Packers Still NFC North Division Favorites

May 2008
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May 28th, 2008 · No Comments

By PFC Packers Writer Jonathon Zenk

Even though the Green Bay Packers lost Hall-of-Fame quarterback Brett Favre this off-season and the Minnesota Vikings added speedy wide receiver Bernard Berrian, safety Madieu Williams, and traded for All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen, the Green Bay Packers are still the favorites to win the division.

Green Bay, who finished 13-3 last season and lost in the NFC Championship Game, still has a ton of talent surrounding new quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Packers don’t lose anybody of note on offense except for Favre. Running back Ryan Grant was on fire the last half of last season, which included shredding the Vikings, the league’s best rushing defense. The Packers return wide receivers Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and James Jones, and Ruvell Martin, along with adding second-round draft pick Jordy Nelson, which makes up one of, if not the best wide receiving core in the NFL. Tight end Donald Lee is no slouch either, and add rookie Jermichael Finley, and the Packers havce weapos galore for Rodgers.

The Packers still have a really good defense, even though they traded away DT Corey Williams to the Cleveland Browns. They still have one of the best defensive ends in the league in Aaron Kampman and a very underrated DT in Ryan Pickett, along with a pair of very good linebackers in Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk. Their secondary also is pretty good, which includes shutdown corners Charles Woodson and Al Harris.

Minnesota lacks an effective quarterback. Even though Aaron Rodgers is relatively unproven, it is better to be unproven than to be proven to be below average like Tarvaris Jackson. This is a big year for Jackson because if he doesn’t do well, the Vikings may look for a new quarterback and to keep defenses from putting eight men in the box to stop RB Adrian Peterson. They also had the league’s worst pass defense last season. Even though Allen will help that, they still will struggle. Allen will constantly be double-teamed and they lack a pass rusher opposite of Allen.