There should be a New Year top 10 for the most absurd comments posted about Love! There may just be some repeat offenders...

I was all wrong about my Packers’ 2023 season prediction. Here’s what I said back in May, 2023.

Schedule Breakdown: What will the Packers' 2023 record be?
By Rex.sheild May 12, 2023

SoCalJim
May 12, 2023 at 07:55 pm
9-7-1. Go Pack, Go!

I agree that they will not move Alexander but for a different reason. It is not financially beneficial for them to move him. If they get a new DC next season Alexander's attitude might change. He likes to play man and he likes to be on the best WR. He has proven he can do that so give it to him.

Savage, Musgrave problems with running and catching throw simultaneously is coachable. I like Kraft more, bit I'm not prepared to rule out Luke at this moment. He can learn to do what I mention.

Kraft is looking more in the mold Chewy in how he plays. Musgrave is more Paul Coffman.

It will be a lot of fun seeing them on the field together in 12 personnel with AJ, Reed and Watson/Doubs/Wicks/Heath/Melton during the Playoffs.

As for Alexander, he will benefit greatly after finishing his ample serving of humble pie and seeks redemption from a new DC.

Disagree with you Savage. Musgrave carried this team at the TE position for the first 10 games. 33 receptions for 341 yards mostly down the seam. He has size and speed and his stumbling is ok in my book after he catches a pass for 17 yards. That can be fixed so i don't like the Frankenstein comparison. It is totally uncalled for.

"Kraft is breaking the Packers long history of TE's falling to the turf if a defender waves a hand at their ankles, in the mold of Franks, FinMe, Lewis and now Musgrave"

You forgot Richard Rodgers.

I would be curious to see how--now that Love seems to have found his rhythm and is spreading the ball out among his pass-catchers--Musgrave would fit and produce. He's almost more Allan Lazard than Bob Tonyan. One scout likened him to Mike Gesicki, who is a pretty good pass-catcher but only a get-in-the-way blocker.

Kraft is the better player. He knows the TE position. Musgrave will be a slot guy, or running the seam routes to pull safeties. They can be a good 1-2 punch. Kraft always had better footwork.

I was excited about the Kraft and Musgrave picks because of their different playing styles. Our 2 TE sets are going to be tough to defend for years to come.

We should be asking, why did Kraft take a bench seat until we needed to use him? Why did Wyatt a first round pick last year barely play until the end of the season. Last why is Van Ness taking out of the game after he just got a sack and bench sat. Just WTF is going on unless LeFleur is hell bent to play favorites and guy taken in the draft ahead of others? There is some weird coaching shit going on on this team that is unexplainable.

Savage. I think you may be overreacting to a couple plays where he lost his balance . I'm not saying Musgrave is as agile as a cat, but I don't think he's a spastic clodhopper either. If he stays healthy he's going to be a bigtime weapon for us.

If he is able to go Sunday, it will be interesting to see he and Kraft on the field at the same time, now that they have gained some experience. Shades of the Belichick offense without the Hernandez baggage ; )

"I will admit half way through the season I did not think the Packers would make the playoffs and I did not want them to because I thought they would get humiliated. "

They very well might...but reaching the playoffs and losing is still >> not making the playoffs at all and going home. That extra week of prep, the ratcheting up of intensity, the execution against high-level talent--I think that's all an important part of growth. For a young team that wasn't expected to do much, it's almost the college bowl season approach. The Packers are playing with house money at this stage, and none of the top NFC teams are really humming on all cylinders at this point. Get in there and see what happens.

You know, I really wasn't. It was a crappy draft overall and there wasn't anyone available when we picked who was going to put the team over the top. Tee Higgins, maybe. I was personally high on Winfield but I knew he didn't meet the Packers historical metrics. That's really about it, though. Taking a QB with all the tools to mold into a future starter was the smart move.

Love is demonstrating that he reads defenses very well, which is on par with Rodgers (and better than Favre).

He's also quickly developed a respect for the football (better ball placement reducing pick risk) - again, on par with Rodgers and better than Favre.

If the Packers fall over now, it will be because they ran out of ammunition (receivers), and NOT core team ability.

The positive signs for this team are locked in.

I rewatched the game and I did not see much to make me go Hmmmm when watching Myers. I do not know who is the weakest link on the line, Myers or Runyan now. It remains a debate in my mind who is. What is concerning is Stenovich declaring Myers is having is best season. Yikes.

If he can't go Sunday, I expect Stenovich will reinforce my concerns by moving Runyan to C and Rhyan to RG for the game.

The best move would be Tom to C and Nijman to RT. Doubt that will happen because if Tom played well at C and Nijman at RT, Stenovich, Butkus and MLF would have some explaining to do.

I think you hit on the key idea that with Love it's a process...and it doesn't end this year. The arrow needs to keep pointing up and they need to make sure they don't just assume that he's going to carry this team: they need to keep improving that supporting cast.

I was never in the gung-ho Love camp, but I was never in the anti-Love camp. I was in the "he's sat the bench for three years--here's your shot--show what you've got" camp...and that the Packers needed to be brutally honest when they assessed whether or not Love can be the man or they need to look behind door #2 (actually, FIND that door #2). I think many of us were in that category.

As you say: you're always one injury away, so they also need to ask themselves (and be brutally honest) whether Sean Clifford can make this team go for 4-6 weeks in case of injury because even though most didn't have high expectations for this team in 2023, those expectations will be there in 2024.

So does Al have to pull your comments opposing Jordan Love's selection? You can admit you were wrong...many were.

Claiming the selection of Higgins or Taylor would have won a SB is a narrative and impossible to prove. Higgins and Taylor are not immune from Alex Smith sideways injuries either.

To forecast Love's character will take a left turn because he will quickly resort to hubris tells me you aren't a fan of Jordan Love yet.

He does not need another season to prove he was/is one of the best young QB's in the NFL this season...that foreshadows success in the future.

I liked the selection by Gutey and Jordan Love's hard work & character & performance since have reinforced the decision for me...especially during all the "physician and pharmacist" drama you refer to (Rodgers, right?) after his 2020 selection.

Looking into my backward crystal ball:

Important drive in an important 2020 playoff game. 3rd and 8. Tee Higgins wide open just past the sticks to continue the drive late in the game. Rodgers sees Higgins and let's it fly...30 yards down field to a triple covered Davante Adams. Rodgers stands with his hands on his hips, shaking his head wondering what happened. Another playoff loss.
If only Higgins wasn't a rookie and had been able to earn Rodgers "trust". But they did get that elusive 1st round WR fans have been clamoring for.

Meanwhile, some other team drafts this kid out of Utah State named Love and wonder if they may found a hidden gem.

I was one of those people who was bummed watching the Packers gift Branch to the Lions, especially when Safety was a PON for the Pack in exchange for the picks to get Reed and Brooks.

Early on it didn't look anywhere as good as it does now. The Packers still need a safety but both of the players they took with that extra draft capital have shown out their rookie seasons.

Talking about Bo Melton reminds me that greengold pointed him out a season ago, hyped up about his speed and ability and wanting him to get a chance. Haven't heard from him since preseason, Hope he's ok. Maybe he just got sick of defending himself here.

"Reed... This is a totally different team when Reed is on the field. Remember when all the "Experts" said this was a reach and gave the Packers a "D" Grade for the pick. I'm curious about something. Who anointed these so called experts into experts?"

Remember all the experts that wanted the Packers to draft JSN? Well through 16 weeks they have very similar stats with Reed being slightly better. Oh and he was picked 30 picks later. I personally would rather have LVN and Reed over JSN and Keion White. However, we will have to see how their careers end up to see if that was right.

"The Bears... I think the Bears will take Harrison Jr. with the first pick. "

I think that if the Bears DON'T draft a QB, they'll trade out of that spot and try to garner more capital for the future. After a couple stupid trades that cost them a lot of draft capital--that includes Fields--they've started to garner more picks and have the chance to continue to add high-end pieces. I think they'd be fools to burn the #1 pick on Harrison.

"Tucker Kraft.. I think everybody is really loving this guy."

It's a big jump up from SDSt to the NFL, and he seems to have grown into the part in all aspects of his job in a really short time. In all honesty, this team with a reputation for being soft needs a couple throwback guys to accelerate a culture change. The transition on this roster to the next window was fast-tracked by Love and his pass-catchers getting into sync quickly.

"Hopefully whoever the new DC will be can get this once promising player to shut his yack and start playing ball again. "

The Packers need to not just hire a scheme--which is what LaF said he was doing with Barry--but also a smart guy who knows how to command the defensive unit. Jaire's been paid, knows the Packers are tethered to his contract, and knows Barry is a lame duck. He's pushing the envelope because he can--he's being Spicoli and has just ordered pizza to eat on "our time." The Packers finally did something. He's damaging his own value. Both he and Stokes have a lot riding on this next DC hire.

"Reed... This is a totally different team when Reed is on the field."

I was one who questioned the Reed pick. His wasn't a terribly flashy name, although he had a good college career as a volume receiver. Part of the issue was that he didn't fit the Packers penchant for bigger WR, given what they'd lost in FA. Bottom line is, he's acclimated quickly and is already a really good football player. That catch-and-run TD Sunday night was absolute gold in showcasing his ability to get open, run in the open field, and his "want-it" at the end. Between Reed and Watson, the Packers have two guys who are difference makers...they just have to keep them on the field.

"No matter what happens Sunday this season is a HUGE success."

Realistically, I think this season had to be more about finding those pieces that were going to be key contributors in the next window for this team...especially at QB. I think they made tremendous headway there.

The perspectives on where this team would finish varied wildly, not just before the season but also during the season. The bar moved way up after the Saints game, then hit the floor as the Packers swooned, but has now picked back up. It would be a significant let-down (and a bad look for LaF to drop "must-win" finales in back-to-back years) if the Packers lost to the Bears, which tells you just how far expectations have moved.

"The Bears... I think the Bears will take Harrison Jr. with the first pick."

I think the Bears trade down again. They would most likely get another haul for the pick. This is if they decide that Fields is the guy.

Gute no doubt had his best draft in '23...prior to was like throwing 7 darts and one or two stick. Musgrave was the greater reach in rd2 and I imagine need played a large role in that decision; while Wicks has been a phenomenal value relative to ADP, imagine if Gute had gone Rice & Reed rd 2.

That dude is about as "Bust Proof" as you can get. " Tell that to the Lions when they drafted 3 top 10 WR's back to back to back years. Only one of them materialized into value. Nothing is fool proof or certain in drafting.

"Interesting how nobody wants to talk about the defense after they play an excellent game. It would spoil the narrative. Fact is, the Joe Barry defense has had a lot of good games over the past few years, and they have even strung together several good games in a row at times. But you just never know when they are going to collapse."

Plenty of people have given Barry credit for this game. The problem is for every game like this there are 5 like the Giants or Carolina. With him as the DC you never feel that any lead is big enough.

If Joe Barry's D plays another game like they did against a QBless Vikings team....I might think maybe we should hang onto this guy. He did the same thing last year came on strong at the end of the year to save his job. So...no to going through this roller coaster defense again next year.

Barry's defense was "excellent"? I don't agree with that, Greg.

They "seemed better" because the offense controlled the entire game with long, clock chewing scoring drives and kept the defense on the sidelines. The defense only had about 50 snaps to the offense's 70. Give Barry another 20 calls and I don't like the odds.

They "looked better" due to what Barry Ball must have to be complementary...turnovers. But any poor D looks good with multiple turnovers...and good defenses look great with them. But to rely on them to stop opposing offenses is dangerous...especially during playoffs.

They "performed better" because of a lost rookie purple QB and a fine performance by Ballentine, who was impressive. And Ballentine played a lot of man D...that is interesting. And Barry uncharacteristically pressured with more than 4 a few more times. These are defensive principles he has mostly ignored for 7 NFL seasons as DC.

The D has talent. They deserve coaching that uses it synergistically. That will never be Joe Barry.

I agree wholeheartedly about Jaire! Let him sit and stew on the bench. We don't need a non-performing diva. We've just gotten rid of one diva. Let's not let another one take root?

On your Barry take, I can only say, "in a democracy, I will defend your right to be wrong everyday." After 3 seasons of dismal statistics, even a blind squirrel can find the odd nut. Barry has to go for this team to be CONSISTENT. After a good win, all the Barry lovers come out. The next game his soft, stupid schemes can just as easily come back. He is consistently inconsistent! At least if we can get 1 more good game out of him on Sunday, he can have a gentle dismissal in the off-season. I think this would be far more preferable to the inevitable call for tar and feathering if he plays typical Barry Ball and craps the bed on Sunday...

First you cant give the pack d a lick of credit for some of the wins when the other teams QB was horsebleep to begin with. The Vikes QB was lost at sea and his replacement not much better. Had Cousins played, again he would have picked the Barry pass D apart and another Vikes win. Thus, it was the other teams that sucked that made our d look better then they are.

I would like to see Brooks getting some snaps at DE/Edge. He played there in college, very well I might add, and could be an interesting change of pace. Most of the time you don't see 300+lbs DE/Edge players anymore. However, he could be a nice anchor in obvious running situations.

Hear, hear! Bearmeat.

Only thing I'm affraid for the last game in this season is that young team would become so high on themselves. Because they won so convincingly in Minnesota. That is something that coaches has to take the control of.

Nobody is hiding under a rock.
#4 was a great QB. And #12 was too.
Both had thumb problems.
After 2014 the Defense changed.
DE s became LBs . The safeties weren't Collins.

I've also been optimistic about Love since we drafted him, but I admit I was much slower than Bearmeat to realize Rodgers diva-ness was out of control to the point that it was causing problems for the team. It wasn't until after McCarthy was fired and LaFleur was hired that I started realizing something might be amiss, and it wasn't until 2021 that I fully accepted it.

"Ok- Jordan Love isn’t a Bust.
But Gutey was still wrong to draft him.
And that was the debate.
But miscalculations can turn into Blessings.
Especially when left with No other option.
Regardless; Rodgers must have taught him something.
And MLF did a great job helping him."

Why was it still wrong to draft Love? Rodgers was 36 and coming off multiple sub par seasons (at least for himself). The 2020 draft had a lot of good QB talent and the best time to find a QB is when you don't need one. In many ways you could say that drafting a QB kicked Rodgers in the butt to play better. Plus had Love not been drafted then the Packers would be in a very bad QB situation right now. Also don't say that they would have won the SB because of Tee Higgins. We all know how much Rodgers hated throwing to rookie WRs.

"Ok- Jordan Love isn’t a Bust.
But Gutey was still wrong to draft him."

Pitiful.

"This offense needs both Reed and Jones on the field. They are the difference makers especially with Love playing the way he has played the last few weeks. Jones makes the OL look better. It looks like the offense will carry the Packers however far they go this season."

I'd say that while Reed is very good, losing Watson was a HUGE loss in the 2 games after the Chiefs. Teams started playing the Packers WR differently knowing that it was less likely that they would be beat over the top. It took a couple weeks for the Packers to adjust and that is why the offense didn't flow as well.