Assuming they blow a stupid game they should win, (which happens to every NFL team almost every year), the tale of the season will be learned in the 3 road games they are not favored in. Win 2 of them and home field is highly probable. Win 1, and it'll come down to another tight NFCN division race and probably the 4-5 seed.

Right now, personally, I'm thinking they lose @ ATL and @PIT and win @ DAL. But there's a LONG way to go before we ge there.

The Packers HAVE to have a little luck on the injury reports this season, if there was ever a team that was due some luck it's the Packers. IF that was to happen I could see 12-4, possibly 13-3.

I really hate the Atlanta game in week 2. Hanging their banner while opening a new stadium which is their home opener on national television? S***!!

The other games I'm a little concerned about is Pittsburgh and maybe Dallas. Going to Pittsburgh late in November playing on THAT field is a scary thought. Players complain about the turf at Heinz Field all the time. Maybe more than a win I want the Packers to come out of that game healthy.

Dallas won't be 12-4 this season, not with a bunch of Rookies playing in the secondary. They might begin to gel later in the season but not by week 5. "Jerry's World" is our house, the Packers are 3-0 in that stadium. They'll be 4-0 after this season. The offense will hang 40 on the Cowgirls.

Barring a slow start or more than one Brain Fart game I think 12-4 is pretty realistic.

With Rodgers as QB, you can pretty safely guess they will be 10-6 to 12-4 when all said and done.

This year the biggest key is health. If this team can stay healthy I think they will be at least 12-4.
The schedule with how its laid out is much better then last years. They have the week 8 bye vs week 4. They don't have any 3-4 game road trips like they had 2 times last year.

IMO, they made 3 moves in the offseason that I think will make them better then last year.

First they signed 2 really good TE's. We have seen what the offense is like with 1 good TE and what effect Cook had on the offense when he played vs not playing. Now they have 2 TE's that will definitely help the team.

Second drafting King and bringing House in at CB. Losing Shields was equivalent to losing Nelson the year before. The impact it had on our defense was obvious. House, is very good as a bump and run CB. Packers have been lacking that. King brings size and speed that they haven't had.

Third the new look at RB. While they lack experience the 1 position that is easiest for Rookies to come in and make an impact is RB. Adding Williams, Jones and Mays in the draft and Philips and Stanback as UDFA's will create a great competition this preseason.
They will compliment Montgomery really well. Williams and Jones could have a huge impact on the offense.

Montgomery is being forgotten about a bit as we talk about all these rookie RB's. Last year PFF showed a great stat about Ty. When running outside the tackles, he averaged 7.05 yards after contact. The next closest was Jay Ajayi with 4.25, followed by Mike Gillislee at 3.78.
With the new look at RB, our offense could more versatile then its ever been.

I think 13-3 is the realistic record, but why not wait until we get closer to the season starting point? That way, we'll know who is available.
A few breaks and this team could be 14-2 or break the other way and its 12-4.

To make a guess on the number of wins is out of my league, but overall, I think the Packers will be in every game. The primary area of concern for me is the situation with the edge rush. If, as McCarthy, has indicated that Mathews remains on the outside, I fear that as a minimum his hamstring will be a problem again. He is getting older now and that initial quickness he demonstrated in his early years is gone. He is a great effort guy and I think his best position to minimize injuries and maximize longevity would be inside. While I like King as a pick, I think if the Packers could have added McKinley, it would have improved the defense noticeably and helped the secondary more that most of us would imagine.

My hope is for the Packers to get into the playoffs and be relatively healthy and take it from there. Very good chance of that happening.

The Packers have 2 things going for them: They have Aaron Rodgers and they play in that train wreck of a division called the NFC North, so I can't envision them not winning 10-12 games. Of course, injuries could throw everything out the window.

(I wonder if TT and MM would still be "geniuses" if the Pack played in the NFC West or AFC East? They wouldn't have that automatic division title and playoff appearance just about every year.)

The Packers should be a lock for 9-10 wins (minimum) as long as health; specifically, QB health isn't an issue. **knocks on wood**

We have this same thread every year, trying to predict how many wins we'll have, when we all know we'll get 10-12 because of weak division and Aaron Rodgers. And then the playoffs and truth sets in. We are a team that plays to make the playoffs, not win them. Yes, I know, the idea is to get to the playoffs and then anything can happen. I just don't buy that. You need a great defense in the playoffs in order to beat four of the best teams in the league to make the SB, and we don't and won't because we have Dom Capers directing our defense. Until Capers and his rush two, leave the middle of the field open, nonsense prevent defensive schemes is gone, it'll be deja vu all over again. I love watching the Packers, despite Capers, but with an all time QB like Rodgers, to win only one SB, and not really feel like we could win another because of Capers and his defense, is frustrating. How many of you really think Capers is capable of directing a SB defense. Be honest.

'How many of you really think Capers is capable of directing a SB defense. Be honest.'

Being honest. If the players are healthy, I believe they can be good enough to win a Super Bowl. If Sam Shields career doesn't end last year, I think they had a good chance to go to the Super Bowl. He was infact the 1 player they couldn't afford to lose.

IMO for the Packers to win a Super Bowl they need their defense to be top 16. I believe that's achievable. With the additions at CB and adding more speed to the defense, I really think that will go a long ways to improving the defense.

They got to the NFC Championship game last year with a not very good defense last year, which was mostly from the CB play. The CB's won't be worse then last year, and adding 2 players should really improve the unit.
Also we should see a lot of young players taking a step next year. Maybe not everyone, but guys like Clark, Lowry, Martinez, Fackrell should all be better. Also Randall and Rollins returning healthy, and improvements from Brice and others our secondary should be better.

"How many of you really think Capers is capable of directing a SB defense?"

It's not like he hasn't done it before.

Can we be critical of Dom Capers without speaking in utter fallacies to inflate the point we're trying to make?

JL...Why only complain about the playoff defense when they've actually been pretty decent the last three years?

2016 - Agree, the defense was horrible in Atlanta due to the secondary. However, the defense kept the game close early against the Giants while the offense sputtered. They also kept the Dallas juggernaut at bay while the offense got off to an early lead. While not a great defense, I'd say the coaching was very competent.

2015 - Held ARZ to 10 points through the third quarter in the division round and only 20 points through the fourth. That's solid defense. (And they win that game if the secondary catches any number of INTs they dropped. But, that's players playing in my opinion, not coaching.)

2014 - Defense played extremely well early...and late with the Burnett pick. They weren't perfect, but if the offense scores in the red zone, ST prevents the TD on the fake FG, or we recover on onside kick we go on to play NE who we already beat earlier in the year.

I think those 3 road games mentioned are winnable , I would like to see the Packers beat Atlanta more so than Dallas and Pitt , but all are winnable , the Packers should fear no one , our offense is loaded and should be able to score at will , all we need is a defense to make a few more stops, we don't need a number 1 defense we just need a better defense from last season and I think we will have it.

NFC West and AFC East? Rams and 9'ers? Jets and Buffalo? 4 guaranteed wins in either of those divisions. We wiped the floor with Seattle last year and I expect the same this year. While the NFCN is not a murderer's row, it has better overall talent than either of those two divisions

S/O Aaron Rodgers for once again guaranteeing us a play off spot. Can't praise/overlook his greatness enough.

S/O TT and our defense for once again making my stomach turn thinking about the playoffs.

Injuries are inevitable. Hopefully this season will bring us a more manageable number. Like everyone, I like the rookies we drafted but until we see them in action, who knows.

Ill take the late odds.. hopefully we can be 2-4 in MM era in NFC championships and 2 super bowls

I think the story of the season will be written with how fast Bennett, Kendricks, King and Jones assimilate to their positions.
I think the offseason additions to this offense could make it REALLY good. They may need to win shootouts until the D rookies catch on.
12-4ish
(the Bengals seem to trip the Pack up, don't sleep on them)

If AR stays healthy for the entire season, the Pack will win 9 or 10 games. They will secure the North Division because the Bears, Lions and Vikes will once again play like $hit. -- Then the Pack will lose in either round 1 or 2 of the playoffs because the "D" will once again be exposed for being an inept part of the team.

Same game and team, just a different year.

COW probably thinks we r a 8-8 team.