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Green Bay Packers: Predicting 2016 regular season record

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Green Bay Packers fans, it is time.

With the roster cuts ending over this past weekend, we finally have the team that will be starting Week 1 determined (barring injuries) and we can begin following along in what should be an extremely enticing season, especially after the unexpected strife last season brought to much of the fan base.

With no other events scheduled on the NFL calendar before the games, this is the perfect time to take one final look at the schedule and make some predictions as to how things could go.

A lot can and will change between now and the end of the season, but this is a great point to map out expectations for this team, and let me just say, mine are sky high.

This year we have no worries anywhere near the level of what the Jordy Nelson ACL tear or the pudginess of Eddie Lacy brought us going into 2015, and the outlook is as bright as we have seen during any given year under the Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson regime.

Without further ado, let’s begin in Week 1 …

August 26, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jared Abbrederis (84) is congratulated by wide receiver Trevor Davis (11) for scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter at Levi

Week 1

Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

The first week of the year tends to be one of the toughest to gauge.

The most recent games we’ve seen with any importance to their outcome were at least 7 months ago (and even more for those who weren’t on deep playoff runs), and everything since has been built on either pure speculation & projection combined with the watered-down game-planning & performances brought to us through the preseason.

Combine that with the increasing lack of use of established players in that preseason, and it can tend to take awhile for teams to show just how good they might actually be.

That could be especially important to consider with Green Bay; Aaron Rodgers saw a couple of series total in the preseason, Jordy Nelson didn’t see much action either, and there are numerous others who had to miss time at various points due to injuries.

All of these players are going from little action to a full game’s worth of snaps, and that could easily show itself to be a detriment to the team’s chances of victory.

This hasn’t even considered the players lining up across from the Packers either. The Jaguars are a team which many are considering a trendy pick to finally wake up from their long-term doldrums and become a competent team once again.

On offense, Allen Robinson is the real deal; he was Pro Football Focus’ 13th-best receiver in 2015 behind 80 catches, 1,400 yards and 14 TDs, and could become even better this year. The talents of him and Allen Hurns (17th in PFF rankings; 64 catches, 1,031 yards, 10 TDs) will be hard to stop, even for a Green Bay secondary that ranked #6 in Pass Defense DVOA for 2015 and is built around veteran Sam Shields (16th in PFF CB rankings) and numerous young players who should continue getting better.

On defense, the combination of talented new faces on all levels in Dante Fowler Jr., Malik Jackson (11th in PFF Defensive Interior rankings for 2015), Myles Jack, and Jalen Ramsey among others could cause problems for an offense that had plenty of them in 2015.

As much as this team looks like it could (should?) become a terror going forward, the team may not be ready to succeed on that level right off the bat.

The defense has to show it is as good as the sum of its parts looks to potentially be, and an offense led by Blake Bortles must show it can perform to the heights of its stellar numerical outputs of 2015 without first falling behind on the scoreboard (while the raw numbers were mostly impressive, Jacksonville only ranked #23 in Offensive DVOA; that is evidence of a team inflating its statistics in less meaningful situations).

I think this week we’ll see the Packers take it slow (relatively) on offense, grinding things out behind what should be an improved running game (a slimmer Eddie Lacy averaged 5.7 yards per carry in limited preseason action) and allowing themselves to rediscover their natural passing game flow from years past (especially on play-action passes; the team ranked last on these plays in 2015 after ranking #2 in 2014).

Jacksonville might get things close late, but I think some key mistakes from young QB Blake Bortles (the league leader in INTS for 2015 with 18) eventually seals the deal for the Packers.

Green Bay 30Jacksonville 20

Green Bay Record: 1-0

Next: Packers vs. Vikes

Jan 3, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) rushes with the football during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Minnesota won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Week 2

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

A few weeks ago, this looked to be the kind of marquee game that could give us an early insight into whether the Packers or Vikings would be the King of the (NFC) North for the foreseeable future.

Then, Teddy Bridgewater‘s knee disintegrated; with it, the Vikings’ dark horse hopes for a Super Bowl run probably did as well.

Despite that gruesome injury though, this team should still be formidable.

The team went out and traded for a short-term replacement in Sam Bradford to lead the offense, and his style as a passer is somewhat comparable to what the Vikings had in Bridgewater; both are adept at short-yardage passing while struggling to open up the field deep, and their teams’ passing offenses were relatively middling-at-best (MIN was 19th in Pass Offense DVOA for 2015; PHI was 26th).

But while Bridgewater looked poised to have a chance at making a huge step forward in the QB hierarchy, Bradford probably is what he is at this point, which limits any growth the offense as a whole may have been hoping for.

This will likely be okay most weeks though, because the Vikings still have Adrian Peterson (1,485 yards, 11 TDs in 2015) and without having to worry about trying to feature Bridgewater more he should be even more heavily relied upon by the offense. He isn’t as good as he used to be (PFF ranked him #18 among RBs, mostly due to lacking pass blocking and receiving abilities), but barring injury he’ll be as hard to take down as ever when he runs.

The real reason to worry about this team is the defense.

Mike Zimmer has crafted a unit full of young, multi-talented players throughout who can mess up even the best offense’s day, and they should only improve with age and experience.

Harrison Smith is one of the best safeties in the league, Anthony Barr is a terror in all facets of the game, and guys like Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, Sharrif Floyd, and Linval Joseph will apply steady pressure on a quarterback and his line.

Zimmer is also one of the few coaches who have consistently been able to slow down Rodgers-led offensive attacks over the years; Rodgers is 3-3 with 1,343 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs and a 59.2% completion percentage, and in two games last year (1-1) he was sacked 7 times.

Even without their expected starter at QB, this will be a difficult matchup for Green Bay.

I expect it’ll be close, and the deciding factor will likely be how their defense holds the fort against Peterson.

Should they slow him down and force the Vikings to play from behind, their talented secondary will be able to attack a Minnesota passing game that should still struggle to attack deep; if they don’t, the Vikings can wear down a run defense that is comprised of multiple new faces that need to prove they can do better against the run than their predecessors (even with better run defense play in 2015, the Packers still ranked just #19 in Rush Defense DVOA).

Peterson has proven more than able to punish this defense before even without consistent passing game help, so for now I would lean towards expecting more of the same, giving the Packers their first loss of the year and putting them in an early hole in the race for the division.

Minnesota 17Green Bay 13

Green Bay Record: 1-1

Next: Packers vs. Lions

Dec 3, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back James Starks (44) runs the ball during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Week 3

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers

In recent years, no division foe has managed to be more of a consistent thorn in Green Bay’s side than Detroit, and it may have reached its highest peak last season.

The Lions finally managed to win at Lambeau for the first time in my lifetime (1991), and were a faulty facemask call & incredible Hail Mary away from a full-on sweep. This comes even with key personnel losses over the years like the calf-stomping terror Ndamukong Suh; somehow, they make things hell on the field against Green Bay, even if the team as a whole usually struggles to stay in the playoff picture most years.

This team experienced another major personnel departure this offseason in Calvin Johnson, but while he was one of the best receivers we’ve ever seen and has been such an integral piece of the Lions since he was drafted, I don’t think we’ll see the kind of drop-off expected when a team loses someone of his stature.

The Lions have Golden Tate (he of Fail Mary notoriety), who has been a strong #2 option but has plenty enough talent to take over as a #1 guy, and though his skill-set is vastly different from Johnson he should be able to excel in that role. Newcomer Marvin Jones (10 TDs in 2014) has shown talent in the past and may be able to take the step up as a #2 guy after being in a more crowded offensive group in Cincinnati, and Eric Ebron has the type of talent at TE that could make him a threat (if he begins to tap into his potential). If Matthew Stafford shows more of the play from the latter half of 2015 (2,179 yards, 19 TDs, 2 INTs, 71.5 QBR) than the first half (2,083/13/11/45.7), this offense could be dangerous.

As with the Vikings however, it is the defense of this team that has caused most of the problems for Green Bay recently; after going 17-3 against the Lions in the 2000s, the Packers have only gone 8-4 so far in the 2010s, with multiple memorable happenings brought by that side of the ball.

There was the 7-3 game in 2010 where Rodgers went out with a concussion, a 40-10 Thanksgiving loss in 2013, a 19-7 loss that sent the 2014 Packers to 1-2 in an uninspiring start to the year (notably, LB DeAndre Levy was covering Jordy step-for-step on the last-ditch drive by Green Bay), and the hairline-close games of last season, and of the 12 games played this decade seven have been decided by one score.

The team has some exploitable holes on that defense (their corners beyond Darius Slay are suspect at best, the linebacking corps has weakened over the years, and the defensive line beyond Ezekiel Ansah is either aging or underwhelming), but they seem to step up against the Packers pretty well so I’m foreseeing another ugly rough-&-tumble affair that keeps the score low and is decided late; that’s where the main weakness of the team comes into play.

This team has a couple interesting running back options, but while Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick are talented, their skills rely more in the passing game; the Lions seem likely to struggle actually running the ball (#27 in Rush Offense DVOA in 2015, with little done to change that particular outlook in the offseason), and that plays into the Packers defense’s hands.

Tate & Co. will do some damage and Abdullah/Riddick can too, but the combination of a more consistent pass rush (with Clay Matthews at OLB full-time again) and their strong secondary, Green Bay should force a mistake late and seal a win going into their Week 4 bye.

Green Bay 20Detroit 16

Green Bay Record: 2-1

Next: Packers bye week

Aug 12, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion (98) during warmups prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won 17-11. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Week 4

BYE WEEK

With the bye week hitting early, this will be a chance for us to regroup and have a decent early indication of just how good this team can be.

Already, we’ll have seen this team take on multiple division opponents and an expected upstart, all with defenses that either have proven to be strong or the pieces to possibly get themselves there in the near future; they each bring interesting matchups with their offenses that should test each level of the Packers defense.

We’ll get some quick evidence as to whether the young secondary is taking another step towards being elite (Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Damarious Randall, and Quinten Rollins will all be looked to for this), and if the moves at linebacker (Blake Martinez at ILB; Matthews back at OLB) and on the defensive line (Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry) are set to take this defense from inconsistent to top-10 status.

This will also be a nice early point to get multiple players healthy and check in on the status of the players who are integral to getting the Green Bay offense back to its usual heights.

There are numerous receivers who either aren’t quite healthy yet (Jeff Janis and Trevor Davis) or need to work through their inconsistencies after returning from previous injuries (Ty Montgomery).

New starter at LG Lane Taylor will have had three games to give an early look into whether the coaches were correct to pick him as Josh Sitton‘s replacement; under somewhat different circumstances, J.C. Tretter will be doing something similar at center. Jared Cook will have had a few games to see if he can reach into his vast potential, or if he’s just going to continue being underwhelming despite finally having an elite quarterback.

Nelson will be even further removed from his ACL tear with some game action under his belt, and Lacy will have had a decent opportunity to put behind the negative vibes from 2015 (as well as his yearly slow starts). If enough of those areas wind up being on the positive end for the Packers, this team should be lethal on that side of the ball again, striking fear into opponents as we all have loved to see.

There will of course be some inevitable injuries that crop up between now and then; while we can’t reasonably predict exactly who those players might be and how severe the injuries could be, it will happen on some level and this will be the best time of the year for the team to regroup and prepare for the long slog that’s coming.

January 16, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass against Arizona Cardinals during the first half in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Week 5

New York Giants @ Green Bay Packers

This game immediately strikes me as a trap.

Green Bay will be coming off a bye week, with this being the first of three consecutive home games (technically 4, including the Lions game before the bye). The Giants are a team that has underwhelmed in recent seasons, and their defense has struggled mightily in that time.

There is plenty to worry about, however.

These Giants have done a ton to improve that defense, spending lavishly to pick up guys like Olivier Vernon (64 pressures — 9 sacks, 26 hits, 29 stops — during final 8 games of 2015, per PFF), Damon Harrison (#2 in run defense grade for defensive interior linemen, per PFF), and Janoris Jenkins. If things work as they hope, these players will come together with guys such as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Johnathan Hankins, and Jason Pierre-Paul to simultaneously improve both the pass rushing and coverage capabilities of this unit.

This team also has plenty of offensive firepower. We should all know just how dangerous Odell Beckham Jr. is, but there is plenty of buzz about their rookie Sterling Shepard being a possible star as well. The offensive line should continue to improve, health permitting.

The running game has multiple useful options. Eli Manning can make some boneheaded throws, but he’s as unflappable as they come and has shown us all too often that he can beat even the best defenses, especially with playmaking receivers by his side.

And of course, their new head coach is Ben McAdoo, a longtime Packers coach who runs the same offensive system as Green Bay (multiple players they drafted — Jerell Adams & Paul Perkins — were guys I liked for the Packers back in the draft due to system fit and skill set, and they picked them) and should still have a decent idea of how this team will attack his defense.

On the positive side, just because they spent a ton of money doesn’t mean it’ll work; we’ve seen innumerable free agency failures before, and it wouldn’t be surprising if at least one of their big-money signings isn’t up to par.

Even if they are, they can be exploitable regardless; Harrison is a space-eater, but rarely saw time on passing downs for the Jets, and Jenkins has shown a propensity to be aggressive and can get beat pretty often with the kind of slick double-moves players like Nelson run with aplomb.

Even more ripe for attack is the middle of their defense. New York spent a ton on defense, yet they still decided to do little to improve their linebacking corps; with underwhelming talents in the middle of the field, Rodgers can eat them alive on quick throws underneath to his slots guys like Randall Cobb and Jared Abbrederis, or hit his TEs over the middle and up the seam.

This game will scare me until it actually happens, but I do think the team will exploit the Giants defense’s weaknesses often and put up enough points to outlast any theatrics put on by Beckham and Shepard.

Green Bay 36New York 24

Green Bay Record: 3-1

Next: Packers vs. Cowboys

Dec 13, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) runs past Dallas Cowboys safety J.J. Wilcox (27) for a first down in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Week 6

Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers

Even with the likelihood that Tony Romo will not be in this game, the Cowboys will still likely be a tough out, at least on the offensive side of the ball.

This team has had the best offensive line in the league for multiple years, as well as a seemingly innate ability to keep adding useful pieces.

Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, and La’el Collins have all been added in recent years, and each are either among the top 3 at their positions or could be on their way there; they have been the stars of the Dallas show, even if they get overshadowed in the spotlight when guys like Romo, Dez Bryant, or Demarco Murray have put up huge numbers.

The Cowboys have yet another guy set to profit off them in Ezekiel Elliott, and he could become the mainstay Murray looked to be in the 2014 season.

There are already questions as to whether you’d rather have him or Todd Gurley for the near future — and with the rookie season Gurley had, that’s definitely high praise for someone who hasn’t played an official down yet.

This hasn’t brought into the equation the biggest question around this team, however: how will Dak Prescott perform? The rookie looked good in the preseason, but we’ve seen far too many players do that and flop to think it means too much.

That team is set up pretty well to help a young QB (potentially elite RB, top-caliber WR, league-best OL), but this is also a team that fell apart without their usual QB in 2015 (1-11 w/o Romo) and is banking on better injury luck to not lose any of those other pieces again.

I haven’t mentioned the defense yet, but honestly there isn’t much to say.

They do have a couple talented players in the secondary (Byron Jones — 82.1 coverage grade, per PFF — looks like a potential elite player, while Morris Claiborne has been talked up as someone finally ready to step up to the potential that got him drafted #6 overall a few years ago), but their front seven is an absolute mess; suspensions have dropped their top two pass rushing options (Demarcus Lawrence & Randy Gregory) and an inside linebacker (Rolando McClain) for large chunks of the year, and they have to hope Sean Lee can manage to stay healthy for once or they will have nothing beyond new addition DL Cedric Thornton in that entire group.

The Cowboys offense will try to grind things out, run down the clock and keep things close, and they could well succeed in that gameplan; a powerful run game is the best way to attack Green Bay’s defense even if they have improved in that facet, and no team may combine their latent abilities with forced necessity to succeed in that area as Dallas.

That defense should be putrid at best though, and the Packers should be fine whether they go with the pass or run here.

Green Bay 34Dallas 16

Green Bay Record: 4-1

Next: Packers vs. Bears

Nov 26, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) rushes with the football as Chicago Bears cornerback Bryce Callahan (37) defends during the fourth quarter of a NFL game on Thanksgiving at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Week 7

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers

Yet another late game in a season full of them (Green Bay shows up in night games 5 times this season), and it comes against the team’s oldest rival.

These teams have been playing each other since 1921, and over time things have essentially become even; the current record sits at 93-91-6 in favor of Chicago, with each team dominating for multiple long stretches. If sweep the Bears this year, Green Bay can even up the series for the first time since 1933 (11-11-4).

These Bears have not done well overall against the Packers since Rodgers took over for Brett Favre (13-4), but in their first year under John Fox they managed to keep things close in Chicago before taking the Thanksgiving night game at Lambeau.

The team has holes everywhere, but the coaching is superb and should have the team playing above the sum of their parts again in Year 2 of the regime; taking them lightly could prove erroneous.

The team’s offense had perhaps its best season behind Jay Cutler in 2015 (10th in Offensive DVOA), and should actually have their top receiving weapons available more often with the healthy returns of Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White.

The offensive line should also improve with better health and the addition of former Packer Josh Sitton, and while they moved on from Matt Forte there are some young options in the backfield who may surprise if used properly.

The defense still has plenty of room to improve (#29 in Weighted DVOA for 2015), but they have shored up the middle — their weakest point last year — with Danny Trevathan (#10 ILB grade, per PFF) and Jerrell Freeman (#5), while also adding a hopeful pass rush boost in Leonard Floyd.

The way Green Bay can beat Chicago this year likely lies in their passing game efficiency. The Bears are pretty beatable in the secondary, and their defensive line is hit-or-miss with creating decent pressure up the middle; keeping the pocket clean will let the quick-strike passing game go to work, nullifying the effect of the multiple skilled pass rushers Chicago has to throw at them.

On the other side, the best parts of the Bears’ offense will be matched against the strongest unit of the defense; while receivers with the size of Jeffery and White can be a problem, Shields has done pretty well over the years against big-bodied guys (he was the go-to against Calvin Johnson versus the Lions) and Dom Capers can find ways to involve Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett more often if Jeffery or White starts to get hot against the younger corners.

This probably won’t be a pretty game (most Packers-Bears matchups tend not to be), but it should be exciting, and I could see it sealed in our favorite way: a Jay Cutler turnover to squash their fading hopes.

Green Bay 23Chicago 20

Green Bay Record: 5-1

Next: Packers vs. Falcons

Dec 8, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) is tackled by Green Bay Packers cornerback Casey Hayward (29) in the third quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Week 8

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons

After spending over a month at home, Green Bay finally hits the road again to face a Falcons team that is somewhat hard to gauge.

Atlanta is about as inconsistent as they come. Last year they started off with a 6-2 record that felt somewhat facetious; in the following 2-6 stretch, it was an obvious underperformance.

The team has a couple big-time players who always perform well — Julio Jones on offense, Desmond Trufant on defense — but are mostly constructed with players who can perform well but struggle to do so on a consistent basis.

Matt Ryan was widely lauded during his early career, but in recent seasons he has been the epitome of inconsistency, mixing in mind-numbing turnovers out of nowhere with high quality play in seemingly random intervals.

Devonta Freeman showed up as an exciting running back option last year, but fell off mightily in the 2-6 ending stretch to 2015 (First 8 Games: 152 carries/709 yards/9 TDs, 40 catches/353 yards/1 TD; Final 8: 112/352/2, 33/225/2). Looking at their lineups on PFF, you see a lot of yellow (meaning: average) on both sides of the ball.

This team may not be quite ready to step up and challenge in their division, but they have undoubtedly made steps to improve on last season’s outfit.

Their offensive line has been a major problem spot for years, so they added Alex Mack at center; putting him with 2015 additions Chris Chester, Jake Matthews, and Andy Levitre — plus standout right tackle Ryan Schraeder — could give the team their best line in a long time.

They spent big money on Mohamed Sanu to hopefully give them a reliable #2 receiver. Freeman should be more consistent in his third season, and Tevin Coleman could manage to be a decent #2 option behind him.

Their defense has the most room for growth though. Coach Dan Quinn’s unit ranked #22 in Weighted Defensive DVOA for 2015, but have added draft picks (Devondre Campbell, Deion Jones, Brian Poole) and veterans (Dwight Freeney) to help take them to a higher level. On the defensive line, Adrian Clayborn played decently last year after floundering in Tampa Bay, and Grady Jarrett has gotten buzz as a potential breakout player.

With time, this could become a pretty good unit, especially once 1st rounder Keanu Neal is able to join the team on the field after a knee injury.

We may see some signs of improvement from them, but they likely won’t reach a high enough level of consistency to be much of an issue for this game.

Right now, the defense has nobody past Trufant that we know for sure will perform at a high level; the back seven should be especially ripe for the picking.

If Trufant gets matched on Jordy, that could be a 50-50 proposition, but if he’s proven healthy and in good form by then Nelson should still manage to make some plays; beyond that matchup, the Packers should dominate with their litany of talented receiving options. The running game should also have a good shot at getting going too, punishing a lacking front four.

The Falcons’ best chance of making a game of things relies mostly on the same formula as the last matchup between these two: a massive dosage of Julio Jones (11 catches, 259 yards, 1 TD). If he and Ryan can connect consistently, they can force the coverage to shift towards Jones more and open holes elsewhere for less heralded guys.

While I respect the hell out of Jones’ talents though, I don’t see him dragging the team to victory on his own against a team like Green Bay, which has far too many options on offense for their suspect-at-best defense to slow down.

Expect this to be the kind of game where the non-Nelson receiving options put up numbers (with Nelson possibly doing well too) and the running game gets enough burn to keep everything balanced.

Green Bay 41Atlanta 24

Green Bay Record: 6-1

Next: Packers vs. Colts

Aug 18, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) follows a block by guard T.J. Lang (70) in the first quarter during the game against the Oakland Raiders at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Week 9

Indianapolis Colts @ Green Bay Packers

This is another one of those games that could be a trap.

The Packers are home again, but have an upcoming 3 game road trip on the schedule. The Colts are an inconsistent team, but one that has scary explosive potential; T.Y. Hilton is one of the NFL’s premier deep threats, and Andrew Luck (when healthy) has been the kind of QB who takes hits and extends plays in the way that has gotten players ingrained into NFL lore.

Already in his short career, we’ve seen Luck garner 14 game-winning drives and 10 4th quarter comebacks (including an endlessly impressive 45-44 playoff comeback versus Kansas City in 2013 and a 30-27 victory over these Packers in 2012); other QBs may have better numbers, but the feeling of seeing Luck lined up trying to win the game brings up an innate feeling of inevitability few current players can manage, likely due to his ability to extend plays and strike deep on any given one.

The Colts as a team are pretty boom-or-bust however; Luck may feel like an inevitability at times, but his performances across entire games rarely have been dominant, too often putting his team in the very holes he has had to drag them out of.

The running game, even with the addition of Frank Gore last year, has never been a source of worry for the opposition. His offensive line has never been good either beyond left tackle Anthony Castonzo, and even with drafting a potential long-term answer at center in Ryan Kelly and the ascendence of Jack Mewhort at LG, there’s plenty of work to be done before the unit can be considered serviceable.

Their defense on the other hand may be better than perceived.

The unit has felt like a weak link going back to the Peyton Manning days, but last year it was that side of the ball which ranked well (#10 in Weighted Defensive DVOA) while the offense cratered with and without Luck.

Robert Mathis can still be a pass-rushing force, Vontae Davis is a good cover man on the outside, and multiple guys across the unit simultaneously underwhelm statistically while making key plays at opportune moments.

This would be a great week for the offense to hand the ball off the Lacy and Starks, grind down the clock, and use a good dosage of play-action to exploit the non-Davis back seven players.

The Colts’ offense may have explosive tendencies, but the multiple talents in the Green Bay secondary should be able to do pretty well at preventing monstrous gains by bracketing Hilton with a non-Shields corner (his biggest weaknesses are ones a small, speedy guy like Hilton can take advantage of) and a safety (likely Clinton-Dix).

I’ll be worried of the chance of a comeback until the game ends, but there should be more than enough opportunity for the Packers to put the game out of reach, especially if they take advantage of some early mistakes by Luck.

Green Bay 27Indianapolis 20

Green Bay Record: 7-1

Next: Packers vs. Titans

October 4, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Clay Matthews (52) celebrates in front of defensive end Mike Daniels (76) after sacking San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7, not pictured) during the third quarter at Levi

Week 10

Green Bay Packers @ Tennessee Titans

The Titans were the worst team (record-wise) in the league last year, but they could be poised for a decent jump in the standings behind growth, experience, and some decent roster moves in the offseason.

The team has QB Marcus Mariota, who most see as a future star, but instead of moving to empower his abilities, the team focused on taking the burden off of him.

The team has improved their offensive line (adding Jack Conklin at RT) and brought in two running backs (Demarco Murray in a trade, Derrick Henry through the draft) who they hope will power through opposing defenses in what has been labelled an “exotic smashmouth” attack.

The defense was pretty bad last year (#30 in Weighted Defensive DVOA), but they have some star power and could take a nice step forward if things go well. Jurrell Casey is a monster on the line, last year was likely an aberration for CB Jason McCourty, Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo can form a nice pass-rush duo when healthy, and numerous other young players should improve.

The way they plan to play could be a problem for Green Bay if it works out as planned; the most talented area of the team is the secondary, and while they should do really well against a lackluster-at-best receiving corps, the focus won’t be on them.

The run defense will have had plenty of time to prove if it has gotten better by now, and they will need it here.

This could end up being similar to the matchup against Dallas in a way; both teams are built to run offensively, and their defenses have exploitable holes throughout.

This team have more to work with on the defensive end so they could keep things closer, but behind a strong ground game of their own the Packers could alleviate the pass-rushing potential of Orakpo and Morgan and then attack a secondary that cannot hold up for a whole game versus the litany of pass catchers in green & gold.

If the Packers’ run defense has a poor day, this could be close; if not, it could be a relative rout. With a few blowouts under their belt already, I could see this being a game that’s closer on the scoreboard than expected but still a pretty routine win, especially if the team looks ahead to a prime-time matchup coming up in their next game.

Green Bay 23Tennessee 20

Green Bay Record: 8-1

Next: Packers vs. Redskins

Jan 10, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Clay Matthews (52) and Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Nick Perry (53) sack Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) during the second half in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Week 11

Green Bay Packers @ Washington Redskins

A rematch of the playoff matchup last season, this should be an interesting game.

Last time, Green Bay managed to take a victory on the road despite coming in with a flailing offense against a Washington team that had been getting nothing but praise as they elevated themselves to NFC East Champions behind strong play from Kirk Cousins.

This time, Green Bay should be an even better team, while Washington looks like they could be but is more of a questionable assumption.

Washington has plenty of talent on their offense, especially in the receiving game.

DeSean Jackson is a top-tier deep threat still (10 catches of 20+ yards in 10 games for 2015), Pierre Garcon works well as a chain-moving possession guy (9 games with 5+ catches, 43 first downs converted), and Jordan Reed is a top-5 pass catcher at tight end (87 catches, 952 yards, 11 TDs in 2015; 9/120/1 vs Green Bay in playoffs).

They added Josh Doctson to that mix through the draft as well, so Cousins will have a litany of options to choose from when he drops back to pass.

For them to do well, the defense will need to step up; they were only #20 in Weighted Defensive DVOA for 2015, and it was that side which was to blame most often when they lost. Just think: had they been able to consistently cover a flailing receiving corps or stop an inconsistent run game, they could have easily won that playoff game; they did neither however, and put the burden on an offense that could make plays but wasn’t able to field a good presence in the run game.

That defense has received an influx of new talent though, and it should help them do better against opposing passing games.

Their main addition was Josh Norman, an elite-level corner in Carolina who somewhat surprisingly was allowed to leave after they rescinded the franchise tag on him.

Their loss is Washington’s gain though, and putting him with Bashaud Breeland on the outside — combined with the pass-rushing prowess of Ryan Kerrigan — should give teams plenty to worry about when dropping back to throw.

The rest of their defense is still pretty suspect though, and regardless of how well Norman plays a team as loaded on offense as Green Bay can counter.

If Norman is able to succeed in a more man-based coverage scheme, his talents can see him try shutting down Jordy; even if he does, the other receiving options will be set up well to attack elsewhere on the defense, especially across the middle of the field (Washington ranked #21 in DVOA versus tight ends).

This would be a great opportunity to involve Cook and Richard Rodgers more; combine that with another strong showing from the running game (Washington was #22 in Run Defense DVOA in 2015, and gave up 141 yards and 2 TDs to the Packers in the playoffs) and the formula for victory is clear: run the ball, attack over the middle, and shut down the passing game of Washington.

If the secondary doesn’t perform up to par, this could be a high-scoring affair; if they do (as I think will be the case) then the final score could be a repeat of what we saw last time these teams met, but with less of a contest along the way.

Green Bay 33Washington 20

Green Bay Record: 9-1

Next: Packers vs. Eagles

Aug 29, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery (88) runs for extra yards after catching a pass against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll II (23) in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Week 12

Philadelphia Eagles @ Green Bay Packers

Every season has possible let-down games, and this is lining up to be one for the Packers.

With these type of games, there are usually factors that don’t even necessarily directly relate to the talent on the field.

The Packers are coming in with just one loss so far, and are playing in the final of five primetime games. They just took down one of the teams that could be one of their biggest challenges of the season.

They are also on the end of a three-game road trip, with two upcoming home games against two teams that should be playoff contenders — one of which could become the top seed in the NFC, and has been a rough matchup for Green Bay the past few years.

On the other side, the Eagles look to be a team in flux long before this game.

They traded away their starting QB and will likely be fielding a rookie QB who didn’t face top-level competition in college. Their offensive roster is mostly barren of proven talents, and those they do have are either aging (LT Jason Peters is 34, and coming off injuries) or have proven limited so far (Ryan Mathews has talent at RB, but struggles with injuries; Jordan Matthews is a decent slot option, but is working mostly alone).

What the team does have is a potentially devastating defense, and even if their offense fails them most weeks that unit should keep them in games and give them chances.

Fletcher Cox broke out in a big way last year (9.5 sacks as an interior lineman; 89.9 PFF grade); he and the stable of useful linemen in Philadelphia (Connor Barwin, Bennie Logan, Vinny Curry, Brandon Graham) will get unleashed by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz (he led Detroit in their emergence into a devastating defensive front in his time as their head coach, and also was the architect behind the Bills garnering the most sacks in the league — 54 — and ranking #2 in Defensive DVOA in 2014). They also have created one of the better safety combos across the league in Rodney McLeod (#10 safety grade, per PFF) and Malcolm Jenkins (#3 safety grade, per PFF).

Rodgers and Co. will have to be one their game to prevent a hiccup, especially the offensive line. The unit will have had over half a season to gel, and if they can be anywhere close to what we saw in the 2014 group, they could limit the damage Schwartz’s men can do in the trenches; doing that will let Rodgers pick apart the weaker points on the defense — mainly, the young linebackers and suspect corners — and move the offense.

Though I do think this will be tougher than the records will indicate (even before the Bradford trade, I wasn’t high on Philly; now, I expect that offense to make them one of the worst teams in the league by the end of the year), Green Bay finds a way to do enough versus a brutal defensive front, while their own defense makes multiple key plays and pretty much shuts down a lacking Philly offense to keep the game ultimately out of reach.

Green Bay 16Philadelphia 6

Green Bay Record: 10-1

Next: Packers vs. Texans

Dec 27, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) reacts alongside offensive guard T.J. Lang (70) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Packers 38-8. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Week 13

Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers

In the first of two marquee home games on the schedule, Green Bay finds themselves matched against what has the potential to be a formidable Houston team.

With this team, you obvious have to start with their defense. They ranked #4 in Weighted Defensive DVOA for 2015, holding opponents to 10 points or less on 7 occasions.

The unit is led by J.J. Watt, who’s list of accomplishments could already be a book; three-time Defensive Player of the Year, 74.5 sacks (including two 20.5 sack years), 45 pass defenses, 15 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, and has graded no lower than 87.7 (including 93.5 in 2015, when he played through multiple injuries) on PFF’s 0-100 grading scale.

The unit is more than just Watt, however. Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus rush the passer, long-time Patriot Vince Wilfork eats up space in the middle, and Johnathan Joseph remains a high-quality cornerback on the outside.

What the team hopes takes them to another level and firmly entrenches them atop the AFC South for the near future though is the offense. Houston ranked only #24 in Offensive DVOA in 2015 (#24 Weighted), and though they already have an elite receiver in DeAndre Hopkins, the team lacked any consistency elsewhere on the unit.

To replace the 4-QB cluster that started last year, the team paid Brock Osweiler handsomely; by this point in the year, we should have a pretty good idea if that was a mistake.

They also shelled out cash and draft capital for weaponry for their new QB; Lamar Miller has been a per-carry beast for years in Miami and should finally get the usage his numbers deserve, while Will Fuller gives the offense a deep element they sorely lacked.

Behind an offensive line that has the talent to do better than their middling rankings in 2015 would show, there is reason to believe Houston’s moves will pay off.

The Packers will have to hope their offensive line holds up against the Watt onslaught; that may be wishful thinking, especially if he proves to this point in the season that he hasn’t been negatively affected by his offseason surgeries.

Even if they throw ree guys at him, he might still make plays, and guys like Mercilus and Clowney will get chances to take advantage of singular matchups. Even the best lines can have bad days, and this feels like this could be one of those games where a lot goes wrong.

Rodgers will still manage to make some plays regardless (he tends to do that), but with an endless pass rush bearing down on him he probably won’t have much time to find Nelson deep, and we could see a game where the offense regresses to what we saw in most of 2015.

Even when we didn’t have a season like 2015 to put that kind of worry on us, when teams could load up with pressure up front in previous years and force the Packers to win in 1-on-1 matchups in crowded coverage (think about games vs Buffalo in 2014, or any of the Suh-Lions defenses; they routinely did just that, and used that formula to either win or keep the game close).

As long as their offense keeps the ball in their own hands, Houston has enough to give Green Bay their second loss of the year, and their first at Lambeau in 2016.

Houston 19Green Bay 9

Green Bay Record: 10-2

Next: Packers vs. Seahawks

Sep 20, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Clay Matthews (52) signals the defense against the Seattle Seahawks during a game at Lambeau Field. Packers won 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

Week 14

Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers

In the second of two high-stakes home games, the Packers have to compete with their recent nemesis, the Seahawks.

In the past few years, we’ve had some painful battles against this team. It began with the Fail Mary in 2012, tearing out our hearts and getting the replacement refs (thankfully) replaced with the full-time regulars.

Then came the 2014 opener, where the offense played into Seattle’s hands, playing with half a field in an eventual 36-16 rout.

The worst came in the playoffs that year however, with Green Bay going up 16-0 before falling apart in the final five minutes behind a litany of comically unlikely events all happening in a short period of time (to recount: Morgan Burnett sliding down after an interception, botching an onside kick recovery, allowing a scrambling Hail Mary-esque toss on a two-point conversion, blowing the coverage on the game-sealing TD pass in overtime from Russell Wilson to Jermaine Kearse) to end what had looked for most of the day to be a surefire Super Bowl berth.

Last year finally brought some good news in this matchup however, with Green Bay finding a way to beat Seattle 27-17 despite not having Nelson in tow.

Much has changed on both sides since this became a game to circle each year on the calendar though. With Marshawn Lynch deciding to retire, the team now doesn’t have the motor the ground down the defense in most of those previous meetings; now, Wilson is the man with no competitor, and he has already proven excellent in that role.

While Lynch missed time to injury last season, the offense leaned more on the pass, and Wilson became scarier than ever; starting against San Francisco in Week 11, he put up 1,906 yards to go with a 24:1 TD:INT ratio, and he even managed to pull Seattle from a 31-0 hole to a last grasp at victory against the Panthers in the playoffs.

Put that with the still-stellar star-studded defense (#4 in Defensive DVOA, #1 DVOA vs #1 receivers) and it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this team is arguably yet again the NFC’s best bet to win the Super Bowl.

Despite the way some of these recent games have gone for them though, Green Bay has shown themselves more and more capable of doing what is necessary to break through and beat this team.

Prior to the collapse in the playoffs two years ago, the defense found its way to have one of their more memorable performances in recent years, forcing Wilson into 4 interceptions and picking up 5 sacks in what should have been a winning effort.

Then last season the offense sans Nelson put up 27 points behind strong work from Randall Cobb and James Starks, and the defense finally slowed Lynch for a full game while garnering 2 sacks and forcing a couple turnovers (including a game-sealing INT of Wilson by Jayrone Elliott).

Though the new pass-leaning offensive attack of Seattle should be a new kind of threat to worry about, that lines up better with the strength of what should be the best Packers defense Wilson has had to face to date.

The back four will be heavily tested (particularly because Wilson can still utilize his legs to extend plays), but the Shields/Randall/Hyde/Burnett/Clinton-Dix group should be able to hold up pretty well against the receiving options Wilson has at his disposal (though if utilized better this year, Jimmy Graham could make that a tougher proposition).

More than that, this is where the pass rush will have the chance to really earn their collective paycheck. Matthews should be back to the constant pass-rush menace he was before having to take over at ILB the past 1.5 years, and the Julius Peppers/Nick Perry/Datone Jones triumvirate should be able to sub in and keep the pressure coming.

Should young defensive linemen like Kenny Clark and Dean Lowry manage to step up and muck things up along with powerhouse Mike Daniels and veteran Letroy Guion, this could be an absolute bloodbath against a Seattle offensive line that looks to be one of the weakest in the league (per PFF, not a single projected starter graded out as average for 2015).

If the Packers offense can attack the Seattle defense much like they did in the 2015 meeting (attack with Cobb exploiting holes in the passing game, making decent gashes with the running game) they should be able to put up enough points to survive the frustratingly inevitable Wilson theatrics and pull out a win, likely putting themselves firmly in the driver’s seat for a top-2 seed in the playoffs.

Green Bay 20Seattle 16

Green Bay Record: 11-2

Next: Packers vs. Bears

Sep 13, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) makes a touchdown reception over Chicago Bears cornerback Sherrick McManis (27) during the second half at Soldier Field. Green Bay won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Week 15

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears

This game kicks off the final stretch of the schedule, the first of three division games to end the year, and one the team should not be looking past even though the Bears are (at least in my estimation) looking like the team most likely to fall into the NFC North basement.

Still, this team was able to take a game from the Packers in 2015 in a season where they only won 6 in total, and behind coach John Fox they have shown a tendency to play above the sum of their parts and compete even if their talent level suggests they shouldn’t even be in some games. In 2015, they were in 12 games that were decided by one score (5-7 record), with six of those games coming against playoff teams (2-4).

This team should continue doing that, and may be able to even turn a few of those close games into victories this time around with better talents on both sides of the ball.

Green Bay could have some struggles here, but if the Packers are as good as I believe their record will be, they likely will be able to take advantage of the weaknesses that still exist on the Chicago defense (particularly in the secondary) with a revived passing offense that has rebirthed the ability to attack deep — or at least to a level that forces the opposition to adjust for it.

With the offense (probably) being exactly that for an 11-2 team led by Rodgers, expect those weaknesses to be attacked without fear.

With the passing game firing on all cylinders, the run game should be freed up to attack a defense that cannot risk loading up against it and run clock in the second half.

On the other side of the ball, the Chicago offensive line has the pieces to be much improved, but the litany of pass rushers combined with some of the usual excellent play on the line from Mike Daniels will be too much even with guys like Kyle Long and Josh Sitton expected to be stalwart options to put up against the rush.

Putting pressure on Cutler has proven to be the quickest way to knock his team out of a game, and if his line can’t help him it won’t matter how good his receivers are. I can easily see him become the turnover-tossing Cutler Packers fans have grown to love in that environment, and those turnovers will help Green Bay rout their rivals and officially tie up the overall series between the franchises.

Green Bay 34Chicago 13

Green Bay Record: 12-2

Next: Packers vs. Vikes

Nov 22, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) fumbles after a hit from Green Bay Packers safety Morgan Burnett (42) at TCF Bank Stadium. The Packers defeated the Vikings 30-15. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Week 16

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

In the penultimate game of the year, Green Bay gets to play against one of the two teams responsible for the blemishes on their record.

Regardless of how good or bad (barring a complete meltdown of course) Sam Bradford plays QB, this Minnesota team is set up so well in all the other spots on their roster that the team should still be somewhere in the playoff picture, and they would love to get a season sweep of Green Bay for the first time since Brett Favre led the team to the NFC Championship Game in 2009.

Bradford is no Favre, but he did well enough last year to be ranked #12 in PFF’s QB grades going into the season, and despite his flaws he could do as well as Teddy Bridgewater did for them last year as a passer.

As further hope for Minnesota, they managed to beat Green Bay last year even with Bridgewater struggling, in no small part due to the wide array of talents spread elsewhere on the roster.

I mentioned before how coach Mike Zimmer has been one of the few defensive minds able to consistently make things tough on Rodgers, and that shouldn’t change. Unlike the early loss to Minnesota this year though, I think he and his offense will find more consistency and put up some more points on their home soil.

That consistency might come from a better showing from the running game; the Lacy/Starks duo should be leaned on to keep the array of pass rushers in purple away from their quarterback.

Defensively, Green Bay will be hoping their stable of young defensive linemen is more prepared to help Daniels muck up the blocking for Peterson and the Vikings’ run game; they do that, and they force the burden of production onto the limited arm of Bradford.

Minnesota can win here if Peterson is a productive focal point, blasting through big holes and arm tackles to move the offense — and keep the ball away from Green Bay.

If it is put on Bradford’s shoulders however, mistakes in the form of failed 3rd downs and turnovers are on the horizon.

I see the front seven stepping up to do what previous iterations rarely have done and slow Peterson while the offense applies enough scoreboard pressure to make Bradford have to take over, where he falls short, giving the Packers their 13th win on the year and bringing them one step closer to home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Green Bay 25Minnesota 16

Green Bay Record: 13-2

Next: Packers vs. Lions

Nov 15, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass under pressure from Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (94) during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. Detroit won 18-16. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Week 17

Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions

To end the year, we see the Lions again.

By now, in all likelihood the Packers will have locked up one of the top 2 seeds in the playoffs, so there may be some sentiment to rest players at this point; that would vastly adjust the way this game could go.

As I sit here now however, I think that at least one of the Seattle/Arizona/Carolina group will still be in position to challenge for that #1 NFC seed, so in that case there is still something to play for here, and Green Bay should be trying their damndest to make sure they have home-field advantage.

While the team can and has won difficult games on the road, forcing opponents to come to the frigid conditions of Lambeau field in January has the dual advantage of giving the Packers the confines of their own home while taking other teams out of their usual comfort zone in the pressure cooker of the playoffs could be enough to indirectly swing a close game in Green Bay’s favor.

Just think: before Green Bay beat Seattle in 2015, a popular thought was that if any of the previous games against Wilson’s Seahawks had been in Lambeau, the result might have been different.

Maybe the replacement refs feel more inclined to lean towards the home team in the Fail Mary game and don’t call that a catch at the end, or the Seahawks lose just a bit too much of their energetic edge (an energy that could come even slightly from a raucous home crowd) that helped fuel their eventual playoff comeback; those games may end differently.

Maybe the home environment gives Rodgers a tiny bit of extra calmness against Carolina last year, and because of it he is able to see a wide-open Cobb on that final 4th down throw to try giving the team a chance to try a 2-point conversion to tie.

Perhaps the defense is able to hold their composure a smidgen more on the broken play where Carson Palmer found Larry Fitzgerald to pretty much seal the game, and it never gets completed, or possibly Coach McCarthy has a tad more confidence and uses it to push for a two-point conversion and try to steal the game in regulation.

Now that’s all standard “what if?” speculation of course, but there are definite — if hard to legitimately quantify in any meaningful way — advantages to making your opponents come to you in January, and even if that is built on faulty logic (the full extent of that advantage usually tends to be), teams and their players definitely believe in it, so it does matter on a certain level regardless of the actual impact.

Even if they want this game though, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll win it. As I mentioned earlier, Detroit has been the most consistent thorn in Green Bay’s side out of their three division rivals (at least on the field), and Ford Field has been a relative house of horrors for the Packers in that time.

That field is where they knocked out Rodgers with a concussion in 2010, blew Green Bay off the field (w/o Rodgers) 40-10 in 2013, shut the offense down in a 19-7 2014 win, and forced the team to create the Miracle in Motown to prevent yet another loss there last year.

With the Bridgewater injury in Minnesota, I think the Lions will actually end up as the #2 in the NFC North at season’s end despite having to adjust to life without Calvin Johnson, and though I’m not seeing a playoff berth they could be right there at the end.

They don’t seem like a group that will roll over — especially considering who they are playing — and should play their asses off to try at the very least to spoil Green Bay’s hopes of the top NFC playoff seed.

This could be one of those games where the limitations of David Bakhtiari at LT are put under the spotlight; Ezekiel Ansah is a star, and could power through him to make a few plays.

If they get pressure on Rodgers, DeAndre Levy — if he has proven healthy and back to his previous high level by then — should be there to take away the easy underneath routes, and Darius Slay and Glover Quin could make a couple plays in coverage if he tries to take too much over the top.

If their defense is on point, the Detroit offense wouldn’t need to do much beyond hitting Golden Tate and Marvin Jones for decent gains and milking clock.

The score shouldn’t be high — most times where we see Detroit win over the Packers, it isn’t — and we end a strong regular season on a somewhat sour note; fortunately, with their strong record, it likely (hopefully) won’t actually end up making too much difference in the seeding for the playoffs.

Detroit 17Green Bay 13

Green Bay Record: 13-3

……..

Enjoy Week 1 everybody!

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