SURVEY: Let's Hear Your Expectations for the 2018 Packers
Take this survey to tell us your expectations for the 2018 Packers!
By TimBackes
We're exactly two weeks away from the Packers officially kicking off their 2018 campaign with the beginning of training camp. With this in mind, I'd like to give you all, the readers of Cheesehead TV and the ever-enthusiastic members of Packers Twitter, an opportunity to give us your expectations for the 2018 season.
I've developed this Google form with a variety of questions about what you expect/predict to happen this season. Please answer completely and honestly. In two weeks, on the day training camp opens, I'll follow up with the results of the survey and a breakdown of the various responses.
You can access the survey BY CLICKING HERE.
Please encourage your Packer fan friends to take the poll and share on Facebook, Twitter and everywhere else. The larger the sample size we get, the more this poll will tell us about the feelings of Packer fans heading into 2018!
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.
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Comments (37)
Bure9620
July 12, 2018 at 05:19 pm
1) A top 15 defense in yards and scoring
2) strong running game and growth from 2nd year backs
3) a second year breakout player, King Biegel, Jones, Adams?? (Montravius)
4) #1 red zone offense
5) double digit TDs by both Jimmy Graham and Adams
6) One of the the rookie WR earns Rodgers Trust and becomes a core player and jumps Cobb in 12 perssonel J'mon? Equinemious?
7) Either Jackson or Alexander ball out as a rookie
8) Reggie Gilbert gradually becomes a primary pass rusher with Perry (I expect a large decline from CMIII)
9) We see a little bit of Kizer in garbage time and he plays well
10) a touch more nuanced offense with a bit more creativity from Philbin
I dont see these as a wish list but practical expectations
If these things happen with Rodgers being Rodgers the Packers will have a chance at a SB
kevgk
July 13, 2018 at 11:39 am
I agree with CMIII losing primary rusher spot, but I can't see him having a large decline, not with Matthews genes. I think he will play a large role as a roaming linebacker, playing extensively in 4-3 packages and as a 3-4 ILB.
JonathanSpader
July 12, 2018 at 05:22 pm
I'm really glad the link didn't take me to help80.com lol
TimBackes
July 12, 2018 at 05:26 pm
Darn, that was going to be what I linked when I posted the survey results... foiled again!
JonathanSpader
July 12, 2018 at 05:30 pm
Was making surveys your first job out of high school? Does it hold a special place in your heart?
Lare
July 12, 2018 at 05:56 pm
Can't participate without a Google account. Don't want another account with constant e-mails I don't want. I'll be interested in seeing the results though.
BradHTX
July 12, 2018 at 06:05 pm
Very well played, sir.
TKWorldWide
July 12, 2018 at 07:44 pm
Don’t forget the “meddling kids”, TB!
Barnacle
July 14, 2018 at 06:30 am
Cute?
JonathanSpader
July 12, 2018 at 05:26 pm
Who do you guys think are the biggest competition for the Packers? Even with MN improving and the Rams looking good on paper I still see the Falcons as the Packers biggest roadblock. Just like the Packers keep beating the Cowboys the Falcons keep finding a way to beat the Pack.
Handsback
July 12, 2018 at 09:40 pm
I picked the same team...Falcons. They have a good match up with the Packers.
TimBackes
July 12, 2018 at 10:18 pm
I still think it's gotta be the Vikings, just because Zimmer seems to know how to get in Rodgers' head. Plus, it's going to be a tight race between the two of them in the division all year. If the Packers' defense has truly improved, the Falcons shouldn't be quite as scary of a matchup as they've been in recent years.
JonathanSpader
July 13, 2018 at 01:48 am
I think the Vikings have any too many ?s. Last year if Barr hadn't taken out Rodgers the Vikings clearly would have lost that game. Vikings lost their OC, Cousins is a big ?, they were incredibly healthy last year minus their RB and who knows how he'll recover from injury. On the plus side they have Richardson joining Griffin and Hunter their DL is as scary as the Packers but I give the Packers OL the edge.
For the Falcons they still have Julio, Freeman, Coleman, Sanu and Matt Ryan. Their offense wasn't as explosive with the loss of Shannahan but maybe they get back to it in 2018 but I hope not. On defense they have continued to invest but their offense carries them a lot like the Packers. I want to see if Ridley can make an impact at WR. I'll take JJ, Sanu, Ridley over Adams, Cobb, Allison. The difference as always is Rodgers over Ryan.
NickPerry
July 13, 2018 at 06:45 am
Allison will be counted on or maybe one of the rookies but when I look at the Packers top 3 receiving threats I'd insert Graham over Allison or anyone else on the roster myself. Jimmy G was brought in to lineup everywhere other than where a conventional TE might lineup. We got Lewis when we want conventional.
Now I happen to think Julio is the best WR in the NFL right now...Better than Antonio Brown even but that's just my opinion. I agree with you, I'd take JJ, Sanu, and Ridley over Adams, Cobb, and Allison....BUT...When you insert Jimmy Graham over Allison that list becomes a whole lot closer and more interesting.
dobber
July 13, 2018 at 07:13 am
I agree on Graham as the #3. I think he'll line up tight more than we expect, but not to block. IMO, Lewis is going to play a lot.
JJ better than Antonio? Nope.
JonathanSpader
July 13, 2018 at 09:03 am
For JJ vs Brown I have to give the edge to Brown because of his availability. Athletically JJ is on a different level but he's missed a lot of time. Brown does returns and still manages to stay healthy and consistent. Julio can dominate an entire game and has put up massive #s but can also disappear.
What do you think of Atlanta's TE Hooper. GB keeps signing veterans while Atlanta has been training their own. It'll be interesting to see if he puts everything together this year. Compared to Graham, Lewis, and Kendericks with a healthy #12.
NickPerry
July 13, 2018 at 02:32 pm
Agreed...Graham will be lined up all over, probably tight, slot, wide and in the backfield. But Graham is there to catch the football. I'm sure he'll be fine at blocking in the way the Packers use their WR but that's it. Jimmy G isn't blocking many blitzing OLB.
Six of one, half dozen of the other...Brown and Jones ar both beasts. I just like Jones better because of his size.
Oppy
July 12, 2018 at 07:18 pm
For me, everything hinges on A-rod's collarbone recovery. If he's back to himself, these are the things I expect from the Packers:
-Increased offensive balance, not just in terms of run/pass totals for the game, but situationally. I don't care if it's 35/65 run-pass.. But I'd like to see those runs during regular down and distance, not just a bunch of run plays to close out the half or used as clock control to ice the game. Actually making teams respect the possibilty of PA at any time would be nice.
-More of a timing offense. Rodgers isn't going to be spry forever. Pocket passing first, scramble second.
-Improved Defense. I won't quantify this, mostly because I don't care HOW they do it, but I want to at least see some return on investment. I don't need it game 1, but I'd like to have an idea of the defensive identity of this team by week 8, and see tangible, consistent signs of improvement heading down the stretch.
-Dear god, please don't let the new Punter be a debacle. I don't have reason to think he will be.. but we gave up a known for an unknown, and the last thing a new Defense needs to overcome is shitty field position. **my admittedly untrained eye is concerned he needs to shave almost a full step off his delivery.. with his length i'm a tiny bit concerned we could see blocked punts at this level if it doesn't get shortened up**
-Win the North.
-Show you can still scrap with the big boys and make mainstream sports outlets look stupid for doubting the Packers after a single down year.
Tundraboy
July 13, 2018 at 12:23 am
"Increased offensive balance, not just in terms of run/pass totals for the game, but situationally. I don't care if it's 35/65 run-pass.. But I'd like to see those runs during regular down and distance, not just a bunch of run plays to close out the half or used as clock control to ice the game. Actually making teams respect the possibilty of PA at any time would be nice."
Yes sir. My wish as well.
4thand10
July 13, 2018 at 12:40 am
I think The Pack is going to give Cousins the business. He’s on a fresh team getting timing down with his new receivers. Absolutely nothing scares me about Mitch Trubiski. Stafford will find a way to implode. Jimmy and Lewis are not only going to make plays but they are going to open all kinds of things underneath. 11-5 and maybe even in the big dance. Hey, it’s a summertime Uber early prediction.....
Thegreatreynoldo
July 13, 2018 at 03:02 am
On another thread, I had a discussion with Since '61 about the dilution of talent in the NFL. He mentioned watching great teams with multiple HOFers. The Steelers had 6 HOFers on their 1970s teams all playing at the same time, with most in the primes. Miami had 7 in the early 1970s (8 with HC Shula). SF had 5 or 6 on some of their 1985 to early 1990s teams (+ HC Walsh).
Those days are over. Even great teams over the last 15 years have only 2 or 3 HOFers on it. My point is that all a team needs in today's NFL is 1-3 HOFers.
NE-2001, 2003 and 04: Brady.
They had Seau (06-09 past his prime); Randy Moss (07 to 10), Gronk and Brady, but didn't win a SB.
2014, 2016: Clearly Brady and Gronk (07 to present) will be HOFers. Too recent to know for sure if more will emerge. So, 1 HOF from 2001 to 05, 3 from 07 to 10, and 2 from 11 to the present.
GB: Favre (92-07), White (93-98), plus Wolf. That's it.
For the 2010 SB, I assume AR and Woodson will be HOFers, and maybe TT. I don't think anyone else will make it, so 2. [Nick Collins might have except for injury, but I don't know other teams well enough to add such players.]
NO-2009: Brees
Pit- 2008: Probably Polamalu, maybe Rothlisberger
NYG-07: strahan
Indy- 2006 had Manning and Harrison.
Pitt- 2005: Bettis, probably Polamalu, maybe Rothlisberger.
TB: 2002: Sapp and Derrick Brooks.
Balt: 2000: Ogden, Lewis, S. Sharpe, Woodson.
Rams: 1999: Warner, Faulk, Pace
I suppose I should drop down to All-Pros, but this is a comment, not an article. I see one HOFer on GB's 2018 team. Maybe another will emerge, or some All-Pros. We do have 11 players who have appeared in a pro bowl.
There is some evidence that a HOF QB can carry a team (Brady, Brees) w/o another HOFer on the team. This is just one way of looking at our expectations. We need multiple players to produce at a pro bowl or better yet, an All-Pro, level.
porupack
July 13, 2018 at 09:01 am
Interesting viewpoint, because it considers the key variable for SB contention is having < than 1 or 2 HOFs. This indicates a player's overall combined output/performace (as a HOF).
Its difficult to know whether stats indicate talent.
Was 2011 WR corps really 5 of the top WRs in terms of stats (certainly yes) or in terms of top talent (not likely). 2011 was certainly a SB team without a surplus of HOFs.
So one weakness in your idea just might be that its a hindsight explanator, not a future predictor.
Secondly, the margin between 2 HOFs and 3 HOFs is so slim that other variables might be more important.
Third, in regard to the good ole days (when talent wasn't so diluted), perhaps you could win in the old days by stockpiling super talent over your rivals. Maybe now, you have to win by strategy, preparation, and overall unit cohesiveness and synergy. I kind of like football for its scheme/strategy and the synergy of the unit, rather than a few superstars....so I appreciate the old Dolphins, Steelers, dynasties etc, but not feeling that the there is anything diminished by the new reality.
Thegreatreynoldo
July 13, 2018 at 11:39 am
I agree with much of your comment, Porupack. Using the link below I spent 45 minutes to write the comment above. Other variables are important. That's why I mentioned All-Pros and pro bowlers. I didn't find a convenient source for All-Pros by team, much less pro bowlers, so dropping down to All Pro and PB would have been hours of work.
For example, Richard Seymour won 6 pro bowls and was a dominant DL and first-team All-Pro in 2003, 2004, and 2005. I didn't realize he played through 2012, and was first eligible in 2017 for the HOF. I don't think he'll make the HOF (just 57.5 sacks), but he was really good.
Also agree that the Walsh offensive system, the Lebeau defense, probably other things that I am not thinking about, were considerable factors in team success.
I am fine with the current parity. I don't mind teams only having a handful of great or really good players, but some of the bottom players are worse than I'd like to watch. It would be nice just to see proper form tackles. It is going to be nearly impossible to have and keep multiple HOFers on one team. The Steelers drafted 4 HOFers in their 1974 draft (in rounds 1-5). Today when those 4 came up for second contracts, the team would have to let some or all of them walk. Pit would already be paying Mean Joe Green ('69) Mel Blount and Bradshaw (1970), Ham (1971) and Franco Harris ('72). Oops, Pit had 9 HOFers at one point. I will leave it to others to decide if this is more hindsight than predictive - that may be so. We know that 2000, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2015 (Manning is a HOFer, but he was way past it) the QBs weren't HOF level, so that's 6 times of the last 26 super bowl winners without a HOFer at QB, and one could question whether Elway was still in his prime in 97 and 98.
http://www.profootballhof.com/heroes-of-the-game/franchises/
porupack
July 13, 2018 at 05:15 pm
Yeah, I appreciated your work behind your post. Guess we'll always wonder who became a HOF because of great team or scheme, and who became HOF on their own ability to dominate, but, its pretty tight logic considering all of the intense scrutiny a candidate gets.
Community Guy
July 13, 2018 at 05:33 am
one thing i didn't include in my survey response was the development of a young WR.. i am looking forward to seeing one of the rookies, or possibly a 2nd year guy, show promise.
croatpackfan
July 13, 2018 at 06:08 am
I expect Packers team to play fast, simple and efficient...
And that is all I ask!
dobber
July 13, 2018 at 07:15 am
I had a bunch of stuff I was going to write, but I think your statement says it better, faster, and more directly. So I'll just like yours... :)
Roadrunner23
July 13, 2018 at 07:54 am
*More creative and dynamic offense (Joe Philbin)
*A top 15 Aggressive Defense (Mike Pettine)
*The return of Rodgers with his Big Fat contract signed
*Rodgers MVP
*10-15 TD's Jimmy Graham/Marcedes Lewis combined
*Geranimo & J'Mon contributing big at the outside WR
*Biegel, M. Adams, King make the big second year leap
*The BIG 3 in the Defensive Line Dominate!
*Clark Pro Bowl
*Josh Jones head catches up with his physical tools
*Dix gets his head out of his Azz and plays like he can
*The two young corners stay in Tramon Williams hip pocket and learn quickly
*The young Punter is as good as advertised
*The new long snapper doesn't cost them any games
*Aaron Jones lays off the weed and becomes the lightning to J. Williams thunder
*The offensive line solidifies and stays healthy as a unit
*11 & 5 and...............
*SUPER BOWL WIN!..of course I say that every year!
*GO PACK!
Demon
July 13, 2018 at 11:55 am
Why would anyone give a dislike of nostranus post? Maybe those people hope that RB Aaron Jones continues his illegal drug activity?
Slim11
July 15, 2018 at 01:30 pm
All this and Brett Huntley is the FIRST announced player cut in 2018 preseason!
GBwastedthe12thoverallpick
July 13, 2018 at 01:48 pm
GB has a top 12 DEF & Pettine is the biggest offseason move.
GB has a top 5 scoring Offense.
DA & Jimmy both go for double-digit touchdowns.
Jaire Alexander goes down as one of the best 1st rd picks from this last draft.
J'Mon Moore is starting by week 10.
Aaron Jones is a 2nd pick in fantasy next year.
Clay Matthews gets hurt.
Nick Perry gets hurt.
Vince Biegel & Josh Jones take a big second year jump on DEF.
Aaron Rodgers wins MVP.
The Packers win the Superbowl.
Demon
July 13, 2018 at 02:04 pm
I agree with all of your post cap'n but would like to add. No generic meaning less coachspeak drivel from MM during one of his press conferences. (We just need to work on our pad level)
Turophile
July 14, 2018 at 04:33 am
One, the re-vamped offensive playbook keeps the opposition guessing more. Also, Philbin's gameday plans have the offense ticking over nicely.
Two, the Pettine-led defense climbs toward respectability this year (14th to 18th in most categories).
Three, I expect the WR position to give the most problems (lack of veteran depth hurts them). The Packers pass-rush proves adequate this year, not great, but good enough to see the Pack through the 2018 season.
Four, I greatly look forward to Andy Heman's analysis of players this year - last year was rather sabotaged when Rodgers went down.
PAPackerbacker
July 14, 2018 at 06:25 am
STAY HEALTHY and success will follow. With the talent the Packers have on both sides of the ball and the new coaching staff the opportunities are there for the taking. But when key players fall to injury the success rate of the team will diminish rapidly. And player development is another key to success. Hold both players and coaches accountable for their performance. When the defense is ranked as high as the offense then the Packers will be a team that will demand the respect they truly deserve.
chugwater
July 14, 2018 at 06:54 am
Same as every year. 12-4.
4thand1
July 14, 2018 at 03:31 pm
I see the Packers going 7-1 at home maybe 8-0. 4 to 5 road wins, ending up at 12-4 winning the NFCN. It would be nice to get 1 or 2 home playoff games. Either way, they make it to the NFCCG.
Samson
July 14, 2018 at 07:09 pm
Anywhere between 6-10 and 11-5.
Why?
If AR isn't healthy for 16 out of 16 then the Pack may be in trouble. --- No proven veteran BU QB who can win.
The OL is in flux and also unproven. Both the WR corp and RB corp are simply not good enough to carry this offense. --- The "O" is AR, it's obvious.
It may take a season (or two) before the "D" actually improves to where it is the strength of the team. --- I like the new DC but doubt that he has the players who he really wants. --- Next year at this time --- maybe.
2018 is a transition year for the Pack. ---- 2019 is what really matters. (Note: I also expect a new HC in 2019)