Ready or not, here come the predictions

[Zero2Cool]

JSOnline.com - Source

Posted: June 14, 2006


Richard Pufall
E-MAIL


The beauty of making bold, somewhat sketchy predictions in June about the Green Bay Packers' 2006 season is that they might be forgotten by the end of December.

And folks, we can only hope so.

At this point, anyone's guess is good. And bad. It probably comes as no surprise to you that sportswriting is not an exact science. Or do you think we spend a lot of time agonizing over and researching this? Actually, we just throw a lot of stuff at the wall and hope some of it sticks. Yup, that's the secret sauce in our forecasting recipe and were not letting go, no matter the consequences. But shhhhhhh . . . don't tell anyone.
Advertisement

You see, predicting an NFL team's final record is no fun and it's a can't-get-it-perfect proposition. It's right up there on the giggle-o-meter with shaving your head with a cheese grater while chewing on tinfoil.

But as a job, it's not packing and lifting and someone has to do it. So here we go:

Sept. 10, Chicago at Green Bay: After wresting the NFC North title from the Packers last season, the Bears and their fans are full of themselves. They believe they are the bull-goose loonies of the division; the team to beat that can't be beaten.

Mike Sherman had a winning record in six seasons as Green Bay's head coach, but he somehow lost the Packers' dominance and edge at Lambeau Field. Mike McCarthy can return some pride to the home turf and win a lot of friends by opening his head-coaching career with a victory over the Bears.

This should be a battle of very good defensive teams.

Chicago's overconfidence and Green Bay's edge on offense should make the difference: Packers 24, Bears 10.

Sept. 17, New Orleans at Green Bay: Reggie Bush brings his awesome talents to Lambeau and he should be enough to make this a close game, not the 52-3 rout that Green Bay enjoyed last season. And everywhere that Bush goes, A.J. Hawk is sure to follow. Drew Brees at quarterback makes New Orleans better, too. But again, Green Bay's defense prevails: Packers 20, Saints 17.

Sept. 24, Green Bay at Detroit: You can't win 'em all. The wheels will come off in the Motor City where Green Bay always seems to sputter: Lions 23, Packers 20.

Oct. 2, Green Bay at Philadelphia: It's Monday night in the city of brotherly loath. Green Bay must show it can win a game in this venue before earning the edge. Eagles 27, Packers 20.

Oct 8, St. Louis at Green Bay: Green Bay will prevail in a battle of teams that aren't what they used to be: Packers 34, Rams 17.

Oct. 22, Green Bay at Miami: Even if Daunte Culpepper isn't healthy enough to play quarterback, Miami will be tough at home: Dolphins 17, Packers 14.

Oct. 29, Arizona at Green Bay: The Cardinals are dripping with talent, but Dennis Green will find a way to lose this one: Packers 31, Cardinals 30.

Nov. 5, Green Bay at Buffalo: Beating Buffalo on the road? Why not? Who could call this an upset? Packers 28, Bills 16.

Nov. 12, Green Bay at Minnesota: Historically, the Packers have struggled at the Metrodome. And it's another painful history lesson for Green Bay. Vikings 21, Packers 17.

Nov. 19, New England at Green Bay: A few years ago this game would be a lot tougher than it is now. Look for Green Bay to play the home card. Packers 30, Patriots 27.

Nov. 27, Green Bay at Seattle: Mike Holmgren has been waiting forever to get Green Bay in Seattle. He gets his wish and a victory on Monday night. Seahawks 24, Packers 17.

Dec. 3, New York Jets at Green Bay: You can't win 'em all at home, either. New York shouldn't win this game, but will find a way: Jets 17, Packers 16.

Dec. 10, Green Bay at San Francisco: Nothing about San Francisco says, "win this game," even on the 49ers' home field. Packers 40, 49ers 14.

Dec. 17, Detroit at Green Bay: The Lions always lose in Green Bay. It's in the NFL rule book. You knew that, right? Packers 37, Lions 17.

Dec. 21, Minnesota at Green Bay: It's a Thursday night before Christmas and all through Green Bay's house not a creature is stirring in the Minnesota offense: Packers 28, Vikings 9.

Dec. 31, Green Bay at Chicago: This game could decide the NFC North champion. And it looks like Da Bears wear Da Crown. Bears 16, Packers 14.

And there you have it. A 9-7 finish. That's a lot better than 4-12 and a winning season is a winning season.

The Packers will return to toughness at home, going 7-1, but will struggle on the road at 2-6. And that 9-7 record might even be good enough for a wild-card ticket to the playoffs.

So there's our best guess. And our worst, too.

Send e-mail to [email protected]

 

[thetombradyhater]

Overall good picks. But I am sad to say I doubt we will beat the Pats

 

[Zero2Cool]

Overall good picks. But I am sad to say I doubt we will beat the Pats

True. We will lose because of how great Tom Brady is. I wish he was our back up QB.

 

[PackerChick]

pretty good picks, but its too early to tell for me.

 

[Popcorn]

A tad homerish but its decent. Some real flimsy explinations.

 

[PackerSacker54]

I think this guys crystal ball need a rebuild kit. Green bay is only going to score less than 20 points 4 times this season? Gimme a break.

 

[porky88]

I think they win 9 games at tops. I have them winning 8 because of the "easy" schedule. 6-10 at worse. 9-7 at best.

 

[bozz_2006]

A tad homerish but its decent. Some real flimsy explinations.

not nearly as flimsy as your spelling. but i do agree with you. not a whole lot of extrapolation on his part.

 

[rob836]

We sweep the bears,Lions and Viking. Thats all Im saying

 

[thetombradyhater]

We sweep the bears,Lions and Viking. Thats all Im saying

I smell a HOMER

 

[tromadz]

We sweep the bears,Lions and Viking. Thats all Im saying

its possible. vikings and lions suck. bears defense is great...but still.

it could happen!

 

[all about da packers]

Porky, I agree with what you posted, but I'll go further in saying we have the potential to win 10 games, provided that one of the rookies from this year's draft class really finds his feet quick time. That is asking a lot, but if someone such as Jennings (I HIGHLY DOUBT IT, but will continue to hold out hope) does step up, we will have a great shot at winning 10 games.

 

[60six]

If we have to go 80 yards to score, the majority of the time at the start of the season, points will be hard to come by. The D needs get some TOs to shorten the field for us.We need 10 to 16 points a game in this manner at the start of the season, so the O can come together on a easy pace.

 

[PackerSacker54]

We sweep the bears,Lions and Viking. Thats all Im saying

Bwahhhahahaha! Kool-Aid is good, Oh yeah!

 

[cheesey]

11-5, at the worst. "Da Bears" will be 8-8 at the best.
(Hope your making a fresh batch of Kool-Aid P.S.!!!) :wink: :lol:

 

[porky88]

Porky, I agree with what you posted, but I'll go further in saying we have the potential to win 10 games, provided that one of the rookies from this year's draft class really finds his feet quick time. That is asking a lot, but if someone such as Jennings (I HIGHLY DOUBT IT, but will continue to hold out hope) does step up, we will have a great shot at winning 10 games.

If the line gels fast then, I think we can win the divsion. I don't see the line really coming on until the 3rd or 4th quarter of the regular season. I looked at the schedule and I had them going 8-8 and 3-3 in the divsion. I think that would be a sucess for a 1st year coach like McCarthy and a fairly young team.

 

[PackerSacker54]

11-5, at the worst. "Da Bears" will be 8-8 at the best.
(Hope your making a fresh batch of Kool-Aid P.S.!!!) :wink: :lol:

Keep dreaming hippie.

 

[PackerSacker54]

11-5, at the worst. "Da Bears" will be 8-8 at the best.
(Hope your making a fresh batch of Kool-Aid P.S.!!!) :wink: :lol:

Keep dreaming ya hippie.

 

[warhawk]

Lions - 5 wins (continue to have no focus on how to improve the team).

Vikes - 7 wins (Johnson will prove why letting Culpepper go was a mistake)

Bears - 8 wins (Complacent off season after blowout playoff loss= 50/50)

Pakers - 9 wins (Upgraded D and still the best QB in the North by far.)

Our schedule doesn't hurt. While our record was lousy we competed in most every game and would have most certainly won more if every body that knew how to get across the goal line wasn't hurt.

Now we get to take advantage of last years debacle by catching a lot of teams that were lousy last year also. The North isn't all that tough to begin with and when you get teams like the Saints, Arizona, Jets, Rams, Buffalo, etc., nine wins is certainly not unlikely.

I'm not sold on the Bears. Their offense is lousy and the defense is overrated from what I saw. The Pack moved the ball all over the field with all our key guys hurt which didn't impress me much and the "D" really let them down in the playoff loss.
They weren't very good in the beginning of the year, then got better, and tailed off towards the end. That doesn't give me enough to feel the "D will carry them to a division title.

 

[pyledriver80]

I see this as a division full of almosts. Decent teams thatdon't have enough to seriously compete.

Lions - 6-10
Bears - 9-7
Vikings - 7-9
Packers - 7-9

 

[cheesey]

11-5, at the worst. "Da Bears" will be 8-8 at the best.
(Hope your making a fresh batch of Kool-Aid P.S.!!!) :wink: :lol:

Keep dreaming hippie.

Your right PS......i WAS dreaming........Da Bears will be 6-10 at the best!!! :lol:

 

[PackerSacker54]

11-5, at the worst. "Da Bears" will be 8-8 at the best.
(Hope your making a fresh batch of Kool-Aid P.S.!!!) :wink: :lol:

Keep dreaming hippie.

Your right PS......i WAS dreaming........Da Bears will be 6-10 at the best!!! :lol:

This right here is why smoking cat nip can be a bad thing, Cheesey i'm going to get you into a 28 day program for this because you are still my favorite Cheese wearing hippie.

 

[cheesey]

11-5, at the worst. "Da Bears" will be 8-8 at the best.
(Hope your making a fresh batch of Kool-Aid P.S.!!!) :wink: :lol:

Keep dreaming hippie.

Your right PS......i WAS dreaming........Da Bears will be 6-10 at the best!!! :lol:

This right here is why smoking cat nip can be a bad thing, Cheesey i'm going to get you into a 28 day program for this because you are still my favorite Cheese wearing hippie.

LOLOLOL!!!! PS.....i just found out.......it's HARD to type when you are laughing!!!
By the way......i'm going for a hair cut today!
(Just the top and sides.......not the back!.....and no, i DON'T mean the HAIR on my back!)LOLOLOL!!! :lol:

 

[PackerSacker54]

Lions - 5 wins (continue to have no focus on how to improve the team).

Vikes - 7 wins (Johnson will prove why letting Culpepper go was a mistake)

Bears - 8 wins (Complacent off season after blowout playoff loss= 50/50)

Pakers - 9 wins (Upgraded D and still the best QB in the North by far.)

Our schedule doesn't hurt. While our record was lousy we competed in most every game and would have most certainly won more if every body that knew how to get across the goal line wasn't hurt.

Now we get to take advantage of last years debacle by catching a lot of teams that were lousy last year also. The North isn't all that tough to begin with and when you get teams like the Saints, Arizona, Jets, Rams, Buffalo, etc., nine wins is certainly not unlikely.

I'm not sold on the Bears. Their offense is lousy and the defense is overrated from what I saw. The Pack moved the ball all over the field with all our key guys hurt which didn't impress me much and the "D" really let them down in the playoff loss.
They weren't very good in the beginning of the year, then got better, and tailed off towards the end. That doesn't give me enough to feel the "D will carry them to a division title.

:roll: Bwahahahahahaha. Allowing 202 points all season is overrated? Blowout playoff loss, wasn't it 29-21? According to your assessment The packers improved while the rest of the NFC North got worse. No, your not a homer at all. :wink:

 

[PackerSacker54]

11-5, at the worst. "Da Bears" will be 8-8 at the best.
(Hope your making a fresh batch of Kool-Aid P.S.!!!) :wink: :lol:

Keep dreaming hippie.

Your right PS......i WAS dreaming........Da Bears will be 6-10 at the best!!! :lol:

This right here is why smoking cat nip can be a bad thing, Cheesey i'm going to get you into a 28 day program for this because you are still my favorite Cheese wearing hippie.

LOLOLOL!!!! PS.....i just found out.......it's HARD to type when you are laughing!!!
By the way......i'm going for a hair cut today!
(Just the top and sides.......not the back!.....and no, i DON'T mean the HAIR on my back!)LOLOLOL!!! :lol:

LOL , Fear the Mullet!