There was a lot to like in Green Bay's 31-28 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, aside from the final result.
One of those bright spots absolutely has to be inside linebacker Blake Martinez, who is quickly becoming one of the Packers' best defenders.
Is it fair to be encouraged that the Green Bay Packers defense put together a cohesive and effective performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 10, limiting them to 16 points and keeping them out of the red zone for the entire game?
Absolutely. But let's keep things in perspective.
When the Green Bay Packers signed veteran defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois to a one-year deal on March 23, it appeared to be a solid but unflashy addition to bolster depth on the defensive line.
However, as the season inches closer, the possibility that Jean Francois will make considerable contributions in 2017 continues to grow.
In 2010, the Packers defense got them into the Super Bowl. In virtually every season since, it's killed them in the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers and this offense deserve another ring, and as the window continues to close, perhaps it's time to make a drastic change to ensure they get one.
The Packers boasted one of the league's top run defenses in the beginning of the 2016 NFL season, when they held their first four opponents to 50 or fewer yards gained on the ground. And now, as they prepare to face the Dallas Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott, the unit will need to once again return to dominant form if Green Bay is to have any hope of defeating the Cowboys to move onto the NFC Championship Game.
The 6-6 Green Bay Packers have gotten themselves into a situation in which every game has become a must-win. Two games back from the Detroit Lions and tied, record-wise, with the Minnesota Vikings but not currently holding the tiebreaker against them, Green Bay now has to beat the Seahawks, Bears, Vikings, and Lions to stay in the hunt for the playoffs.
Needless to say, it's imperative that every player turns it up to 11 over this final stretch and taps into his deepest reserve of aggression. The Packers have to want this more than anyone else. And, as far as the secondary goes, that's exactly what cornerback LaDarius Gunter has been doing.
One of the most promising trends to emerge from the young 2016 season has been how stout the Packers have been against the run.
No one would have predicted it a few months ago, but through the first quarter of the season, it hasn't been the St. Louis Rams or the New York Jets but the Green Bay Packers who have boasted the NFL's strongest defensive front.
But do you realize just how good the Packers have been in run defense so far this season—or how consistent?
For the Green Bay Packers the key to victory against the Denver Broncos does not likely lie in intense film-study sessions scheming how to stop Peyton Manning from beating them. For the once unstoppable Manning 2015 might very well be his swan song in the NFL after very un-Peyton like performances so far this season.
Later today or tomorrow ( by 3 P.M. Central) we will learn the final makeup of 53-man roster which will open the season for the Green Bay Packers at Chicago on Sunday, September 13. Today, with a full body of work now in the books, we roll out our final Version 3.0.
Fans like to cite the team's track record of success when it comes to finding offensive line talent later in the draft but that doesn't mean the Packers will ignore premium talent if its available on Day 1.
On today's show, Andy is joined by PFF's salary cap expert - Brad Spielberger to discuss the expectations for Jordan Love's new contract, Green Bay's new contracts from the offseason, and what to expect from Eric Stokes' fifth-year option. Don't miss it!
Aaron is back from Orlando and ready to chat with Packers fans worldwide about everything that transpired this week at the NFL's annual owners meeting.