Top 5 Impact Players this year on the Pack

[Tony Oday]

Who do you think they are? Both Defense and offense who will define this year?

In no order these are my guys:

1. Brett Favre:
Once more into the breech my friend. Keep gunning!! those 29 ints last year could turn into 18TDs this year with WR from the start.

2. Samkon Gado:
Beat out the vets young man. You are the EXACT kind of player we want. Humble and good. Sophmore slump be damned! 12 TDS are within your grasp!

3. Barnett:
You have Hawk With you now time to shine!

4. Collins:
You played AWESOME last year as a rookie. You have earned the right to try and live up to the number you wear.

5: KGB:
You are stronger, you have more experience and now you have coaching. Step up or step aside. You need to dominate this year, Kearse style.

Honorable mentions:
Kamp, Pickett, Harris, Woodson, Driver, Lee, Franks and Broegter(sp?)

Who do you think will define our year?

[Joemailman]

1. Brett Favre - The fact that the blocking scheme requires the QB to be mobile should help him. Favre's mechanics, which were horrible last year, are usually better when he is moving. Plus he should have more talent around him.

2. A.J. Hawk - He will give this defense a dose of intensity it has lacked since Leroy Butler retired. I look for him to blitz quite a bit this year, and his great instincts should make him better at this than anyone we've had in a long time. The attention he attracts from the opposition should make Barnett better.

3. Nick Collins - He was solid last year as a rookie, and should only get better. As he gains more experience, he should be able to anticipate things better, instead of just reacting. He should produce more turnovers this year.

4. Samkon Gado - I think his skills are perfectly suited to the zone-blocking scheme. He is an extremely smart player who is always looking to get better. He should also be more involved in the passing game than last year.

5. Charles Woodson - His presence not only strengthens the cornerback position, but moving Carroll to nickle should strengthen that area. Having two shutdown corners will enable Sanders to call more blitzes this year, increasing the pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. And pressure causes turnovers.

[RashanGary]

I'll second Route's prediction. I'll put Woodson and Driver at the 4 and 5 slot instead of Gado/Woodson.

1. Favre
2. Hawk
3. Woodson
4. Collins
5. Driver
6. Harris
7. Kampman
8. Barnett
9. Gado
10. KGB

10 sacks is good for something.

[Noodle]

No order:

Ahman Green: He comes back. Strong. Fast. Explosive. The Man and The System are made for each other. He won't hit his stride until after the bye, but after that, he's going to tear things apart.

Donald Lee: Except for that one pass that hit him on the facemask, I thought Lee showed real promise last year. Jags is going to want a serious vertical threat from the TE position, and Lee is the guy to give it to him. We'll be saying "Vernon who?" by November.

Charles Woodson: Shocks the world by having a season out of his past. He emerges big time, and when it becomes clear that Al Harris can no longer carry the load, Woodson becomes the clamp-down guy and Carroll steps in as the other corner. And due to Woodson's mentoring, Carroll continues his progress from last year and the two of them become one of the premier DB tandems in the league.

AJ Hawk: Maybe it's too obvious, but I just have to believe that this hard-nosed headbanger from the Neolithic past is going to create a whole new vibe on D. With teams afraid to throw to their WRs (see Woodson above), they'll have to run. And for this, they will pay dearly, as Hawk just stones dudes in the hole with bad and malacious intent. Should make for inspirational Sunday afternoon TV.

Rock Gullickson: That's right, Rock Gullickson. First, he has the greatest name ever for a strength and conditioning coach. But more importantly, because of his emphasis on free weights instead of machines and his overall better conditioning program, the Packers suffer far fewer nagging injuries this year. A healthier team would make a huge difference, and Rock will deliever the goods.

[wist43]

The Packers don't have any "impact" players - the one they had, TT pissed away.

That said, I expect the Packers will be better on defense; and, by seasons end, they should realize some modest gains on the offensive side of the ball.

Hawk, Manuel, Woodson, and Hodge (who should be in the starting lineup at some point this season) should upgrade the defenses overall toughness and athleticism; but, none of them is, by himself, an "impact" player.

The offense has no playmakers. The best we can hope for is steady improvement - with Lee and Jennings hopefully rising to the top. The interior of the OL is, of course, critical... so, the importance of developing the young guys there can't be overstated.

I don't harbor any dillusions of the playoffs - despite the weak schedule and weak division. Slow and steady improvement is what I'll be looking for.

[packrulz]

No playmakers? Favre, Green, Gado, Driver, & others?

[ND72]

Brett Favre
Donald Driver
AJ Hawk
Nick Collins
Charles Woodson

honorable mention:
Ahman Green
Nick Barnett
Al Harris
Aaron Kampman
KGB
Greg Jennings

[Bretsky]

Brett Favre
Donald Driver
AJ Hawk
Nick Collins
Charles Woodson

honorable mention:
Ahman Green
Nick Barnett
Al Harris
Aaron Kampman
KGB
Greg Jennings

I'D COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THIS LIST.

FOR THE GADO LOVERS, I THINK HE MAY STRUGGLE WITH THIS OFFENSE; LAST YEAR HE MISSED A LOT OF HOLES, BUT WHEN HE HIT THEM HE BURST THROUGH THEM. I THINK THIS NEW O WILL BE A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR HIM

[ND72]

i WANT to like Gado. I really do. but until i see him do it game in and game out, i'm reserving judgement.

[FavreChild]

Top 5, none of this runners-up BS:

Will Hendu
Samkon Gado
D. Driver
Marv Underwood
Al Harris

[Harlan Huckleby]

Samkon Gado
Donald Lee
AJ Hawk
Nick Collins
Greg Jennings

[Chubbyhubby]

no particular order:

Favre
AJ Hawk
Woodson
Jennings
Colledge

[Partial]

Biggest impact, positive or negative, in order
KGB
Hawk
Chuck
Cole
Pickett

[HarveyWallbangers]

Rob Davis
Tony Moll
Ingle Martin
Donnell Washington
Chris White

[Guiness]

I'll take this to mean the 5 players who will have the biggest impact on how well the Pack does this year

Farve - for them to win, he's got to be on form - that's a given

Green - if he returns to his old self, it'll have a big impact

AJ Hawk - if he lives up to his billing, it'll be a huge difference

DL Rotation - not a player, of course, but these guys need to provide pressure up the middle, and let Barnett and AJ do their thing

Driver - he HAS to keep performing the way he has, or opponent teams play 8 in the box