Bringing Lombardi Home: A Green Bay Packers Franchise (Madden 18)

[saintrules]

SEASON 5
2021

[saintrules]

Hello & welcome to the 2021 NFL Season! This is my fifth season in this franchise! With three straight NFC North Championships, we have established ourselves as the gatekeeper and dominant force in the North. The postseason has been pretty dang tough as we are 2-3, beating Carolina and Minnesota in the Wild Card, losing to Arizona in the Wild Card, & losing to Dallas & Arizona, in the Divisional.

I am going to mix things up a little bit in this preview, just for the sake of writing it differently this season. After this season, keep in mind, I will be doing a Power Rankings on all 32 NFL teams, explaining where each one is at, what they've done so far, and what their future looks like. That post is easily my favorite to do, so stay tuned.

NFC Super Bowl Contenders
Dallas Cowboys - 92 OVR, 99 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 14-2

Jerry Jones & his band of savages have been head & shoulders above pretty much everyone in the NFC since the start of the 2018 season. They have accumulated a 38-11 record, three straight NFC Championships, and are the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Despite the Dez Bryant retirement, the clan is still in tact as Dak Prescott (95) & Ezekiel Elliot (99) look to get things done on offense. Ryan Switzer (91) has quickly grown into a very good target for Prescott in the air game as well and will quickly fill the loss of Bryant. Zack Martin (99) could potentially get his 4th straight NFC Lineman title. It would be a shock to see Dallas not in the Super Bowl.

AFC Super Bowl Contenders
Los Angeles Chargers - 92 OVR, 99 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 14-2

Like Dallas, the Chargers have pretty much been head and shoulders above the AFC since 2017. Los Angeles has won the AFC West four straight seasons, appeared in three AFC Championships, winning twice, and were crowned Super Bowl Champions in 2018. What is different about Los Angeles in comparison to Dallas is that their bread and butter doesn't sit in one position or unit. The Chargers are spread out in talent with Joey Bosa (99), Jeremiah Attaochu (91), Jatavis Brown (90), and Melvin Ingram (89), on defense, and Melvin Gordon (95), Hunter Henry (93), and Mike Williams (91), on offense. One could argue that LA is a more complete team compared to Dallas, maybe we will see a Super Bowl rubber match here in 2021!

NFC Conference Contenders
Atlanta Falcons - 90 OVR, 93 OFF, 91 DEF - Projected Record: 12-4
Green Bay Packers - 88 OVR, 91 OFF, 85 DEF - Projected Record: 12-4
Seattle Seahawks - 88 OVR, 91 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 11-5
Arizona Cardinals - 84 OVR, 91 OFF, 85 DEF - Projected Record: 10-6

The NFC Conference race has been pretty freaking wild over the last 3 seasons with everyone pretty much everyone giving Dallas their best shot & losing. Matt Ryan (93) and his Falcons have gone 46-18 since 2017, but only have one appearance in the NFC Championship, losing to Detroit in 2017. Seattle and Arizona have made the NFC West the Wild West, as two time reigning NFL MVP Mason Rudolph (99) has gone head to head with Seattle's ridiculous #1 ranked defense too many times to keep track. I expect more madness to ensue this season as these four teams, including us, have super talented rosters capable of competing for the NFC.

AFC Conference Contenders
New England Patriots - 87 OVR, 93 OFF, 85 DEF - Projected Record: 12-4
Jacksonville Jaguars - 89 OVR, 93 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 12-4
Pittsburgh Steelers - 88 OVR, 89 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 11-5

The contenders in the AFC are a bit different than the NFC. In terms of complete rosters, the Falcons, Packers, Seahawks, and Cards, are miles ahead of what the AFC has to offer as their "best teams". There are quite a good deal of question marks surrounding these guys, Jacksonville was without Blake Bortles (83) all last season, New England is still trying to grow and groom Nick Fitzgerald (85), and Pittsburgh lost Roethlisberger to retirement, now looking at CJ Beathard (78) to guide them back to the Championship. These three teams have really good players at certain positions & will need them to play out of their minds to compete with Los Angeles.

NFC Wild Card Contenders
New Orleans Saints - 88 OVR, 93 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 10-6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 86 OVR, 93 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 10-6
Minnesota Vikings - 85 OVR, 89 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 9-7
New York Giants - 86 OVR, 89 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 9-7

The Saints and Buccs will likely be competing directly for the last Wild Card spot in the NFC. Luke Falk (94) & Michael Thomas (93) will take on Jameis Winston (89) & Mike Evans (96) at least twice in the season will likely decide the postseason fate. The Cardinals are practically a shoe in for the Wild Card if they don't top the Seahawks for the West, so that leaves one spot. The Vikings slipped into the Wild Card last season with Josh Allen (85), Dalvin Cook (96), and a solid defensive front. New York will look to Odell Beckham Jr (99), Landon Collins (98), and Nick Bosa (89), to get the job done in a division dominated by Dallas. Both teams have a shot at competing for the Wild Card & will need a couple of cards to fall their way.

AFC Wild Card Contenders
Houston Texans - 86 OVR, 87 OFF, 91 DEF - Projected Record: 10-6
New York Jets - 86 OVR, 83 OFF, 93 DEF - Projected Record: 10-6
Miami Dolphins - 85 OVR, 89 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 10-6
Cleveland Browns - 86 OVR, 91 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 9-7
Tennessee Titans - 86 OVR, 93 OFF, 83 DEF - Projected Record: 9-7

Now here's a fun group to watch. The AFC Wild Card is going to be really competitive this season with Houston and New York the favorites for the two spots. However, you can never, never count out Drew Brees (89) as he gears up with Jay Ajayi (96) and Jarvis Landry (91) hoping to guide Miami to the playoffs. The Browns have officially finished their rebuild in my opinion & it's time for them to start competing. Matt Linehan (85), Myles Garrett (99), & David Njoku (97), are all 25 years old or younger. Finally, how could you possibly count out Marcus Mariota (92) and his Titans? Mariota won the Super Bowl in 2017 & every time I try and count them out, they come out swinging. The Titans showed up in the AFC Championship last season, losing to Los Angeles.

NFC Sleepers
Washington Redskins - 83 OVR, 89 OFF, 81 DEF - Projected Record: 8-8
San Francisco 49ers - 85 OVR, 89 OFF, 85 DEF - Projected Record: 8-8
Los Angeles Rams - 84 OVR, 85 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 7-9

The Redskins loaded up in the Free Agent market this season, snagging Trent Williams (91) to join Brandon Scherff (88) & KC McDermott (86) on the line, as well as Derek Barnett (85) & Justin Evans (82) to sure up the defense. Kirk Cousins (82) has Jordan Reed (94) & Jameison Crowder (91) at his disposal, two very good weapons. I obviously would not favor the Redskins over Dallas & I think that New York can edge them in the division, keeping them down in the sleeper bunch. The Niners are almost, almost done with their rebuild & things are looking pretty good. I still think they are a year and maybe one or two guys away from Wild Card contention, but they should play spoiler at least once or twice this season. Solomon Thomas (94) is a 25 year old nightmare. Speaking of nightmares, Aaron Donald (99) will be looking to claim his 3rd NFC Defensive Lineman award for the Rams. I decided to throw the Rams as a sleeper pick in the NFC West because I think their defense has some really good potential. Donald joins Myles Jack (88) and Bud Dupree (87) who the Rams have gotten in the prior two Free Agency markets. The top of their roster talent is between the age of 25-30 & they've got a young gun at QB in Lamar Jackson (81).

AFC Sleepers
Buffalo Bills - 85 OVR, 89 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 8-8
Baltimore Ravens - 85 OVR, 85 OFF, 89 DEF - Projected Record: 8-8
Oakland Raiders - 84 OVR, 91 OFF, 83 DEF - Projected Record: 7-9

The Bills are a team in limbo & one that can play spoiler in the AFC. Damon Webb (92) has become one of the better Strong Safeties in the league & they've got a strong one-two punch at WR with Sammy Watkins (91) & Sterling Shepard (87). Tyrod Taylor (80) may lose his starting spot to DeShone Kizer (80) at some point in the season & I think things will take off when that happens. Baltimore won the AFC North last year thanks in large, if not all, part to Drew Brees. We got to see the emergence of Tyrie Cleveland (86) as he led the AFC in receiving & won the Rookie of the Year award. I like both he & 2020 AFC Defensive Player of the Year, CJ Mosley (89) as two guys who can carry a big load for their team and screw up some opposing postseason hopes. Finally, the Raiders are still a damn good team who has just fallen off of everyone's radar based on their 23-41 record over the last 4 seasons, missing the playoffs completely. Derek Carr (90), Khalil Mack (99), & Amari Cooper (92) can definitely ruin someone's day.

NFC Rebuilds
Chicago Bears - 84 OVR, 87 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 5-11
Philadelphia Eagles - 83 OVR, 85 OFF, 85 DEF - Projected Record: 5-11
Detroit Lions - 83 OVR, 87 OFF, 83 DEF - Projected Record: 4-12
Carolina Panthers - 82 OVR, 83 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 3-13

The Bears have given Mitchell Trubisky (81) five years now and he has just not gotten better. They are honestly wasting Jordan Howard (96), Cameron Meredith (88), and Dante Pettis (85), as they have not even considered drafting another guy or looking in Free Agency. Their lone bright light on defense is Kevin Toliver II (88) who is 24 years old. They need to build around him & tank the rest of their aging defense. The Carson Wentz (83) project stalled out following the Eagles 2017 NFC East Championship. Fletcher Cox (95), Timmy Jernigan (88), Brandon Graham (87), Zach Ertz (86), and Jordan Hicks (85), are all above 28 years old, and there isn't a whole ton of depth following them. They may get 5 wins this season & then plummet to the bottom of the NFC next. Age is hurting Detroit as well as Matt Stafford (85) is 33, Eric Ebron (93) is 28, Darius Slay Jr (88) is 30, and Golden Tate III (85) is 33. Carolina lacks depth on their roster as they have a couple of really good pieces like Luke Kuechly (99) & Christian McCaffrey (93), but need a bus load of talent behind it & I just don't think it's there.

AFC Rebuilds
Kansas City Chiefs - 81 OVR, 83 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 5-11
Indianapolis Colts - 83 OVR, 87 OFF, 85 DEF - Projected Record: 5-11
Denver Broncos - 82 OVR, 83 OFF, 87 DEF - Projected Record: 4-12
Cincinnati Bengals - 82 OVR, 87 OFF, 83 DEF - Projected Record: 3-13

The story in the AFC is that these teams did not move pieces when they should have & tanked their rosters in the early stages. The Chiefs and Broncos just have aged defenses who are losing steam every season. Von Miller (98), Chris Harris Jr (91), Justin Houston (94), and Eric Berry (90), are all 32 years old at positions that don't really support 32 year olds. The Colts have grown their defense tenfold with Malik Jefferson (92) & Malik Hooker (91), but have not made a move on the offensive side of the ball in ages. Cincinnati should have cut ties with Andy Dalton (82) a while ago & shipped off AJ Green (88) back in 2017.

[saintrules]

Below is the depth chart for the 2021 Green Bay Packers:

Quarterback:
1. Aaron Rodgers (95)
2. Sam Darnold (81)

Rodgers was a rabid dog last year, recklessly scrambling into 6'5", 280 LB, defensive tackles, literally trucking them at times, leading the Pack to a 12-4 record & NFC North Championship. He cleaned up his act in the air game, recording his franchise high 4573 yards & completed 69% of his passes. This is the last year left on Rodgers two year deal, so I am crossing my fingers he will resign and stick around again.

Runningback:
1. Ty Montgomery (86)
2. (R) Najee Harris (82)
3. Justin Jackson (75)

Ty Montgomery continued to do Ty Montgomery things while he was healthy last year. He recorded his 3rd 1000+ yard season with 9 TD's on the ground. He's now 28 years old & there's only a season or two max of mileage left on him before he starts the usual fast HB decline. I am freaking pumped about Najee Harris, whom we picked up in the 1st round of the draft. He, in conjunction with Justin Jackson, will serve as 3rd down backs to Montgomery to start things off.

Wide Receiver:
1. Davante Adams (86)
2. Calvin Ridley (84)
3. Randall Cobb (80)
4. Ray-Ray McCloud (68)
5. Devin Duvernay (65)
6. (R) Jalen Reagor (65)

Honestly, our receiving core looked worse heading into last season prior to the Ridley pickup. Adams and Ridley combined for over 2200 yards & 15 TD's last season & proved to be a solid punch. Cobb's retirement is getting pretty close, so we will help rejuvenate this core through the draft. McCloud, Duvernay, and Reagor, are backup talents, at best.

Tight End:
1. Richard Rodgers (85)
2. Martellus Bennett (83)
3. Corey Wesevich (66)

Richard Rodgers has taken over as our feature TE, but that isn't to say that Bennett won't see a ton of playing time. We utilize both TE's almost every single down & will continue to do so moving forward.

Offensive Left Tackle:
1. David Bakhtiari (92)

Bakhtiari really pissed me off in the offseason as he declined three contract offers in route to us having to franchise tag him for 2021. It'll be interesting to see where his head is at this year, regardless, he captains the line.

Offensive Left Guard:
1. Clint Boling (78)
2. Lane Taylor (73)

Boling is beginning his expected decline at LG due to age, but we are going to have to deal with this situation when we can get to it.

Center:
1. Corey Linsley (82)
2. Scott Incognito (67)

Linsley just needs to stay healthy at Center and we are fine. We lost Kofi Amichia to wanting to play elsewhere last season.

Offensive Right Guard:
1. Hjalte Froholdt (81)
2. Taylor Hearn (74)

Froho keeps getting better at RG & I feel great about where we are at here.

Offensive Right Tackle:
1. Bryan Bulaga (79)
2. EJ Price (76)

Bulaga is beginning his decline & EJ Price is getting better. Same story over here as Right Guard, I feel okay about it.

Defensive Left End:
1. Kenny Clark (84)

Big boy Kenny Clark recorded 8.5 sacks last season & was a menace on the line.

Defensive Tackle:
1. Christian LaCouture (85)
2. Raekwon Davis (76)
3. (R) Phidarian Mathis (65)

LaCouture completely tore his ACL in the preseason & will be out the entire year, so that really sucks. We picked up Raekwon Davis in Free Agency to at least fill some of the lost production at Nose Tackle.

Defensive Right End:
1. Mike Daniels (84)

Big Mikey D just needs to keep on doing what he has done since 2017, destroy people.

Left Outside Linebacker:
1. Nick Perry (83)

Same situation for Nick Perry as he led the team with 13.0 sacks last season & was one of the best linebackers in the NFC. His production has been one of the main reasons we have been so successful.

Middle Linebacker:
1. Shaun Dion Hamilton (89)
2. TJ Edwards (81)
3. (R) Christopher Allen (72)
4. Nyles Morgan (70)

We look extremely secure at MLB with the Christopher Allen pickup in the draft. Hamilton & Edwards combined for 221 tackles, 14 TFL's, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT, and 10 deflections, last season.

Right Outside Linebacker:
1. Tremaine Edmunds (89)
2. Bradley Parsons (73)

Edmunds is going to make his case for NFC Defensive Player of the Year this season, mark my words. 106 tackles, 7 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 1 INT, and 3 deflections in 2020...expect more in 2021.

Cornerback:
1. Vernon Hargreaves III (85)
2. Josh Norman (85)
3. Jalen Collins (83)
4. Jack Jones (81)
5. Rashaad Gaulden (69)

The pickup of Norman just continued what we have been doing, bringing in talent for the final year or two of their contracts. VH3 & Norman will get the start with Collins & Jones following closely behind in the nickel & dime.

Free Safety:
1. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (83)
2. Marcus Allen (75)

We lost Josh Jones last season due to him wanting to start elsewhere. Clinton-Dix really put the afterburners on last season recording 91 tackles, 6 TFL's, 3 INT's, and 5 deflections. His production was the best yet in this franchise for him.

Strong Safety:
1. Morgan Burnett (78)
2. Trey Marshall (75)
3. Nigel Warrior (71)

Morgan Burnett will still get the start over the much younger Trey Marshall. The awareness Burnett has and production he's been able to give is just too great to risk using Marshall full time. Be patient my dude, your time will come!

Special Teams:
K. Cody Parkey (75)
P. Justin Vogel (81)
KR. Nyqwan Murray (92)

Cody Parkey, don't miss XP's.

[saintrules]

Week 1 Packers (0-0) vs. San Francisco 49ers (0-0)

Pregame Thoughts: Let's kick this season off by continuing to do what we do really well: win regular season games. The Niners have brought themselves back from irrelevancy through their rebuild and actually look pretty tough on paper. Jake Browning (81) has Tyreek Hill (92) on offense & those two alone could do some damage. Their defense in their bread and butter, however, as Solomon Thomas (94), DeForest Buckner (88), Reuben Foster (86), and Navorro Bowman (84), will line up opposite our offense. Little notes...Christian LaCouture, our starting Nose Tackle, tore his ACL in the preseason and will be out the entire year. (R) Najee Harris partially tore his ACL & will be out 7 weeks.

Game Result: 24-10 Win
Game Injuries: Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), (R) Najee Harris (7 Weeks)
Game MVP: Justin Jackson (25 attempts, 111 yards, 3 TD)
Game Thoughts: Pretty comfortable two TD victory as we cruised past San Fran 24-10. Ty Montgomery (7 attempts, 29 yards) went down in the 1st quarter with a sprained ankle, giving way to Justin Jackson, who exploded on the day. Jackson put us up early 7-3, then after a blocked FG attempt by Jack Jones (1 BLOCK), he pounded another one for a 14-3 lead. After a great defensive showing by Tremaine Edmunds (5 tackles, 1.5 sacks) & an INT by Jalen Collins (8 tackles, 1 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 INT), Jackson got his 3rd TD on the day. Derrick Henry (38 attempts, 155 yards, 1 TD) did literally all he could as we held Jake Browning (14/28, 117 yards, 2 INT) in complete check.

Postgame Thoughts: All systems were a go today & we looked fantastic. Derrick Henry did rack up a good chunk of yards, but with 38 carries, that's almost bound to happen.

Week 2 Packers (1-0) vs. Baltimore Ravens (0-1)

Pregame Thoughts: Baltimore has some really bad luck. Starting QB, Cody Kessler (77), & backup, Jeremiah Briscoe (64), are injured. The Ravens will start Todd Izzo (61) & it should be a field day for our defense. Their best two talents will be 2020 AFC Defensive Player of the Year, MLB CJ Mosley (89) & 2020 AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year, WR Tyrie Cleveland (86).

Game Result: 42-13 Win
Game Injuries: Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), (R) Najee Harris (6 Weeks)
Game MVP: Justin Jackson (27 attempts, 113 yards, 2 TD, 4 catches, 27 yards, 1 TD)
Game Thoughts: This game had all the feels of a college football tune up game. With Cody Kessler, I'm sure the Ravens could have made it more competitive. With Todd Izzo (20/47, 217 yards, 3 INT), it was pretty nasty. Ty Montgomery (6 attempts, 14 yards, 1 TD) sprained his ankle again, giving Justin Jackson another huge opportunity to get playing time. Like last week, the man was an absolute stud, pounding the rock in for two scores and one through the air. Speaking of studs, Aaron Rodgers (29/41, 343 yards, 3 TD) decided it was time to get on the stat sheet as he added 3 scores on the day. Calvin Ridley (10 catches, 118 yards, 1 TD) was his go to and recorded double digit receptions. Vernon Hargreaves III (4 tackles, 1 INT), Shaun Dion Hamilton (7 tackles, 1 INT), and Josh Norman (6 tackles, 1 INT), all recorded picks on Izzo.

Postgame Thoughts: Like I said, this was pretty much a tune up game before we head into Minnesota to play the Vikings in Week 3. I think Justin Jackson outplayed his ability in these two first games & we need Montgomery to be healthy all 4 quarters against Minnesota. We also only recorded 1 sack against Baltimore which needs to improve big time.

Week 3 Packers (2-0) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-0)

Pregame Thoughts: This is where it begins. We have been challenged for the North the last few seasons & I want that to end. The usual suspects are still out here for the Vikings: Dalvin Cook (96) in the backfield, Danielle Hunter (95) on the edge, Steffon Diggs (93) on the flank, Harrison Smith (91) in centerfield, and Josh Allen (85) under center. We have struggled to stop Cook in the past & have had a hard time scoring a lot through the air, let's turn that around.

Game Result: 31-17 Win
Game Injuries: Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), (R) Najee Harris (5 Weeks)
Game MVP: Aaron Rodgers (25/37, 244 yards, 3 TD, 9 attempts, 53 yards)
Game Thoughts: Rodgers and the air crew blasted off to three first half TD's to put us up 21-10 at half time. Rodgers connected with Calvin Ridley (6 catches, 76 yards, 1 TD), Martellus Bennett (4 catches, 21 yards, 1 TD), and Ty Montgomery (28 attempts, 114 yards, 1 TD, 5 catches, 37 yards, 1 TD), for the early scores. In the second half, it was all Montgomery as he racked up the yardage and added another score to extend our lead. The defense managed to hold Josh Allen (21/32, 176 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) to under 200 yards & only one score on the day with Steffon Diggs (7 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD). Dalvin Cook (21 attempts, 111 yards) had the expected production on the ground, but failed to add a score. Tremaine Edmunds (8 tackles, 1.0 sack) got his second & a half sack on the season & Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (2 tackles, 1 INT) recorded his first INT.

Postgame Thoughts: Really solid start to 2021 as we have differentiated ourselves from the bottom half of teams in the league & secured a very crucial division win. I never felt threatened by Minnesota through the entirety of the game, which is a really good sign.

Week 4 Packers (3-0) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)

Pregame Thoughts: Heading into Week 4 we've got arguably the weakest team in the league. The Bengals are entering a deep rebuild as Tyler Eifert (94), Vontaze Burfict (90), AJ Green (89), Geovanni Bernard (84), and Andy Dalton (82), are all 29 years or older. That talent is very quickly heading down hill & their up & coming guys are relatively thin. Like Baltimore, this should be another tune up game.

Game Result: 20-9 Win
Game Injuries: Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), (R) Najee Harris (4 Weeks)
Game MVP: Aaron Rodgers (16/25, 160 yards, 1 TD, 4 attempts, 15 yards, 1 TD)
Game Thoughts: It wasn't a slaughter via the scoreboard compared to the game against Baltimore, but with that said, it was anything but a close game. Our defense kept Andy Dalton (19/31, 248 yards, 1 INT) & Rashaad Penny (33 attempts, 97 yards) out of the end zone, holding the Bengals to 3 FG's on the day. Tremaine Edmunds (8 tackles, 1.5 sacks), Mike Daniels (6 tackles, 1.0 sack), Kenny Clark (6 tackles, 2 TFL, 1.0 sack), and Raekwon Davis (9 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.0 sack), got after Dalton 4.5 times & recorded 5 total TFL's on the day. Rodgers threw one TD through the air & scored once on the ground. Morgan Burnett (10 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD) had a pick six from Dalton as well.

Postgame Thoughts: It was a good win, but a big dark cloud hangs over the victory as Davante Adams tore his pec & things are not looking good. His status is currently TBD & I will provide an update before Week 5. Heading into Week 5 against New Orleans we sit at 4-0 & 1-0 in the North. Cincinnati and Baltimore are not really teams we can use to gauge where we sit in the league & San Francisco is a wait and see. Our win against Minnesota is the statement win we have thus far & I do like the direction we are heading. Our defense stepped up the pass rush this week & the unit overall looks to be as good as advertised.

INJURY UPDATE:

It's official, Davante Adams tore his pectoral & will miss the rest of 2021. This is a huge, and I mean, HUGE, blow to the offense as Adams is our feature receiver. Adams production last season was a large reason why we went 12-4 & won the North for the 3rd consecutive year. Ridley will move into the feature slot at flanker.

TRADE UPDATE:

For the second year in a row, we are forced to make an early season move to account for an injury to the receiving core. Calvin Ridley (84) has been promoted to flanker, Randall Cobb (80) to split end, and that leaves a question mark at the slot. Ray-Ray McCloud (68) is the next man up at slot & I just do not feel comfortable about having him on the field full time. So, I went to a couple of teams to field some options & settled with this:

Packers Trade: 6th Round 2022 & ROLB Bradley Parsons (73)
Lions Trade: WR Darren Carrington II (74)

Despite all the hoopla about trading with a division rival, I decided to pull the trigger with Detroit and meet on equal grounds. Their defense is rough & they are rebuilding so they were looking for a young OLB to groom. We picked up the 23 year old Bradley Parsons on waivers in the offseason to backup Tremaine Edmunds (89) & don't really have a strong connection to him. Darren Carrington II is a 24 year old track stud out of Utah who can provide an insane level of speed from the slot position. We threw them a 6th rounder to sweeten the deal & it went through. Welcome Darren Carrington II!

Week 5 Packers (4-0) vs. New Orleans Saints (0-4)

Pregame Thoughts: Pretty dang surprising to see Luke Falk (94) and his high powered offense without a win so far. I had the Saints as the top Wild Card contender in the NFC, so something tells me I am walking into a trap game. This is the first time we will see an elite QB & receiving core in 2021.

Game Result: 24-31 Loss
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), (R) Najee Harris (3 Weeks)
Game MVP: Luke Falk (23/28, 260 yards, 3 TD)
Game Thoughts: After a very strong defensive showing the first couple of weeks, we laid an egg & got throttled by an elite air raid from Luke Falk & his band of gypsies. Falk was excellent, hitting 82% of his passes and throwing 3 TD's on the day. We failed to sack or intercept Falk at all, leading to our demise & first loss on the year. Aaron Rodgers (28/41, 296 yards, 2 TD, 3 attempts, 15 yards, 1 TD) tried to lead a game winning drive, down 24-31 with a minute to go, but time got the best of us.

Postgame Thoughts: I knew this would be a trap game, I freaking knew it. Here's the deal: Our defense is really good, despite this hardcore hiccup. Our offense still operated nicely & we probably could have tied the game if we had a minute more to work with. We head into a two week stretch of very tough competition in Dallas & Pittsburgh, so we will find our true identity there.

Week 6 Packers (4-1) vs. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)

Pregame Thoughts: The reigning Super Bowl Champions look a little tired from the partying. The 2-3 record entering Week 6 isn't ringing any alarms, but do keep in mind Dallas has lost a max of 4 games in the last 3 seasons. Nonetheless, the talent is there, and by talent I mean some of the very best in the entire league. Dak Prescott (95), Ezekiel Elliot (99), and that offensive line, could easily win out every game following this one, so let's give them a nice loss while we can!

Game Result: 38-22 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), (R) Najee Harris (2 Weeks)
Game MVP: Aaron Rodgers (27/34, 328 yards, 3 TD)
[b]Game Thoughts: We entered halftime, up 14-13, thanks to two first half TD's from Rodgers, thrown to, Richard Rodgers (4 catches, 60 yards, 2 TD). In the second half, Tremaine Edminds (6 tackles, 2.0 sacks) sacked Dak Prescott (26/41, 265 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) twice at the goal line, holding Dallas to 6 points in the form of two FG's. From there, we never looked back. Rodgers found Calvin Ridley (6 catches, 81 yards, 1 TD) for a score on the next drive, and Justin Jackson (4 attempts, 18 yards, 2 TD) pounded the rock in for two goal line scores as our defense continued to hold back Dallas. Josh Norman (5 tackles, 1 INT) snagged a key INT in the second half to destroy a good drive from Dallas.

Postgame Thoughts: After having a hiccup defensively against New Orleans, we came out and dominated the defending champs in Dallas. Our defense is strong on all three levels & Rodgers is once again getting a great deal of MVP attention. This was the statement win that we needed.

STANDINGS UPDATE:

Once again I am on a roll smashing these games out so I am going to keep it short and simple. Things you need to know: The rebuild in Cleveland is paying dividends as the Browns are 4-1, tied with Pittsburgh for the division lead. The Jaguars hold a slim lead at 4-2 above the Texans at 3-2. New England leads the East with New York right behind at 3-2. Los Angeles could take a few weeks off and still be well out in front at 5-0 in the West.

We are 5-1 in the North & Minnesota is 3-3. Atlanta holds a slim lead at 4-2 above the 3-2 Panthers & Buccs. The Redskins are top dog in the East with New York at 3-3 & Dallas at a very surprising 2-4. Seattle is 5-1 in the West with the Niners and Rams at 4-2, wow. Arizona is at 3-3, looks like a competitive division.

Week 7 Packers (5-1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)

Pregame Thoughts: We rebounded pretty hard after the loss to New Orleans with that win in Dallas. We must keep the train rolling and take out Pittsburgh to keep our confidence up & extend our record even more. Pittsburgh isn't quite the same dominant force they once were with Big Ben as CJ Beathard (78) has had some big shoes to fill. Regardless, Le'Veon Bell (99) & Antonio Brown (91) are the two weapons we absolutely have to contain & if they have normal days, they can win them this game. Defensively, Ryan Shazier (94) and Stephen Tuitt (90) are their only pieces, otherwise, that unit is pretty dang bad. This is our first inkling of what the AFC will have to offer as one of their best teams coming into the season.

Game Result: 52-16 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), (R) Najee Harris (1 Week)
Game MVP: Aaron Rodgers (33/40, 442 yards, 5 TD, 3 attempts, 13 yards, 1 TD)
Game Thoughts: This thing was anything but competitive as we served up a massive smackdown on Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers had an MVP game as he accounted for 6 total TD's on the day, five through the air, and one on the ground. Darren Carrington II (8 catches, 135 yards, 1 TD) had a coming out party for us as he smoked the weak Pittsburgh secondary. Calvin Ridley (7 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD) also racked up a ton of yardage & Richard Rodgers (4 catches, 24 yards, 2 TD) was a favorite red zone target for Rodgers. Ty Montgomery (23 attempts, 111 yards, 1 TD, 3 catches, 52 yards, 1 TD) was a perfect dual threat in the backfield as he remained healthy and did Ty Montgomery things. Mike Daniels (7 tackles, 2.0 sacks) got after CJ Beathard (13/25, 206 yards, 1 INT) twice & Nick Perry (3 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 INT) picked him off.

Postgame Thoughts: We are buzzing in Green Bay following this annihilation of a top AFC contender. Our offense was an unstoppable force, our defense, an immovable object. We won the day, plain and simple.

Week 8 Packers (6-1) vs. BYE WEEK

Week 9 Packers (6-1) vs. Detroit Lions (1-6)

Pregame Thoughts: Detroit is definitely entering a rebuild as things look pretty bleak in the motor city. Matt Stafford (85) & Eric Ebron (93) are the only two big threats on offense, while Denzel Ward (89) and Darius Slay Jr (88) are pretty good, but won't be enough to contain our offensive machine.

Game Result: 30-23 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Corey Linsley (4 Weeks)
Game MVP: Kenny Clark (7 tackles, 3.5 sacks)
Game Thoughts: Aaron Rodgers (27/44, 340 yards, 2 TD) once again looked like an MVP through the air, racking up 340 yards and 2 TD's with Randall Cobb (7 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD) and Darren Carrington II (7 catches, 97 yards, 1 TD). Ty Montgomery (23 attempts, 104 yards) averaged 4.5 YPC and in his first NFL game, (R) Najee Harris (5 attempts, 22 yards, 1 TD) recorded a TD! Kenny Clark stole the show as the Game MVP with his 3.5 sacks on Matt Stafford (15/24, 205 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and was an absolute monster in the backfield. Tremaine Edmunds (5 tackles, 1.5 sacks) continued to do what he does best, get after the QB, as well. Shaun Dion Hamilton (7 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT) recorded his 2nd INT on the year.

Postgame Thoughts: 7-1 overall & 2-0 in the North with a chance to make it 3-0 as he head to Chicago next week for the Bears.

Week 10 Packers (7-1) vs. Chicago Bears (3-5)

Pregame Thoughts: The Lions played us pretty tough last week & I expect the same from the Bears here in Week 10. Chicago is in limbo right now as their offense is not good enough to carry the team & the defense is aging, with injuries plaguing their roster & the talent dwindling. Jordan Howard (96) is such a beast on the ground & much like Dalvin Cook, we just have to do damage control with him.

Game Result: 20-17 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Corey Linsley (3 Weeks)
Game MVP: Green Bay Defense (5.0 sacks, 1 blocked FG)
Game Thoughts: Down 0-7 from an early TD by Mitch Trubisky (15/21, 210 yards, 2 TD), we began a drive with Aaron Rodgers (19/28, 187 yards) & things got pretty scary when he went down after a sack from Leonard Floyd (4 tackles, 1.0 sack). Luckily, he was just having muscle cramps & would return shortly. In stepped Sam Darnold (4/5, 43 yards, 1 TD) who led us downfield, eventually finding Richard Rodgers (5 catches, 25 yards, 1 TD) for a touchdown!!! Trubisky answered right back with another TD & this was turning out to be a game. After a failed drive, the Bears were in FG range and lined up to add 3 to their score. Jack Jones (1 BLOCK) extended for ANOTHER block and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (5 tackles, 1 TD) picked it up off the ground returning it to the house for 6. After Ty Montgomery (16 attempts, 70 yards) fumbled one in the red zone with a minute to go, tied 17-17, our defense stopped Chicago & got us the ball back with a 3 and out. Rodgers led the crew down field, eventually leading us to a game winning FG & the victory.

Postgame Thoughts: We've only been contested once this season & that was in our loss to New Orleans in Week 5. As much as I think you grow from blowout wins, I think you perfect from close ones. We overcame adversity and being down late in a game for the first time this season & I am more than sure it won't be the last time.

Week 11 Packers (8-1) vs. Cleveland Browns (8-1)

Pregame Thoughts: I predicted Cleveland to go 9-7 in the regular season & contend for the Wild Card. Well, they are WAY ahead of schedule here in Week 11 as they are 8-1 and fighting with Pittsburgh for 1st in the North. Matt Linehan (85) is turning into a quality QB & Myles Garrett (99) is downright scary. David Njoku (97) is one of the league's best Tight Ends & Isaiah Crowell (88) can definitely slip & slide his way to a score or two if we aren't careful.

Game Result: 28-21 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Devin Duvernay (4 Weeks), Corey Linsley (2 Weeks)
Game MVP: Calvin Ridley (10 catches, 142 yards, 1 TD)
Game Thoughts: We entered halftime, down 7-13, our first deficit at half this season. Aaron Rodgers (31/45, 348 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT) was picked off for the first & second time this season by the Browns. Cleveland shot right out of the gate & scored again to start the second half, also getting the two point conversion to go up 21-7. Down, but not out, the MVP frontrunner led us to three straight scoring drives & a FG drive to put us up 25-21 with 5:00 to go in the 4th! Our defense was playing lights out in the second half as Shaun Dion Hamilton (10 tackles, 1.0 sack), Trey Marshall (1 tackle, 1.0 sack), Tremaine Edmunds (7 tackles, 1.0 sack), and Vernon Hargreaves III (6 tackles, 1 INT) were all stepping up huge. We snagged another FG & with 1:00 to go, Josh Norman (5 tackles, 1 INT) picked off Matt Linehan (21/33, 244 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT) in the end zone to secure the victory!

Postgame Thoughts: Like I said last week, facing & overcoming adversity perfects your team & that is exactly what we accomplished today. The Browns really got on us fast, but we leveled the playing field through our defense & let the offense go to work.

Week 12 Packers (9-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (6-4)

Pregame Thoughts: The scenario here today is really simple: A victory today & one more win on the season means we win the North as worst case scenario we get the tie breaker with Minnesota.

Game Result: 31-21 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Devin Duvernay (3 Weeks), Corey Linsley (1 Week)
Game MVP: Jack Jones (1 BLOCK)
Game Thoughts: With time expiring in the 1st half, Aaron Rodgers (28/44, 341 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT) connected with Randall Cobb (7 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD) on a diving catch in the end zone to give us a 21-7 lead after two quarters. Our defense came up huge in the second half, stopping Minnesota on 4th and goal at the 1 yard line to prevent a game tying score, still up 21-14. After both teams traded off a score, it was 24-21 with :12 seconds remaining. Josh Allen 18/26, 175 yards, 1 TD) & Dalvin Cook (24 attempts, 113 yards) had gotten the Vikings in FG range with a good shot to tie it. Enter, Jack Jones! Once AGAIN, the USC man exploded off the end and blocked the game tying FG!!! The ball bounced back a couple yards & was picked up by Morgan Burnett and stormed 65 yards to the house for the game securing score!!!

Postgame Thoughts: Jack Jones does not deserve enough credit, man. That block brings his total to like 4 or 5 in his one and a half season career, freaking awesome! He definitely earned this game winner for us & got the Game MVP.

STANDINGS UPDATE:

Cleveland has proven the early season success was for real as they control their own destiny in the North at 8-3. Pittsburgh is 7-3-1 but hold a head to head loss to the Browns and sit atop the Wild Card. The Titans have stormed back, winners of 6 straight, as they have taken the South lead at 8-3. Jacksonville is 7-4 and are the second team in the Wild Card at the moment. The Jets have regained control of the East thanks to a big slide from New England who fell from 4-2 to 5-6. Miami is fighting for a Wild Card spot at 6-5. Los Angeles can win the West with three more victories or a Denver loss as they are 8-2-1 & Denver is 6-5.

We are 10-1 in the North & control our destiny, needing 1 win to win the NFC North! Minnesota is 6-5 & still mathmatically has a shot for the division if we lose out & they win out, lol, yeah okay buddy. The BUCCS are 8-3 in the South in a massive turn of events as Atlanta has fallen from 4-2 to 5-6. Washington and New York are tied at 7-4 as Dallas is struggling with Super Bowl blues at 5-6. Finally, Arizona is 4-1 over their last 5 as they went from 3-3 to 7-4, tied with San Francisco for the division lead! Seattle is 5-6, wow.

Week 13 Packers (10-1) vs. Detroit Lions (2-9)

Pregame Thoughts: At 10-1, we can officially win the NFC North with a victory today. The win would put us at 11 wins, the maximum Minnesota (6-5) can get, still losing the division due to the tie breaker we hold.

Game Result: 23-30 Loss
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Devin Duvernay (2 Weeks)
Game MVP: Marlon Mack (34 attempts, 146 yards, 2 TD)
Game Thoughts: At 20-13, with 5 to go, we sacked Matt Stafford (15/25, 231 yards) three straight times in the red zone. After a pick 6 from Rodgers and a FG on the following drive, it was 23-23 with 1:10 to go. On a 4th and 3, Calvin Ridley (5 catches, 80 yards) fumbled to give the Lions the ball back and Marlon Mack added his second on the day. The Lions definitely caught us off guard today as we got throttled by Marlon Mack for 146 yards & 2 scores. We contained Detroit for the most part, but also got contained ourselves as the Lions defense sacked Aaron Rodgers (24/39, 277 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 3 attempts, 16 yards, 1 TD) three times and intercepted him twice.

Postgame Thoughts: The fumble by Ridley definitely cost us the game as we were nearing FG range and would have put one through to win the game. I'm not going to get too worked up about a fumble, especially from a guy who was been nothing but a producer for us this season.

Week 14 Packers (10-2) vs. Los Angeles Rams (6-6)

Pregame Thoughts: Here we go, another attempt to win the NFC North. A win today secures the division, nuff said. The Rams are on pace to hit my projection of 7-9, or possibly exceed it. Aaron Donald (99) is going to be a nightmare to contain & we gotta hold Todd Gurley II (89) on the ground, we've given up too many rushing yards this season.

Game Result: 38-24 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Devin Duvernay (1 Week)
Game MVP: Calvin Ridley (7 catches, 103 yards, 4 TD)
Game Thoughts: Have a day Calvin Ridley! Our young stud has been flirting with a breakout performance all season long & I believe this one officially got him on the radar for top receivers in 2021! Aaron Rodgers (23/33, 222 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT) and Ridley got on the board very quickly, giving us a 28-7 lead entering half. Things did not slow down there as Ridley got two more in the second half as we cruised to a victory over Los Angeles and the NFC NORTH CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

Postgame Thoughts: Calvin Ridley has been a huge piece of our offense all season long, including last year. Ridley has been a go to target from Rodgers all season long, but hasn't had a Julio Jones, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, or Odell Beckham Jr, type day, and this was that. With the win, we have officially won the NFC North for the 4th straight season!!!

Week 15 Packers (11-2) vs. Seattle Seahawks (5-8)

Pregame Thoughts: The Seahawks are...5-8? The Legion of Boom might be getting older, but this is still one of the most talented teams in the entire league. Looks like misfortune has found them a few too many times in 2021.

Game Result: 28-31 Loss
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Corey Linsley (6 Weeks)
Game MVP: Teez Tabor (10 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD)
Game Thoughts: It was a super frustrating repeat of last year's divisional loss to Arizona. Down 28-31, with 2:00 to go, Aaron Rodgers (30/43, 329 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT) led us downfield on a fantastic drive, putting us in FG range. With :14 seconds to go, we decided to run the ball with Ty Montgomery (21 attempts, 102 yards) up the gut & then spike it & kick the game tying FG. Well, call it greed, but whatever it was got the best of me & the Packers looked like turtles getting back to the line & the clock ran out before we could spike the ball. We had like 9 seconds to get back in order, nine seconds, seriously? Ugh, it was a really competitive game against a really competitive team, 5 wins or not. Teez Tabor picked Rodgers late in the second half and returned it 70 yards for the TD, that's what pretty much sealed the deal. Calvin Ridley (13 catches, 163 yards, 2 TD) followed up his 4 TD performance in Week 14 with 2 more in Week 16 & 163 yards. Ridley has very quickly entered the top 3 in the voting for NFC Best Receiver, trailing Mike Evans & Michael Thomas.

Postgame Thoughts: I made a couple bad judgement calls with the clock through the last drive of the game & should have had a timeout to use when we needed it. It was a tough loss but not as much of a loss from my team as much as it was from me.

Week 16 Packers (11-3) vs. Chicago Bears (7-7)

Pregame Thoughts: Injuries racked up a bit after playing the always tough Seahawks. Ty Montgomery & Randall Cobb will miss today against Chicago, but will be back in Week 17 vs. Arizona.

Game Result: 38-34 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Corey Linsley (5 Weeks), Ty Montgomery (1 Week), Randall Cobb (1 Week)
Game MVP: (R) Najee Harris (20 attempts, 82 yards, 3 TD)
Game Thoughts: With Ty Montgomery out for the game, our Alabama rookie (R) Najee Harris got the start and was simply incredible. Harris pounded the rock for 3 scores on Chicago, tripling his Week 9 score against Detroit. Calvin Ridley (10 catches, 146 yards) did not score, but passed Michael Thomas in the Best WR voting with his 146 yards & 10 catches. Nick Perry (11 tackles, 2 TFL, 2.0 sacks) also had a big time day, sacking Grant Devoe (22/35, 305 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) twice who was in for the injured Mitch Trubisky.

Postgame Thoughts: The score was a lot closer than the game as we let Chicago back in late. Harris and Ridley absolutely throttled the Chicago defense.

Week 17 Packers (12-3) vs. Arizona Cardinals (11-4)

Pregame Thoughts: God I hate these guys, seriously. Maintaining our health is my absolute concern & with a BYE already secured in the Wild Card, we aren't going to be out here trying to go for broke & win this one, I'm not going to lie.

Game Results: 25-47 Loss
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season, Corey Linsley (4 Weeks)
Game MVP: Mason Rudolph (24/31, 290 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT)
Game Thoughts: I am honestly fine with how this one turned out as we got smacked by Arizona. Maintaining my team's health was my number one objective & we got through the game without injuries.

Postgame Thoughts: This was a "live to fight another day" scenario and in the Pass/Fail, we passed. Onto the postseason we go as the 2021 NFC North Champions!!!

[callmetaternuts]

You gotta make the NFC Champ game this year at least, right?

[saintrules]

Below are the final standings for the 2021 NFL Season:

AFC North
1. (#7) Cleveland Browns (10-6) - Division Champions
2. (#11) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6-1)
3. (#25) Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
4. (#30) Baltimore Ravens (4-12)

Very impressive season from Matt Linehan & the Cleveland Browns. It looks like the rebuild has paid off as they take home the AFC North, beating out Pittsburgh who was just short of the playoffs at 9-6-1. Cincinnati and Baltimore have a lot of work to do.

AFC South
1. (#2) Tennessee Titans (12-4) - Division Champions
2. (#8) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6) - Wild Card
3. (#21) Houston Texans (7-9)
4. (#28) Indianapolis Colts (5-11)

Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans are HOT & have gone 12-1 in their last 13 games played, WOW. Mariota and company are experienced, winners of the 2017 Super Bowl & made an appearance in last season's AFC Championship game vs. Los Angeles. The Jaguars have picked up where they left off in 2019 & will get another go in the playoffs after missing out on last year's, mostly due to Blake Bortles being injured. With Jacksonville back in tact, it looks like Houston might have been a one and done. Indy is 16-32 in the last three seasons.

AFC East
1. (#9) New York Jets (10-6) - Division Champions
2. (#10) Miami Dolphins (10-6) - Wild Card
3. (#15) New England Patriots (9-7)
4. (#20) Buffalo Bills (7-9)

The Jets have won the East for the third straight season behind Baker Mayfield on offense & an insanely talented defense. The Dolphins loaded up with Drew Brees and the magician has taken his second straight team to the playoffs. New England misses out on the postseason at 9-7, life after Tom seems a bit different, unfortunately. The Bills go 7-9 & still refuse to get another QB than Tyrod Taylor.

AFC West
1. (#6) Los Angeles Chargers (10-5-1) - Division Champions
2. (#16) Denver Broncos (9-7)
3. (#29) Kansas City Chiefs (5-11)
4. (#32) Oakland Raiders (2-14)

The Chargers have won the West for the FIFTH straight season on their way to a #6 seed in the AFC. Kelly Bryant was thrown into the mix last year following the Philip Rivers retirement & he has been nothing but solid so far. The Chargers are the favorite for the AFC, once again. Denver just missed out on the postseason at 9-7, but on the bright side, posted their best record yet. Kansas City & better yet, Oakland, are disasters at the moment and are in need of some big house cleaning.

NFC North
1. (#3) Green Bay Packers (12-4) - Division Champions
2. (#13) Minnesota Vikings (9-7) - Wild Card
3. (#19) Chicago Bears (7-9)
4. (#24) Detroit Lions (6-10)

Ah, NFC North Champions for the 4th consecutive season. We earned the division a couple weeks earlier this season & managed to control our own destiny the whole way through once again. The Vikings managed to slide into the playoffs at 9-7, hopefully they get beat up in the Wild Card and we don't have a division rival lurking into the Divisional. Chicago and Detroit have issues across the board.

NFC South
1. (#12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) - Division Champions
2. (#17) Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
3. (#22) Carolina Panthers (6-10)
4. (#31) New Orleans Saints (4-12)

The Buccs have finally done it! From 4-11, to 8-8, to 5-11, and 7-9 last year, the Buccaneers have been up and down big time despite having a pretty good roster. Bradley Chubb has been really solid on defense & Jameis Winston has had an MVP caliber season thus far. The Buccs will be a high powered team heading into the playoffs and one that can do some damage. Atlanta has once again surprised everyone missing the playoffs for the second straight year. Matt Ryan and his band of savages accumulated a 46-18 record over the last 4 seasons but don't really have much to show for it. Carolina did better than expected & New Orleans had a good deal of defensive struggles, despite one of the NFC's better offenses.

NFC East
1. (#4) Washington Redskins (11-5) - Division Champions
2. (#5) New York Giants (11-5) - Wild Card
3. (#26) Dallas Cowboys (6-10)
4. (#27) Philadelphia Eagles (6-10)

The tight grip Dallas had on the NFC East has finally broken as they fall to 6-10, missing the playoffs, one season removed from winning it all. Washington loaded up in the offseason through Free Agency & New York has steadily been growing their talent, could this be a turning point? Philly has an old roster in a young man's game.

NFC West
1. (#1) Arizona Cardinals (12-4) - Division Champions
2. (#14) San Francisco 49ers (9-7)
3. (#18) Los Angeles Rams (8-8)
4. (#23) Seattle Seahawks (6-10)

The Cardinals secure their 4th NFC West Championship in five seasons as they are crowned kings of the Regular Season at 12-4. Two time reigning MVP Mason Rudolph and the Cardinals are the favored team for the NFC now that Dallas and Atlanta have missed the playoffs. San Francisco, much like Cleveland, has finally broken free from their rebuild and is rolling. They miss the playoffs in 2021, but there's a lot to be excited for moving forward. The Rams continue to rebuild & the Seahawks are beginning to feel their age.

[saintrules]

Below are the Packers individual stats from the 2021 NFL Season:

Passing:
1. Aaron Rodgers (406/607, 4659 yards, 36 TD, 15 INT)
2. Sam Darnold (4/5, 43 yards, 1 TD)

Aaron Rodgers is the 2021 NFL MVP!!! Rodgers was simply phenomenal in 2021, out gaining his 2020 season in yardage & throwing 8 more TD's through the air, cutting his INT's by 5 from the year prior. He was a perfect 19-0 in TD's to INT's through 10 weeks until we played the Browns and he threw his first two. The was the sole reason we made multiple game winning drives & left no doubt he was the very best player on the field every single game. Sam Darnold got in for one series and was excellent, hitting 4/5 passes for 43 yards and 1 TD!

Rushing:
1. Ty Montgomery (307 attempts, 1260 yards, 5 TD)
2. Justin Jackson (75 attempts, 306 yards, 7 TD)
3. Aaron Rodgers (75 attempts, 292 yards, 5 TD)
4. (R) Najee Harris (43 attempts, 173 yards, 4 TD)
5. Aaron Ripkowski (6 attempts, 21 yards)
6. Sam Darnold (1 attempt, 4 yards)

Ty Montgomery recorded his 4th 1000+ yard season, averaging 4.1 YPC & 5 TD's on the ground. Montgomery had a slow start with injuries through the first two weeks, but Justin Jackson was right there to be the next man up. Jackson recorded six total TD's in the first two games, 5 on the ground, and one through the air. (R) Najee Harris had his coming out party in Week 16 vs. Chicago where he recorded 3 TD's & was the major reason we took the victory. Between Montgomery, Harris, and Jackson, we hold one of the strongest backfields in 2021. Rodgers wasn't as ridiculous on the ground as last season, but 292 yards & 5 TD's, you kidding me? He was absolutely Mr. Clutch and those five scores on the ground were the difference makers in plenty of games.

Receiving:
1. Calvin Ridley (108 catches, 1543 yards, 13 TD)
2. Randall Cobb (89 catches, 912 yards, 5 TD)
3. Richard Rodgers (57 catches, 463 yards, 7 TD)
4. Darren Carrington II (52 catches, 669 yards, 3 TD)
5. Ty Montgomery (40 catches, 424 yards, 2 TD)
6. Ray-Ray McCloud (21 catches, 251 yards, 2 TD)
7. Davante Adams (17 catches, 243 yards)
8. Martellus Bennett (12 catches, 98 yards, 3 TD)
9. Justin Jackson (7 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD)
10. Aaron Ripkowski (6 catches, 35 yards)
11. Corey Wesevich (1 catch, 1 yard)
12. Devin Duvernay (1 catch, 10 yards, 1 TD)
13. (R) Najee Harris (1 catch, 9 yards)

Calvin Ridley was simply incredible this season & exploded at the end of the year. Ridley made a very, very good case of Best Receiver in the NFC, but lost by a hair to Mike Evans with Tampa. Ridley has gone from being a mid season emergency pickup, to our second best receiver, to honestly, our best receiver. Randall Cobb still produced for us despite his consistent regression, he's timeless. Richard Rodgers stepped up huge after being named the starting TE in 2021 over Bennett, his 7 TD's came in bunches as he recorded multiple 2 TD games & was a favorite red zone target for Rodgers. Darren Carrington provided much needed depth when Adams went down with the injury, his 669 yards was third best on the team and he had a game or two where he led all receivers. Bennett still produced in the red zone, despite not getting too many looks on drives.

Top 5 Defense (Tackles):
1. Shaun Dion Hamilton (147 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 3 INT, 10 DEFL)
2. Morgan Burnett (114 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 INT, 11 DEFL)
3. TJ Edwards (102 tackles, 5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT, 4 DEFL)
4. Josh Norman (101 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 INT, 9 DEFL)
5. Vernon Hargreaves III (93 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 INT, 5 DEFL)

Shaun Dion Hamilton once again barely missed NFC Defensive Player of the Year honors with his stellar campaign. This is the first time we have recorded 4, 100+ tacklers, and our defense was regarded as one of the best units in the league.

Top 5 Defense (Sacks):
1. Mike Daniels (78 tackles, 9 TFL, 12.0 sacks, 2 DEFL)
2. Tremaine Edmunds (88 tackles, 3 TFL, 11.0 sacks, 5 DEFL)
3. Kenny Clark (75 tackles, 6 TFL, 8.0 sacks, 1 DEFL)
4. Nick Perry (86 tackles, 7 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 1 INT, 7 DEFL)
5. Raekwon Davis (43 tackles, 5 TFL, 4.0 sacks)

Yeah buddy! Big Mikey D and Tremaine Edmunds went to work on kids this season, recording a combined 23.0 sacks. Kenny Clark and Nick Perry continued to provide dominant rush games & Raekwon Davis jumped in with 4.0 himself. Our pass rush is one of the best in the entire league.

Top 5 Defense (INT):
1. Shaun Dion Hamilton (147 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 3 INT, 10 DEFL)
2. Josh Norman (101 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 INT, 9 DEFL)
3. Jalen Collins (62 tackles, 1 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 INT, 8 DEFL)
4. Vernon Hargreaves III (93 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 INT, 5 DEFL)
5. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (86 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 INT, 5 DEFL)

I sound like a broken record, but how can I not be? Our air defense was one of the best units in the league & we have just continued dominating opposing QB's over the years. Hamilton & Norman led the crew with 6 combined picks & Jalen Collins recorded two from the nickel position.

[saintrules]

Wild Card Packers (12-4) vs. BYE ROUND

Wild Card Championship
(#10) Miami Dolphins (10-6) defeat (#7) Cleveland Browns (9-7) - 28-14
(#13) Minnesota Vikings (10-6) defeat (#4) Washington Redskins (11-5) - 23-20
(#8) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6) defeated (#9) New York Jets (9-7) - 38-7
(#5) New York Giants (11-5) defeated by (#12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) - 6-49

Divisional Packers (12-4) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)

Pregame Thoughts: Tampa destroyed New York in the Wild Card & come in with a ridiculously hot offense. Jameis Winston (89) is the NFC Best QB for 2021 & Mike Evans (96) picked up the NFC Receiver of the Year award. Stopping their dynamic offense is gong to tough as the aforementioned guys alone can put up serious points. Throw in OJ Howard (92) & Derrius Guice (86) & you've got a stud offense.

Game Result: 41-27 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Corey Linsley (2 Weeks)
Game MVP: (R) Najee Harris (25 attempts, 190 yards, 1 TD)
Game Thoughts: Things got off to an extremely fast start for us as Aaron Rodgers (28/41, 345 yards, 3 TD) hit Darren Carrington II (7 catches, 156 yards, 2 TD) for a 76 yard TD on the very first drive. From that point on, we honestly never looked back. Ty Montgomery (9 attempts, 47 yards, 1 TD) went down with a season ending pulled groin after recording a TD, so in stepped (R) Najee Harris. Our Alabama rookie went OFF, nearly reaching 200 yards on the ground, averaging 7.6 YPC, and added one score to the mix on a 59 yard TD run. We looked unstoppable on offense & Tampa Bay really had no solution for us. Jameis Winston (23/35, 229 yards, 2 TD) hit Simmie Cobbs Jr (8 catches, 96 yards, 2 TD) for two scores, but with Mike Evans (5 catches, 66 yards) & Derrius Guice (17 attempts, 70 yards) shut down by our defense, options were limited.

Postgame Thoughts: We came out swinging and swinging hard in the Divisional! The Buccs are a damn good team, evident by their Wild Card destruction of New York & NFC South Championship. With the win, we officially advance to our first ever NFC Championship!

Divisional Championship
(#10) Miami Dolphins (10-6) defeated by (#2) Tennessee Titans (12-4) - 28-35
(#13) Minnesota Vikings (10-6) defeated by (#1) Arizona Cardinals (12-4) - 21-28
(#8) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6) defeat (#6) Los Angeles Chargers (10-5-1) - 49-45
(#12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) defeated by (#3) Green Bay Packers (12-4) - 27-41

Drew Brees and his Dolphins lose by one score to Marcus Mariota and the Titans who advance to their second straight AFC Championship & third in five years! The Vikings also lose a close one to the former 2 time MVP Mason Rudolph and his #1 seeded Cardinals. This marks the first NFC Championship appearance for Arizona, despite making the playoffs for five straight seasons. Jacksonville pulls off the upset win over the reigning AFC Champions! With the win over Tampa Bay we also get into our first NFC Championship & of course, get our nemesis, the Cardinals.

NFC Championship Packers (12-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (12-4)

Pregame Thoughts: It has honestly become the perfect story rivalry between us and the Arizona Cardinals. We are 1-4 against Mason Rudolph & have two playoff losses to them, including, last season's Divisional loss as time expired with us in FG range, down 27-30. We know the team, we know the players, and we know what we have to do...leave no doubt.

Game Result: 31-17 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Ty Montgomery (3 Weeks), Corey Linsley (1 Week)
Game MVP: Green Bay Defense (17 PA, 3.0 sacks, 4 INT)
Game Thoughts: WE ARE THE 2021 NFC CHAMPIONS!!!!! Let's set the stage, because this was one for the ages: Arizona got the ball on the kickoff & was immediately led down field by Mason Rudolph (22/30, 268 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT) for 7 points on a pass to Trey Burton (5 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD). After a 3 and out series from Aaron Rodgers (25/34, 253 yards, 2 TD) and our offense, the Cards got the ball back and put one through the uprights for a 10-0 lead. David Johnson (5 attempts, 22 yards) got injured on the FG drive & would be out for the remainder of the game. After a couple of failed series from both teams and good defensive play, we cracked first and Arizona scored again with Marquise Lee (4 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD). Down 0-17, I honestly thought this was going to be a repeat of the 2018 Wild Card when they throttled us 47-6. With 2:00 to go in the 2nd quarter, Rodgers led us down field, eventually finding (R) Najee Harris (23 attempts, 83 yards, 1 TD, 2 catches, 28 yards, 1 TD) in the end zone for 6. We entered half, down 7-17. With the ball to start the second half, we came out with a vengeance. Rodgers led us down on our very first drive, finding Calvin Ridley (7 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD) in the end zone to close the gap, 14-17. From there, the defense went to WORK. Shaun Dion Hamilton (8 tackles, 2 INT) led the defense to 3.0 sacks & 4 INT's on Mason Rudolph, completely shutting down any offensive attack. The problem was, we just couldn't score! We had two failed red zone scoring drives which included a failed 4th and 1 at the 2 yard line & another where Rodgers fumbled on a scramble play. We finally broke free from our stall with 5:00 to go in the 4th as (R) Najee Harris punched it in for the the lead taking score. After shutting down Mason Rudolph AGAIN, we got the ball back and with 1:00 to go Aaron Ripkowski (2 attempts, 11 yards, 1 TD) busted in for the score on a FB dive. It was official, we had done it.

Postgame Thoughts: Down 0-17 in the second quarter, I thought we were done, really. This team is special & I 100% believe this is our season to win & our season to take the Super Bowl. We've got guys like Darren Carrington II & (R) Najee Harris recording career games as BACKUPS! We've got a defense recording 4 INT's in the NFC Championship on a 2 time NFL MVP! Most of all, we've got the 2021 NFL MVP leading us & a bus load of confidence heading into the biggest game of them all.

Conference Championship
(#8) Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6) defeated by (#2) Tennessee Titans (12-4) - 31-34
(#3) Green Bay Packers (12-4) defeat (#1) Arizona Cardinals (12-4) - 31-17

It came down to the wire in Tennessee as Marcus Mariota and the Titans win the AFC Championship for the second time! They will be looking for their second Super Bowl Championship in five years after winning it in 2017 over Detroit. We finally overcame Arizona in the postseason, avenging our two former losses to the Cardinals. We win our first NFC Championship & will play for all the marbles against Tennessee.

Super Bowl Packers (12-4) vs. Tennessee Titans (12-4)

Pregame Thoughts: The last time we took on Tennessee it was in Week 2 of the 2020 Season & we won, 38-16. Since then, the Titans got into the playoffs via the Wild Card, made an appearance in the AFC Championship, won the AFC South at 12-4, and won the AFC Championship. I don't expect the same team to show up today as the one we got back in Week 2 of the 2020 season, I just don't. Marcus Mariota (93) is a dynamic playmaker who can burn us with both his arm & legs. He's got a pair of very good weapons in the air game with Corey Davis (90) & Taywan Taylor (89), so it's crucial we focus on shutting that down. Joe Mixon (85) exploded this season as the feature back for the Titans and came in second place in the NFC Rusher of the Year voting. There is not a whole lot to speak of for Tennessee's defense, so that will be where we take this game.

Game Result: 36-26 Win
Game Injuries: Davante Adams (Out for Season), Christian LaCouture (Out for Season), Ty Montgomery (2 Weeks), Clint Boling (2 Weeks)
Game MVP: (R) Najee Harris (31 attempts, 131 yards, 4 TD)
Game Thoughts: QUE THE FREAKING MUSIC!!! WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, MY FRIENDS!!! Haha...I honestly cannot believe it, what have we DONE!? Our offense was not clicking for most of the first half, but our defense was showing up hard as we held Tennessee to 4 FG's. Down 0-12, Aaron Rodgers (28/36, 322 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) found Calvin Ridley (5 catches, 57 yards, 1 TD) for the score with 1:00 to go in the half. We got the ball first in the second half and Rodgers conducted an excellent drive down field to score again on a 1 yard rush by (R) Najee Harris. We went for the 2 point conversion and got it, taking our first lead of the game, 15-12. Marcus Mariota (18/31, 191 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) answered right back like he had been waiting for us to score & retook the lead, 19-15. It quickly became tit for tat as we rolled right back into their end zone as Harris scored AGAIN, giving us the 22-19 lead. Our defense held the Titans and forced the punt, giving us the ball back & another opportunity. We used that opportunity in FULL as Harris once AGAIN pounded it in for the TD, his THIRD ON THE DAY! Tit for tat continued as we held the slim lead, 29-26. It was coming down to the wire as we had the ball with 1:49 to go in the 4th. On 3rd and 12, Rodgers found Richard Rodgers (4 catches, 47 yards) for the first down & Tennessee only had one timeout remaining! We couldn't kneel three times, so we called a simple HB stretch and Harris found a massive gap, breaking free for a 50 yard TD, his FOURTH ON THE DAY! We lined up in victory formation and celebrated...

Postgame Thoughts: When we erased our 0-17 deficit in the NFC Championship against Arizona, I knew we would win, I knew it. We are the 2021 Super Bowl Champions, my first ever.

Super Bowl Championship
(#3) Green Bay Packers (12-4) defeat (#2) Tennessee Titans (12-4) - 36-26

We have officially brought Lombardi home.