NFL PREVIEW: GREEN BAY PACKERS

by DMtShooter, Five Tool Tool

Hey, Packer Fan! Once Brett Favre left, no Carnie wanted to write about your team. So it's left to your old garbageman Shooter to cut the cheese. Let's get to it!

Everyone and their mother is putting this year on Aaron Rodgers, but as always, I like to look beyond the obvious. Let's delve into the players that will also be on the hot seat in A.F. Year 1.

Al Harris, CB. Last seen as the defensive goat in the NFC Championship Game as Plaxico Burress wore him out like a Japanese condom, the longtime plus cornerback got a lifetime award to the Pro Bowl in what had to be a rather awkward locker room. The Pack's scheme needs him and Rod Woodson, who is also rather long in the tooth, to be plus corners for them to have a plus defense. Harris is a fierce competitor, but he's also old for a corner, and NFL wideouts can smell blood in the water. If the Packers struggle on defense, it will be in the secondary.

Mason Crosby, PK. The best kicker in the NFC last year as a rookie, Crosby will have much more pressure this year with an offense that's more likely to struggle in the red zone. With less margin for error and the possibility of a sophomore slump looming, Crosby will have to be as good or better than he was last year, and if he's not, the world will notice.

Donald Driver, WR. Favre's security blanket in past years has to adjust to life with a new quarterback at an advanced age. He will see more secondary corners, since running mate Greg Jennings is a prime deep threat, which means the Pack will need him more to move the chains. If he doesn't, they won't be shy about trying someone else.

AJ Hawk, LB. They love him locally, but he's probably overrated nationally... and in the biggest games of the year (i.e., Minnesota and at Minnesota), he will probably find himself in space with Adrian "Purple Jesus" Peterson more than a few times. It's not outside of the realm of possibility that his success in those encounters could swing the division.

Ryan Grant, RB. Last year's sensation is this year's expectation, and while he's got a good line, he's also got a quarterback that might need reassurance. It's harder to run in a close game than when you've got a lead, and there's a reasonable chance that the Pack will have fewer leads.

Fantasy Sleeper: Jennings. Young and fast and on a team with a fading #2 WR. He's also got a QB that's probably going to want to prove he can gunsling a little, and a good offensive line. Expect him to be targeted more, even if his numbers stay the same... and there's upside potential here.

Fantasy Death: Rodgers. In the long run, he should be fine. In the short run, he will struggle and surprise, just like any other young quarterback, which means that when you play him, he'll struggle, and when you bench him, he'll shine. Welcome to the whipsaw.

Team-wide prediction: The Pack still have what should be four auto wins in the division (Detroit, Chicago), and a split with the Vikes. The conference games look like at least four out of six (Dallas, in Tampa, Atlanta, in Seattle, in New Orleans, Carolina). I think they split their AFC South games. Add it up, and you get...

11-5, first place in the NFC North, and a Final 8 playoff loser. Yes, Packer Fan, there is life After Brett. It will also look a lot like Life With Brett, albeit without the drama and a tenth of the number of media mouth jobs. If I were you, I'd consider it a fair trade.