with how poorly the offensive line played against the Colts.

He is not only good, but he seems to consistently want to be better. Its hard to ask for more.

[Smidgeon]

This is the reason you hang on to Finley, Twitter, mouth and all, even for a high price:



He is not only good, but he seems to consistently want to be better. Its hard to ask for more.

I loved that chip block where he put the defensive end on his back. I don't know if the defensive end is never expecting it, but Finley hits him so suddenly that he falls to the ground. Awesome.

[bobblehead]

This is the reason you hang on to Finley, Twitter, mouth and all, even for a high price:



He is not only good, but he seems to consistently want to be better. Its hard to ask for more.

This was the point I was making where JH misunderstood me. Finley is a willing blocker and keeps improving. He isn't TO bad with the mouth, but he is TO and then some in work ethic. TO worked hard, Finley harder. TO was a cancer, Finley is a very moderate distraction.

If he didn't block, he is just another reciever. Any TE has to block.

[sharpe1027]

Maybe, but the rest of us Kool-aid drinkers would have just chalked it up to the ridiculous number of injuries. It took a bit of luck to get into the playoffs, but once there, this team showed a lot. The key this year will be the left side of the O-line. If Lang can pass block as well as Colledge and if Clifton can hold up (or have Newhouse fill in adequately) then this should be an elite team. If not, then it's trouble.

Another key is that unless someone steps up, they are one problematic hamstring away from having no pass rush (outside of creative blitzes).

[sharpe1027]

If Finley stays healthy this year the Packers O will win 9-11 games on their own throw in our D and we are 13-3 with Superbowl aspirations.

That is the conventional wisdom. My worry is that the conventional wisdom is very often wrong. More often than not, the team with all the hype from one year of productivity or big off-season moves disappoints. It is the teams with a steady history of year after year success that seldom disappoint. The Packers could be one of those steady teams, but IMO they are still trying to establish themselves as one of those teams.

In the end, I cannot find any fault with your logic, but I perhaps I can still provide a bit of perspective to what has been a pretty one-sided thread.

[ThunderDan]

That is the conventional wisdom. My worry is that the conventional wisdom is very often wrong. More often than not, the team with all the hype from one year of productivity or big off-season moves disappoints. It is the teams with a steady history of year after year success that seldom disappoint. The Packers could be one of those steady teams, but IMO they are still trying to establish themselves as one of those teams.

In the end, I cannot find any fault with your logic, but I perhaps I can still provide a bit of perspective to what has been a pretty one-sided thread.

I agree but I would be a lot more worried if our average starter was age 30 and not 26. We are young and upcoming. I really like the mixute on this team.

With the salary cap in place you can't be deep at every position. Every team has warts. I think our warts will be easier to hide than other teams' warts. I hope!

[woodbuck27]

Dallas still has major issues defensively, and I think the Giants lost two corners to injury already. Washington has no chance in that division. Not with Grossman or Beck at QB. It wouldn't surprise me if the Giants or Dallas win the division, but the Eagles should be the favorites. It's interesting that all three teams have issues defensively. Might be a different story in the NFC North. Green Bay and Chicago should be good defensively. Detroit is getting better and could have a dominant DL. I expect Minnesota's defense to bounce back.

Yes the NFC 'Black and Blue Division' will be back in 2011 again finally. This is going to be an exciting season to see who is number two in our division. It's PACKERS all the way unless we suffer the adversity we saw in 2010. We cannot dodge that bullet again; realstically NOT going to happen! We have to remain healthy and keep our offense on the field as much as possible and rest the 'D' or take the heat off of the defense. That means we must run the pigskin and MM and Aaron Rodgers has to be patient with our running game. Get a 10-14 point lead and then relax into that game if at all possible that's 'the wining formula IMO. We have to win the battle of the clock. Old fashioned drag it out offense wins the long day. Hopefully our OL and running backs provide that realistic opportunity. PATIENCE wins the prize.

GO PACKERS!