Packers are team to beat in NFC North

Aaron Rodgers’ 48-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb, with 46 seconds left on 4th-and-8, gave the Packers their third straight NFC North title. They defeated the Bears, 33-28, at Soldier Field.
Credit: martynneil.files.wordpress.com

It was 4th-and-8 at Soldier Field. The Packers’ playoff hopes were dwindling. They trailed the Bears on the road, 28-27, in the 2013 regular season finale. The next 46 seconds would determine the winner of the NFC North.

We all remember the play.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took the snap. He faced an immediate rush from Bears defensive end Julius Peppers. Fullback John Kuhn arrived in a knick of time, blocking Peppers just enough to prevent him from reaching Rodgers. The former MVP rolled out to his left and heaved a dime to Randall Cobb, who bolted past a flatfooted Chris Conte to haul in a 48-yard game-winning touchdown, propelling the Packers into the playoffs.

The Bears were stunned – an all-too-familiar feeling against their archrival. The Packers went on to win the division for the third straight season, but their playoff campaign was short-lived, as they were bounced from the postseason by the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round.

During the offseason, the gap continued to close in the NFC North.

The Bears improved their defensive line with free agent acquisitions Lamarr Houston (Raiders) and Jared Allen (Vikings). They also boast the best wide receiver duo in the league in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. There’s hardly a debate about that. The Bears’ offense could be one of the most explosive units in the NFL this season, but it may come down to the play of quarterback Jay Cutler, who Marshall recently declared will be the 2014 NFL MVP. If the league is looking to further investigate substance abuse among its players, Marshall could be their next target after such a ludicrous statement. Confidence clearly isn’t lacking in Chicago, but there’s quite a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Considering the hype in Chi-town, you’d think the Bears were the team with three straight division titles. That’s not the case. However, they remain the Packers’ most prominent threat in the division.

The Lions were perhaps in the best shape to seize their opportunity to win the division last season, but their discipline issues proved costly, as they were their own worst enemy down the stretch. New head coach Jim Caldwell – with his level-headed demeanor – will be a much-needed breath of fresh air for Detroit. Caldwell is more respected than former head coach Jim Schwartz. But let’s be honest, that’s not saying much. On the plus side, you most likely won’t see Caldwell trying to start a fight with an opposing coach after the postgame handshake, which can only be good news for Lions fans. The Lions added tight end Eric Ebron in the draft and former Seahawks receiver Golden Tate in free agency to complement Calvin Johnson in the passing game. Don’t be surprised if the Lions turn things around this season and make a run at the division title.

The Vikings can’t really be considered a serious contender in the division until they figure out their quarterback situation first. They have three quarterbacks competing for first-team reps in training camp, including their 32nd overall pick in this year’s draft, Teddy Bridgewater. The other potential suitors for the position include Matt Cassell and Christian Ponder, whose days as the Vikings’ starter appear to be all but over. If history is any indication, quarterback controversies don’t typically end well. It’s a shame, too. Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson is waiting for an opportunity to breakout. He’s one of the most explosive playmakers in the league, and he showed flashes of brilliance last season. The Vikings just need to find a way to get the ball in his hands. Of course, Adrian Peterson is always a threat in the Vikings’ backfield, but at 29 years old, he appears to be losing ground on his quest for a Super Bowl ring. Unless the Vikings turn it around, Peterson will be remembered as one of the best players to never win a championship.

Now, the good stuff.

The Packers are the class of the NFC North. That trend will continue until another team steps up and decides it’s had enough. Despite remaining in familiar territory atop the division the past three seasons, the Packers certainly can’t be satisfied with one-and-dones in the playoffs. They’re not far off from another Super Bowl, though.  Here are the four reasons why the Packers will win the NFC North in 2014.

Lack of experience within the division: Entering his ninth season, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is the longest-tenured head coach in the division by far. Bears head coach Marc Trestman is heading into his second season, and the aforementioned Caldwell – who has three years of previous experience as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts – and Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer are entering their first season with their respective teams. Don’t underestimate the importance of having the same coaching staff year-in and year-out. It typically takes time for players to adjust to a new coaching style and system.

Additionally, we saw the Lions and Bears unravel with an opportunity to take control of the division at the end of last season while the Packers were ailing. Let’s face it; neither team had much experience with a division lead during the past few seasons, and that won’t change until they start winning meaningful games in November and December. The Packers have proven to be the team with the most resilience in the NFC North, and McCarthy’s experience is primarily responsible for their stranglehold on the division.

Julius Peppers and an improved defense: The Packers don’t have the reputation of being an aggressive team in free agency. That altered a bit in March when they scooped up Peppers, who spent the last four seasons with the rival Bears. Those in Chicago hold a firm belief that Peppers has lost a step. They accuse him of taking plays off. Regardless of their beef with Peppers, they most likely aren’t happy about seeing him end up in Green Bay, especially opposite Clay Matthews. Peppers and Matthews have never had the benefit of being paired with another player of their caliber.

They do now.

The Bears misused Peppers as an every-down player, which may have resulted in his declining performance. He’s no spring chicken anymore. The Packers plan to use Peppers in a variety of positions, formations and situations, maximizing his effort when he is on the field. He also has been reunited with Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, who coached Peppers for several seasons in Carolina. The comfort and familiarity will allow Peppers to excel in the Packers’ defensive system. Even at 34 years old and in the twilight of his career, the aging Peppers is a physical specimen and has the ability to make a difference. He has almost everything – size, speed, versatility, athleticism, and now, added motivation from his doubters. If he can put it all together this season, he might end up with the one thing he doesn’t have: a Super Bowl ring. If nothing else, the Packers have acquired a seasoned veteran who will be a mentor to their young crop of defensive players.

The team selected safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix with the 21st overall pick in the draft, and he may not even start due to Micah Hyde’s transition from cornerback to safety. Even so, the Packers have a lot of depth at the position. Paired with Morgan Burnett, either player will be an upgrade over Jerron McMillian or M.D. Jennings, who started for the Packers in 2013. Also in the secondary, cornerback Casey Hayward is fully healthy, after missing a majority of games with hamstring issues last season.

In recent years, the defense has been the Packers’ weakness. It finished 24th overall last season. With the addition of Peppers, as well as returning players, there’s no reason to believe the defense won’t be average, at the very least. It is poised to become a top-10 unit this season. Defensive end Mike Daniels already has expressed his desire for the defense to have a more physical mentality and match the offense’s production. If the offense and defense are clicking at the same time, the Packers will be even more of a threat, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league.

Eddie Lacy: Roll tide, right? The reigning offensive rookie of the year, Eddie Lacy, put the Packers on his back last season when Rodgers was out for seven games with a broken collarbone. He often faced stacked boxes due to the Packers’ lack of reliable quarterback play, but his punishing running style allowed him to grind out 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Packers plan to increase Lacy’s role in the offense and involve him more in the passing game. His 35 receptions last season are nothing to scoff at, but you can expect that total to increase this season. There are so few three-down running backs in the NFL, but Lacy is a true workhorse in the Packers’ backfield.

With Rodgers’ return, Lacy will undoubtedly face more favorable defensive looks in 2014. It’s no wonder Lacy is always smiling. He knows what lies ahead. Now that the Packers have a formidable rushing attack with Lacy, James Starks and DuJuan Harris, the possibilities are endless for the Packers offense.

Aaron Rodgers: It’s enviable that Brandon Marshall thinks Jay Cutler will be the MVP in 2014, but for that to happen, Cutler would need to be the best quarterback, and player, in the league. He’s not even the best quarterback in the NFC North. Injuries happen to every team during the course of the season, but the Packers had the worst injury bug in the NFL last season. They lost Rodgers for seven games, and that alone is enough to make the argument.

When Rodgers is playing, the Packers are as dangerous as any team in the NFL. He’s that good. Not only that, he has a mutually beneficial relationship with Lacy. In total, Rodgers and Lacy only played in six games together last season, but the pair will make each other better. If teams stack the box to defend against Lacy, Rodgers will beat them through the air. If teams play deep in the secondary to defend against Rodgers, Lacy will run wild. And the last thing opposing defenders want is to face Lacy head on. Ultimately, defenses will have no choice but to respect the running game, leading to a plethora of opportunities for Rodgers. On paper, it would seem the Packers offense will be unstoppable in 2014. The end result will be one of the best seasons of Rodgers’ career.

The pieces are in place for the Packers, but the Bears and Lions won’t back down, either. The NFC North will be one of the most interesting division battles to follow in 2014, but when all is said and done, the Packers will be on top.

Who do you think will win the NFC North?

Jennings signs with rival Vikings

Former Packers receiver Greg Jennings signed with the Vikings Friday. Jennings spent seven seasons with the Packers. Credit: common.wikimedia.org

Packers fans can stop holding their breath. The Greg Jennings sweepstakes is over, although it didn’t have the result Packers nation was hoping for. The former Packers wide receiver has signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

Jennings hit the free agent market as one of the most coveted receivers available. He was hoping to sign a lucrative deal worth upwards of $10 million a year, but, in reality, the market was softer than Jennings had anticipated. The first day of free agency saw former Steelers receiver Mike Wallace sign a 5-year, $60 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. No surprise there.

Jennings was looking for Wallace-type money, but no offers hit the table. He was forced to lower his asking price, which allowed the Packers and Vikings to enter the conversation.

How fitting? Even when they’re not playing against each other on the football field, the Packers and Vikings find a way to keep their rivalry going.

This isn’t the first time the Vikings have taken advantage of the opportunity to get their hands on some of the Packers’ sloppy seconds, so to speak. Ryan Longwell, Robert Ferguson, Darren Sharper and some guy named Brett Favre found their way to Minnesota after their respective careers in Green Bay. Will the Favre haters please stand up? Now sit down. It was four years ago; time to get over it.

The Vikings had no depth at receiver before signing Jennings, especially after shipping Percy Harvin, their playmaker in the passing game, to the Seattle Seahawks. The move to trade Harvin left Jerome Simpson as the team’s potential No. 1 receiver. Yeah, he’s the guy who flipped over a defender on his way into the end zone as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals just over a year ago. What has Simpson done since then? Good question. The Vikings were desperate for a possession receiver. Hello, Jennings.

The Vikings met with Jennings for two days, starting on Thursday. He went out to dinner with Head Coach Leslie Frazier, General Manager Rick Spielman, Offensive Coordinator Bill Musgrave, Assistant General Manager George Paton and defensive end Jared Allen. No deal appeared imminent. They most likely spent their time watching Jennings “Put the team on his back” on YouTube (picturing him in a Vikings jersey, of course) while sharing a few laughs and a beer. All jokes aside, there had to be something brewing for Jennings to spend the night in Minnesota.

Friday, Jennings reached an agreement with the Vikings on a five-year deal worth $47.5 million, with $18.5 million guaranteed. Jennings was Minnesota’s best remaining option at receiver. They couldn’t let him get away, and they didn’t. That being said, spending a sizeable chunk of change on a 29-year-old receiver with an injury history isn’t necessarily what I would consider a bargain, especially after a season in which Jennings only played eight games.

Jennings will get plenty of touches in Minnesota. He’ll score some touchdowns, too. But when his name shows up on the Vikings’ injury report for the first time, forgive me if I greet Vikings fans with “I told you so.”

With many explosive weapons on the Packers’ offense – Randall Cobb, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, to name a few – Green Bay was not prepared to engage in a bidding war with Minnesota. It wasn’t realistic to expect the Packers to spend a lot of money on a guy, who, in all honesty, would be the Packers’ third- or fourth-best receiver on the roster.

Jennings was the guy in Green Bay for many years. We’ve seen what he can do when he’s healthy, but there comes a time when a player and organization have to part ways for the best of both parties. That time was now for Jennings. Don’t be surprised if the Packers are better off without him.

Jennings said the quarterback would be a major factor in determining which team he would sign with. That tells us one thing: money talks. Aaron Rodgers is a better quarterback than Christian Ponder, no questions asked. The Vikings signed former Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel to a one-year, $4 million deal.

That makes the Vikings better at quarterback, right? Not at all. It’s a waste of money.

The only thing it does for Minnesota is encourages a quarterback competition, during which Jennings will be forced to work on his chemistry with two quarterbacks, instead of arguably the best one in the NFL.

Jennings is in a better financial position now, but I don’t see him being in the position to win a Super Bowl during his next five years in Minnesota. There’s simply too much firepower in the NFC for the Vikings to compete.

After all, Jennings already has a ring. Why not strive for a bigger pay day?

The Vikings can keep winning the Packers’ free agents. The Packers will stick to what they do best: winning football games.

It’ll be difficult to hate a role model like Jennings, which is why I won’t. Fourteen games of the season I won’t be disappointed if Jennings succeeds. But when he plays against the Packers twice each year, I’ll be wearing my Donald Driver jersey, knowing that’s what Jennings could have been.

How do you think Jennings will do in Minnesota?