Brats & Beer

Brats & Beer 2008 Official Packers Forecast

Reading the Packers cards

Even though Green Bay doesn’t play the first game for another five days (the waiting really is hardest part), I suppose for any prediction to be official it needs to be made before any of the games have started. So let’s gaze into the crystal ball and see what the future holds for the upcoming year.

Before putting on my Green & Gold glasses, though, let me say that everything that follows will be just a lot of hot air unless Bob Sanders’ defense comes to play. Aaron Rodgers and the offense I think will be able to hang points on the board, but it won’t be enough if the other side is on the field too long. Sanders has had a core group of players in his system — a system borrowed from Jim Bates, remember — for two or three seasons now, so it’s time for all those pieces to come together in a consistent if not dominating performance.

Okay, with that out of way (big gulp of Lambeau flavored Kool-Aid) I am officially predicting the Green Bay Packers will be in the playoffs this season. In spite of the lack of experience at some positions, and despite some of the holes that exist right now on the roster, the 2008 Packer squad is just too good on paper to rule them out of the post-season, although it may be a long, hard journey to get there.

This year Packer Nation will need to learn (or maybe re-learn) the virtue of patience. Last season we had the incredible good fortune to get off to a fast start, posting a 5-1 record before the bye week. This year, though, could get off to a rocky beginning in part because of the youth on the roster at key positions and because the schedule is front-loaded with tough games against Dallas, Indianapolis and Seattle. Green Bay could be 4-3 at the bye, maybe 3-4, but the back half of the season is where things should kick in.

Being a young team still coming together in many ways, I think this squad will resemble the Giants of last year or the Steelers from 2005: Coming on strong after a slow start, winning games down the stretch when it counts and carrying them into the playoffs. When the dust settles after Christmas I think the Packers will have won at least 10 games, and I’ll say 11 as my official prediction, which should be more than enough to earn another division title.

Once in the post-season, of course, it’s anyone’s game. But if Mike McCarthy’s offense is clicking in January, then I’d say we have a real good shot to go deep in the playoffs once again.

Now let the games begin.