has our window already closed?

[MadtownPacker]

No it hasn't, some of you just set that bar too high thinking we were going to win it every year. Its the NFL, not the NBA.

You aint no damn Negrito!! What fun is it to not think you're gonna win it all?

[MadtownPacker]

My bad I locked the thread on accident.

[Bretsky]

I have to admit last year everything seemed aligned to repeat until we got our asses kicked in the trenches by the Giants. I think we're stocked fine for another sporadic run but I'd be surprised with a dynasty with many of these NFC teams ascending.

[red]

you assholes do realize that there is a question mark at the end of the thread title right?

i was asking if, not saying, the window is closing

bunch of jackoffs

[mraynrand]

I think the window is closed on Donald Driver. But it's still open for Tori Gurley. He can jump out any time now.

[denverYooper]

I have to admit last year everything seemed aligned to repeat until we got our asses kicked in the trenches by the Giants. I think we're stocked fine for another sporadic run but I'd be surprised with a dynasty with many of these NFC teams ascending.

Meh. That's how the league goes these days. The best you can hope for is competence in the front office and coaching staff, and Green Bay has that in spades. They took the most injured team (according to Starter Games Lost) in the league, played arguably the toughest division this year (NFC West), won a division over 2 other pretty good 10-6 teams, and went to the divisional round of the playoffs.

That's some fine work if you ask me.

Sure, the Patriots look great beating up on the JV squads in the AFC East but they were 1-3 against the NFC West, got handed a 2 seed because of conference-wide suck and beat a team that would have placed 4th in the NFC North to get to the AFC title game. Now they have to face the Ravens, who might beat Green Bay 3 out of 10 times. Oooo. Not saying they're not a good team, but come on. Chances are they make the Superbowl and get rolled by the NFC again.

There was a batch of years there where Brady was being planted on his ass by the Ravens and Steelers when they were in their primes. Guess what? The NFC West is the new AFC North and whoever makes it through the NFC for the next couple of years has run the gauntlet to make the dance.

San Fran *might* be set for a few years but I'd like to see how they fare with their tackles, top 6 RBs, TE, and half of their defense needing surgery before I'd make that judgment. Hell, they lost their best DL and promptly started getting bludgeoned, so based on the law of small sample sizes they'd look like complete trash.

The Giants? They won 2 on the bookends of a 5 year span. According to my math, the Packers have another year to bomb out before they rise again if they want to match that.

We are in the post dynasty era.

And that is exactly what the NFL wants.

[sharpe1027]

True because look how well Gurley balled out for his team this year...oh wait.

The point is that similar choices are coming up with guys like Woodson and Pickett. What TT does will likely have a bigger impact this time around.

[Tony Oday]

Best QB in the NFL, Stud OLB, Good DBs that are young, a team that won without Woodson, WR corp that did well with injuries this year. Those are positives. ILBs hit by the injury bug need a stud there, Perry going out hurt the OLBs. The O line got crushed by injuries but with TWO 1st round Tackles coming back there will be good competition there next year. RBs are what they are and nothing that special but they just need to know how to block and get 80 yards a game. Throw in a kicker and this is a good team that is REAL young.

[packrulz]

A loss like that is hard to swallow, but we were tied in the 3rd quarter, and the interception (ARod) and the fumble (Ross) cost us the game. I think the Packers had a remarkable season winning the division in spite of all the injuries. I hate to lose the good old vets but you can't pay everyone 10 million a year. Good up and comers like Cobb, Heyward, Barclay, Harris, and even Neal, Perry, and Ross have me optimistic for next year.

[Patler]

Is their window closing? I doubt it, but it can slam shut at any time with a couple poor drafts. It looks like 2012 could be one of their better drafts in a while, so that will help keep them in contention for a few years.

For the window to be closing, parts of the team need to be in decline. I don't see that, with the possible exception of WR.

QB - Rodgers is young, and it's all about the #1 anyway
OL - very young group, guards are signed, 3-4 capable tackles. It can be improved, but isn't in decline.
RB - haven't had much here anyway, so again it isn't in decline.
TE - frankly, disappointing as a group, but they won the SB without much from the position anyway.
WR - have had 4 good ones for long time, but may be down to three next year. Does need reinforcement.

DL - not a great group, could use improvement, but young except for Pickett and not in decline.
LB - has been a weak spot. Could show some improvement if young ones develop, Bishop returns, Matthews stays
DB - the luster is off with Collins gone, Woodson old & Williams in decline. But, there is better depth here than they have had in years. Always need more, but as a group should be OK.

ST - Masthay seems like a long term answer, Goode too. I think Crosby will be OK too, but you never know for sure. He could be a problem than needs replacement.

This isn't a team that is head and shoulders above the crowd, but it wasn't in 2010 either. As bad as the defense was in 2011, we all suspected that the 15-1 record was a bit of luck. I see this team as more in a state of hold as a viable contender, but not in decline. In the NFL that can change quickly, in either direction. They should stay in contention as a team with a shot at the SB, which is all they were in 2010. It won't be THE favorite to win, but how often does THE favorite from either conference win it anyway?

The Packers biggest problem may be that they will continue to have good competition from all teams in the NFC North.