The Green Bay Packers won a fourth straight division title in 2014, finishing 12-4 and securing a first-round bye for the first time since 2011. Green Bay’s 486 points led the NFL, and the club’s total point differential of 138 was third best overall. An up-and-down 5-3 start was turned around in the second half, when the Packers won seven of eight games, including five in a row after the bye week. Green Bay also finished a perfect 8-0 at home with wins over three playoff teams. The Packers will play the highest remaining seed in the NFC after the wildcard games in the divisional round on Jan. 11 at Lambeau Field. 

MVP, Offense—QB Aaron Rodgers

The likely league MVP, Rodgers finished the 2014 season with 38 touchdowns (third in NFL) and just five interceptions (lowest of any quarterback with at least 200 attempts). His interception percentage ranked as the seventh best all-time. He averaged 8.4 yards per attempt, the third best mark of his career and the second-best in the NFL this season. Rodgers had more games with a passer rating over 130.0 (five) than games under 90.0 (three), a staggering indication of how ruthlessly efficient he was over a 16-game season. His signature moments include throwing five first-half touchdowns against the Bears, a late game-winning drive in Miami and Sunday’s heroic return from a calf injury to capture a fourth straight division title. Only a couple of duds kept Rodgers from matching his otherworldly 2011 season. There’s no doubting J.J. Watt had a Hall of Fame year, but Rodgers is the obvious best quarterback in the remaining playoff field, and his rare and unflinching efficiency powered the Packers to 12 wins. He should win a second MVP award. 

MVP, Defense—LB Clay Matthews

Where would the Packers be without Matthews? Quiet early in the season, Matthews came alive once Dom Capers expanded his role. Of his 11 sacks, 8.5 came after the bye—the point when Capers made the somewhat risky decision to start giving his best perimeter pass rusher snaps at inside linebacker. Now, Matthews must be considered one of the more versatile defensive players in the game. His sack of Matthew Stafford Sunday was a showcase of his skill set as Matthews first took away the primary read in coverage and then closed on the quarterback in a flash to make the sack. Yet the biggest impact of his move might have come against the run. After eight games, the Packers ranked dead last in the NFL in run defense—giving up 153.5 rushing yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry. Over the last eight, those numbers dropped to 86.4 (sixth best) and 3.6 (seventh). How much of that improvement can be tied to Matthews is hard to determine, but it’s clear the Packers have been much better off inside with Matthews lined up next to energetic Sam Barrington in the base defense. The Packers are now getting the best of both worlds against both the pass and run, and the absolute most out of their top defensive player. 

MVP, Offensive Rookie—C Corey Linsley

It’s now amazing to look back at the concern level of Linsley replacing J.C. Tretter at center leading into Week 1. A fifth-round rookie really could have been a disaster inside. Instead, after 16 games and several battles against the best of the best of the NFL’s interior defenders, many considered Linsley a Pro Bowl snub at center. Over nearly 1,100 snaps, Linsley was credited with just one sack allowed, and his work in the run game was partially responsible for the Packers averaging 4.9 yards per carry when running to the immediate left or right of center. He’ll end the revolving door at the position. General manager Ted Thompson likely found a 10-year starter and multiple Pro Bowl center in Linsley, the 161st overall pick in last May’s draft. 

MVP, Defensive Rookie—FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

Head coach Mike McCarthy called his rookie safety an “excellent addition” to the defense Monday, and it’s easy to see why. He’s a smart, physical player that understands the defense, and his name isn’t Jerron McMillian or M.D. Jennings. Clinton-Dix finished with 94 tackles (second most on the defense) and six passes defensed (including an interception), and he didn’t allow a touchdown pass. He still missed too many tackles, and his ball skills haven’t yet jumped off the screen. But he’s always seemingly in the right position to make a play. When Clinton-Dix matches discipline with his natural instincts, he’ll be a top-10 or 15 safety in the NFL. Book it. All the skills needed to play the position at a high level are there. 

Top Assistant Coach—OL Coach James Campen

Receivers coach Edgar Bennett rightfully held this title at midseason, but the emergence of Campen’s group as a top offensive line is too much to ignore. According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers finished the 2014 season with the second most efficient pass-blocking line. Only three offensive lines in football allowed fewer total pressures, and Aaron Rodgers was sacked on just 5.1 percent of his dropbacks, a new career low. The running game became an obvious asset in the second half as the Packers rushed for 142.1 yards per game (sixth most) and 4.7 yards per carry (fifth best) over the final eight games. Facing one of the best run defenses in recent NFL history in Week 17, Green Bay rushed for 152 yards and scored a decisive victory at the line of scrimmage. Credit Campen, who has helped develop a franchise left tackle out of a fourth-round pick (David Bakhtiari) and a long-time starter at center out of a fifth-rounder (Linsley). Josh Sitton made the Pro Bowl, T.J. Lang remains one of the NFL’s more underrated guards and Bryan Bulaga was steady as they come at right tackle. Campen’s group never blinked when it lost J.C. Tretter at center. What was once consistently considered a liability is now one of the NFL’s best front fives. 

Biggest Surprise—Letroy Guion

Julius Peppers was Ted Thompson’s big name free agent signing, but it could be argued that Guion gave Thompson his best bang for the buck. Given only a $100,000 signing bonus, Guion came over from Minnesota and provided the Packers a fighting chance at nose tackle after losing B.J. Raji in August. He played over 500 snaps, giving Green Bay 3.5 sacks and 18 stops—both the second most along the defensive line. He’s far from a star, but his effort and underrated pass-rushing skills have been vital for Dom Capers’ revolutionized front. 

Biggest Disappointment—Special Teams

Mason Crosby made 27 of 30 non-blocked field goals and Micah Hyde returned two punts for touchdowns. That’s where the positives end for Shawn Slocum’s unit. The Packers had seven kicks blocked: three field goals, two extra points and two punts. That’s simply unacceptable for a professional football team. Tim Masthay had just 49 punts, but when he was called on, he was a bottom-third punter in the NFL. He simply hasn’t hit the ball well over the last two months. Green Bay also got next to nothing from DuJuan Harris as a kickoff returner. Throw in 15 penalties, a punt return for a touchdown allowed in Buffalo and the dysfunction of the hands team Sunday and you get another forgettable season for the Packers special teams. It’s now worth pondering if the special teams will cost the Packers a game in the postseason. 

Biggest Strength—Passing Game

Only the Seahawks (Week 1), Lions (Week 3) and Bills (Week 15) managed to handle the Packers passing game, which remains the team’s most obvious and identifiable strength. Combine Rodgers (arguably the best quarterback in the game), Jordy Nelson (a top-5 receiver), Randall Cobb (a top 10-15 receiver), Eddie Lacy (a three-down back in his second season) and an emerging offensive line, and you get a complete offense that only the best defenses can contain. More pieces might be on the way. Rookie receiver Davante Adams has produced at times but now seems to be fighting a confidence crisis, while rookie Richard Rodgers is showing flashes of becoming a viable middle-of-the-field tight end. Overall, the Packers produced 59 passing plays of 20 or more yards, 2,059 yards after the catch and only seven total turnovers (six interceptions, one lost fumble). Nelson and Cobb combined for over 2,800 yards and 25 touchdowns. 

Biggest Weakness—Aaron Rodgers’ calf

This was a difficult category to answer. The Packers are certainly not without weakness, but there doesn’t appear to be a glaring, crystal clear problem area. The special teams certainly come close. A blocked kick could easily be the difference between a win or loss in the postseason. Green Bay also hasn’t played well on the road (4-4 in 2014), and the established blueprint against the offense has worked, occasionally to devastating effect. The defense is still somewhat Jekyll and Hyde. All that said, Rodgers’ calf injury might be the only answer. He’ll get two weeks to rest the strain, but it seems unlikely Rodgers will be 100 percent throughout the playoff run. He certainly gutted out a win Sunday, remaining in the pocket and playing out of the shotgun/pistol after aggravating the injury. Will he eventually need his mobility to beat a team like the Seahawks in Seattle, or the Cowboys in Green Bay? Rodgers at 75 percent is better than just about everyone at 100, but his injury could be a sizable hurdle to Green Bay’s chances at getting back to the Super Bowl. The Packers will need everything possible out of their best player. 

Projected Playoff Result—Loss to Seattle Seahawks in NFC Championship Game

The defending champs and No. 1 seed have to be considered the favorite to win the NFC. No team has a better home-field advantage, and no team has been more dominant over the final six games of the season. The Packers would feel good about their chances against either Arizona or Carolina at Lambeau Field in the Divisional Round, and it stands to reason that the Packers would score enough to outlast the (vastly underrated) Cowboys at home. Any win would almost certainly set up a rematch with the Seahawks in Seattle, where the Packers were beaten by 20 points back in Week 1. This Green Bay team is better than the one that got beat up in the second half of the opener, but the Seahawks are the complete package—and the clear team to beat. 

Zach Kruse contributes to Cheesehead TV. He is also the Lead Writer for the NFC North at Bleacher Report. You can reach him on Twitter @zachkruse2 or by email at [email protected].