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

[saintrules]

Bringing Lombardi Home

A Green Bay Packers Franchise

Welcome to my Madden 18 CFM with the Green Bay Packers! After successfully running a 12 year long CFM with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Madden 17, I'm back again looking to run a very similarly thread & have a blast while doing so. I reviewed all the things I did "right" and "wrong" in my CFM from last season & also used a couple of suggestions some followers had made. Before I get into things, here are a couple of questions to help clarify what this journey will all be about:

Why the Green Bay Packers?

As a Chicago Bears fan, deciding to use Green Bay was no easy decision. There is, however, something so intriguing about gearing up with Rodgers and the Packers to continue this lock they've had on the NFC North & contention year in and year out in the NFC. Green Bay has forever remained a constant threat, no matter how good the NFC gets or what kind of issues arise in Green Bay during the year. The front office consistently makes wise choices in the Draft and Free Agency, leading to a well rounded roster each season. Rodgers, without question, is one of the Top 3 QB's in the league right now and commands some pretty talented WR's on offense in Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Martellus Bennett, and Davante Adams. Defensively, the Packers have some fun young guns fresh out of the 2017 Draft, such as: Montravius Adams, Kevin King, and Josh Jones. There is a lot of potential hanging out for both the present & future, man I am pumped.

How will I run my CFM?

First off, I use "Play the Moments" for every single game. Why do I do this? I believe that Madden has really struck gold with this game mode & it consistently puts me in situations where I make the perfect amount of impact on the game. Since I don't get to participate in the full game, my team & player ratings really come into play & I must keep my team balanced in all areas or else it will lead to my demise. Next, I start my CFM knowing all too well that this is my franchise world. I keep things realistic, avoiding tanking rosters for draft picks, spending unrealistic money in Free Agency, or tricking the trade system. With that said, I also take what happens in my CFM and roll with it. Last season I picked up Aaron Rodgers on a one year deal after his days with Green Bay were over and it was a blast. We saw Matt Ryan & other top talent QB's go to the Jets & they still sucked. This is a game, after all, and what happens, happens. Also, I use 9 minute quarters with no runoff, custom Hall of Fame sliders, and the Week Roster Update from wherever I start. Something else to note is that history begins the moment I start this Franchise. I won't recall what teams have done prior to 2017 & will take each team as they are in this Franchise. When a team wins a Super Bowl, that's their 1st in my eyes, etc. You'll get the hang of what I mean after a season or two, promise.

How long will my CFM last?

My goal is to get through 15 seasons, at least. Last season I ran 12 seasons with the Jaguars & did a Power Ranking after 10 seasons for both all 32 teams & each division. I find it is a BLAST to watch how the league & teams progress over time, rebuilding, reloading, or turning into dynasties. I will also edit all 7 rounds of the first 3 NFL Drafts to accurately reflect college talent coming into the league. Last season we saw guys like JT Barrett come into the league & dominate, I'm pumped to do those as well. I have made a promise to myself to not play the playoffs if I have not finished writing the regular season, nor go into the offseason or new season if one of the former is not completed yet.

Let the games begin, again

[saintrules]

Packers HQ

Team Achievements
Overall Record: 52-28
Super Bowl Championships: 2021
NFC Championships: 2021
NFC Championship Appearances: 2021
NFC North Championships: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Wild Card Berths:

Season Records
2017: 7-9, 3rd NFC North
2018: 10-6, 1st NFC North
2019: 11-5, 1st NFC North
2020: 12-4, 1st NFC North
2021: 12-4, 1st NFC North

Player Achievements
NFL Most Valuable Player: 2021
NFC Offensive Player of the Year:
NFC Defensive Player of the Year: 2019
NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year:
NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year: 2018, 2019

Chicago Bulls
Player Position	Player	Pos	Team
Point Guard	Kris Dunn	C+	(13.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.0 APG)
Shooting Guard	Zach LaVine	B	(16.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG)
Small Forward	Lauri Markkanen	B-	(15.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.2 APG)
Power Forward	Wendell Carter Jr	C+	(0.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG)
Center	Robin Lopez	C-	(11.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.9 APG)
Sixth Man	Bobby Portis	C+	(13.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.7 APG)

[saintrules]

NFL HQ

Super Bowl Champion

2017: Tennessee Titans (87)
2018: Los Angeles Chargers (86)
2019: Pittsburgh Steelers (90)
2020: Dallas Cowboys (91)
2021: Green Bay Packers (88)


NFC Champion

2017: Detroit Lions (85)
2018: Dallas Cowboys (89)
2019: Dallas Cowboys (90) (2x)
2020: Dallas Cowboys (91) (3x)
2021: Green Bay Packers (88)


AFC Champion

2017: Tennessee Titans (87)
2018: Los Angeles Chargers (86)
2019: Pittsburgh Steelers (90)
2020: Los Angeles Chargers (91) (2x)
2021: Tennessee Titans (86) (2x)


NFL Most Valuable Player

2017: QB Matt Ryan (96) - Atlanta Falcons
2018: QB Tom Brady (99) - New England Patriots
2019: QB Mason Rudolph (90) - Arizona Cardinals
2020: QB Mason Rudolph (99) - Arizona Cardinals (2x)
2021: QB Aaron Rodgers (95) - Green Bay Packers


NFC Offensive Player of the Year

2017: QB Matt Ryan (96) - Atlanta Falcons
2018: QB Dak Prescott (91) - Dallas Cowboys
2019: QB Mason Rudolph (90) - Arizona Cardinals
2020: QB Mason Rudolph (99) - Arizona Cardinals (2x)
2021: QB Jameis Winston (91) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers


AFC Offensive Player of the Year

2017: HB Le'Veon Bell (99) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2018: QB Tom Brady (99) - New England Patriots
2019: QB Ben Roethlisberger (90) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2020: QB Marcus Mariota (92) - Tennessee Titans
2021: HB Le'Veon Bell (99) - Pittsburgh Steelers (2x)


NFC Defensive Player of the Year

2017: DE Brandon Graham (95) - Philadelphia Eagles
2018: DE Aaron Donald (99) - Los Angeles Rams
2019: MLB Shaun Dion Hamilton (86) - Green Bay Packers
2020: MLB Jaylon Smith (84) - Dallas Cowboys
2021: MLB Alec Ogletree (82) - New York Giants


AFC Defensive Player of the Year

2017: MLB Ryan Shazier (86) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2018: OLB Justin Houston (96) - Kansas City Chiefs
2019: MLB Denzel Perryman (84) - Los Angeles Chargers
2020: MLB CJ Mosley (91) - Baltimore Ravens
2021: MLB Nick Kwiatkoski (85) - New York Jets


NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year

2017: (R) HB Dalvin Cook (86) - Minnesota Vikings
2018: (R) QB Luke Falk (83) - New Orleans Saints
2019: (R) HB Saquon Barkley (81) - Philadelphia Eagles
2020: (R) HB Mike Weber (68) - Seattle Seahawks
2021: (R) QB Jacob Eason (79) - Washington Redskins


AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year

2017: (R) HB Leonard Fournette (92) - Jacksonville Jaguars
2018: (R) QB Baker Mayfield (83) - New York Jets
2019: (R) QB Nick Fitzgerald (81) - New England Patriots
2020: (R) WR Tyrie Cleveland (81) - Baltimore Ravens
2021: (R) TE Colby Parkinson (83) - Oakland Raiders


NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year

2017: (R) OLB Reuben Foster (83) - San Francisco 49ers
2018: (R) MLB Shaun Dion Hamilton (84) - Green Bay Packers
2019: (R) OLB Tremaine Edmunds (83) - Green Bay Packers
2020: (R) OLB Nick Bosa (84) - New York Giants
2021: (R) OLB Mack Wilson (86) - Minnesota Vikings


AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year

2017: (R) SS Jamal Adams (90) - New York Jets
2018: (R) SS Damon Webb (80) - Buffalo Bills
2019: (R) MLB Malik Jefferson (86) - Indianapolis Colts
2020: (R) CB Trayvon Mullen (80) - New York Jets
2021: (R) CB Stanford Samuels (84) - Miami Dolphins


NFC Quarterback of the Year

2017: QB Matt Ryan (96) - Atlanta Falcons
2018: QB Dak Prescott (91) - Dallas Cowboys
2019: QB Mason Rudolph (90) - Arizona Cardinals
2020: QB Mason Rudolph (99) - Arizona Cardinals (2x)
2021: QB Jameis Winston (91) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers


AFC Quarterback of the Year

2017: QB Tom Brady (99) - New England Patriots
2018: QB Tom Brady (99) - New England Patriots (2x)
2019: QB Ben Roethlisberger (90) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2020: QB Baker Mayfield (92) - New York Jets
2021: QB Kelly Bryant (80) - Los Angeles Chargers


NFC Rusher of the Year

2017: HB Devonta Freeman (89) - Atlanta Falcons
2018: HB Devonta Freeman (97) - Atlanta Falcons (2x)
2019: HB David Johnson (99) - Arizona Cardinals
2020: HB Ezekiel Elliot (99) - Dallas Cowboys
2021: HB David Johnson (99) - Arizona Cardinals (2x)


AFC Rusher of the Year

2017: HB Le'Veon Bell (99) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2018: HB Le'Veon Bell (99) - Pittsburgh Steelers (2x)
2019: HB Le'Veon Bell (99) - Pittsburgh Steelers (3x)
2020: HB Jalen Richard (88) - Oakland Raiders
2021: HB Le'Veon Bell (99) - Pittsburgh Steelers (4x)


NFC Receiver of the Year

2017: WR Julio Jones (99) - Atlanta Falcons
2018: WR Julio Jones (99) - Atlanta Falcons (2x)
2019: WR Dez Bryant (92) - Dallas Cowboys
2020: WR Michael Thomas (94) - New Orleans Saints
2021: WR Mike Evans (98) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers


AFC Reciever of the Year

2017: WR Julien Edelman (89) - New England Patriots
2018: WR Demaryius Thomas (89) - Denver Broncos
2019: WR Antonio Brown (97) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2020: WR Allen Robinson (94) - Jacksonville Jaguars
2021: WR Mike Williams (92) - Los Angeles Chargers


NFC Offensive Lineman of the Year

2017: C Alex Mack (91) - Atlanta Falcons
2018: OG Zack Martin (98) - Dallas Cowboys
2019: OG Zack Martin (98) - Dallas Cowboys (2x)
2020: OG Zack Martin (99) - Dallas Cowboys (3x)
2021: OG Dorian Johnson (92) - Arizona Cardinals


AFC Offensive Lineman of the Year

2017: OT Nate Solder (87) - New England Patriots
2018: OT David Decastro (92) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2019: OT Joe Thomas (94) - New York Jets
2020: OG Forrest Lamp (95) - Los Angeles Chargers
2021: OG Forrest Lamp (96) - Los Angeles Chargers (2x)


NFC Defensive Lineman of the Year

2017: DE Brandon Graham (95) - Philadelphia Eagles
2018: DE Aaron Donald (99) - Los Angeles Rams
2019: OLB Leonard Floyd (88) - Chicago Bears
2020: DE Aaron Donald (99) - Los Angeles Rams (2x)
2021: DE Aaron Donald (99) - Los Angeles Rams (3x)


AFC Defensive Lineman of the Year

2017: DE Calais Campbell (93) - Jacksonville Jaguars
2018: DE Melvin Ingram (91) - Los Angeles Chargers
2019: DE Joey Bosa (97) - Los Angeles Chargers
2020: DE Myles Garrett (97) - Cleveland Browns
2021: DE Trey Flowers (92) - New England Patriots


NFC Linebacker of the Year

2017: MLB Luke Kuechly (99) - Carolina Panthers
2018: MLB Jordan Hicks (88) - Philadelphia Eagles
2019: MLB Luke Kuechly (99) - Carolina Panthers (2x)
2020: OLB Danny Trevathan (80)- Chicago Bears
2021: MLB Luke Kuechly (98) - Carolina Panthers (3x)


AFC Linebacker of the Year

2017: MLB Ryan Shazier (89) - Pittsburgh Steelers
2018: OLB Justin Houston (96) - Kansas City Chiefs
2019: MLB Denzel Perryman (84) - Los Angeles Chargers
2020: MLB CJ Mosley (91) - Baltimore Ravens
2021: MLB Nick Kwiatkoski (85) - New York Jets


NFC Defensive Back of the Year

2017: CB Patrick Peterson (92) - Arizona Cardinals
2018: CB Kevin Johnson (82) - Dallas Cowboys
2019: CB Desmond Trufant (91) - Atlanta Falcons
2020: CB Richard Sherman (91) - Seattle Seahawks
2021: CB Jaire Alexander (83) - Arizona Cardinals


AFC Defensive Back of the Year

2017: CB Chris Harris Jr (95) - Denver Broncos
2018: SS Jamal Adams (98) - New York Jets
2019: CB Byron Maxwell (82) - Miami Dolphins
2020: CB Malcolm Butler (93) - New England Patriots
2021: CB Malcolm Butler (92) - New England Patriots (2x)

[saintrules]

That's all the space I need boys. Really looking forward to kicking this thing off in the next couple of days! Feel free to post. As always, appreciate any and all comments or likes, helps my motivation to keep putting out content!

[saintrules]

SEASON 1
2017

[saintrules]

Hello & welcome to the 2017 NFL Season! I'm super stoked to get this CFM underway & bring you all on my journey. I'll first showcase the Top 5 OVR, Top 10 Offense & Defenses in the NFL, & then a division by division summary. Without further ado, here's a preview of my FIRST season in this Packers franchise:

Top 5 Overalls
New England Patriots - 89 OVR
Dallas Cowboys - 89 OVR
Seattle Seahawks - 89 OVR
Carolina Panthers - 87 OVR
Green Bay Packers - 87 OVR


Top 10 Offenses
Dallas Cowboys - 99 OFF
Pittsburgh Steelers - 97 OFF
New England Patriots - 97 OFF
Oakland Raiders - 95 OFF
Green Bay Packers - 95 OFF
Tennessee Titans - 95 OFF
Atlanta Falcons - 93 OFF
Philadelphia Eagles - 93 OFF
New Orleans Saints - 91 OFF
Detroit Lions - 91 OFF


Top 10 Defenses
Seattle Seahawks - 95 DEF
Kansas City Chiefs - 91 DEF
Denver Broncos - 91 DEF
Minnesota Vikings - 89 DEF
New England Patriots - 89 DEF
Carolina Panthers - 89 DEF
New York Giants - 89 DEF
Los Angeles Chargers - 89 DEF
Baltimore Ravens - 89 DEF
Miami Dophins - 89 DEF


AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers - 87 OVR - Projected Record: 12-4
Cincinnati Bengals - 82 OVR - Projected Record: 9-7
Baltimore Ravens - 85 OVR - Projected Record: 7-9
Cleveland Browns - 80 OVR - Projected Record: 4-12

Pittsburgh rolls into 2017 with the 2nd most talented offense in the NFL with RB Le'Veon Bell (99), WR Antonio Brown (99), and QB Ben Roethlisberger (92). Keeping the killer B's healthy is going to be their key to success, because there's not much else out in the AFC North to stop them if they hit stride early. Baltimore has a Top 10 defense behind FS Eric Weddle (94) & MLB CJ Mosley (90), but their offense is rough & they're going to need to put points on the board to keep up with Pitt. Cincy has a pretty low OVR despite having strong talent spread around the field. I wouldn't be too surprised if this team competed nicely for the Wild Card & or even challenged Pittsburgh for the division. WR AJ Green (96) and TE Tyler Eifert (95) are a offensive nightmare. Good ole Believeland is on the up & up, but I think it's way too early to consider the Browns as a team to watch in the North. QB DeShone Kizer (75) is going to be fun to follow, among other pieces on this roster like DE Myles Garrett (83) & SS Jabrill Peppers (76).

AFC South
Tennessee Titans - 87 OVR - Projected Record: 11-5
Jacksonville Jaguars - 82 OVR - Projected Record: 9-7
Indianapolis Colts - 81 OVR - Projected Record: 7-9
Houston Texans - 81 OVR - Projected Record: 5-11

QB Marcus Mariota (80) and his Tennessee Titans are front and center in the AFC South & should be that way for the majority of the season. The Titans' Top 10 offense is going to have plenty of options with TE Delanie Walker (96), HB Demarco Murray (94), WR Eric Decker (86), and WR Rishard Matthews (82), not to mention RB Derrick Henry (79) quietly lurking in the background. Their defense is pretty good too, not as stellar as the offense, but good enough to help win games for the team. Tennessee has the makings of an AFC contender. Jacksonville, by all accounts, is a team on THE up and up. These guys are loaded on defense with DE Calais Campbell (92), CB AJ Bouye (90), OLB Paul Posluszny (89), and CB Jalen Ramsey (86). Not only this, but Jacksonville scored big in the 2017 NFL Draft by bringing in RB Leonard Fournette (81) who looks to be the next big thing in the NFL running game. Are the Jaguars good enough to challenge Tennessee for the AFC South? The Colts & Texans are not bad teams, by any account, they just aren't that good. DE JJ Watt (99) is pretty much the entire Texans' defense & DeAndre Hopkins (93) and RB Lamar Miller (90) will need to help out rookie QB Deshaun Watson (76). For the Colts, QB Andrew Luck (92) and WR TY Hilton (93) are a nasty pair, but things fall off rather quickly following the duo. I think Houston and Indianapolis are in limbo, average & could trend in either direction.


AFC East
New England Patriots - 89 OVR - Projected Record: 15-1
Miami Dolphins - 83 OVR - Projected Record: 9-7
Buffalo Bills - 82 OVR - Projected Record: 7-9
New York Jets - 73 OVR - Projected Record: 1-15

The 2017 New England Patriots are the most talented team in the league this season boasting Top 10 units on both sides of the ball. The Super Bowl trophy should be the only thing on their mind. QB Tom Brady (99) commands a nasty offense with options like: TE Rob Gronkowski (99), WR Julian Edelman (89), WR Brandin Cooks (86), WR Chris Hogan (83), and RB Dion Lewis (82). Combine those weapons with trench guys like OT Marcus Cannon (88), OT Nate Solder (87), and OG Shaq Mason (85)...my oh my. Oh yeah, their defense is top tier talent as well. CB Malcon Butler (95) & FS Devin McCourty (92) will patrol the (not so friendly) skies in Gillette Stadium, whilst MLB Dont'A Hightower (89) prays each down someone comes into bubble. Miami and Buffalo can go either direction this season. There's talent there, such as: DT Ndamukong Suh (96), RB LeSean McCoy (93), DE Cameron Wake (91), and SS Reshad Jones (90), leading to the question...can the other side of the ball, particularly Buffalo's defense, and Miami's offense, keep up with their counterpart? There are holes in important spots, and injuries could lead to the demise of the entire club. Speaking of holes, who let the New York Jets college football team play in the NFL this season? The Jets are a mess, on every account, ever. DE Leonard Williams (88) and OLB Sheldon Richardson (84) may actually never leave the field because the Jets offense won't stay on it long enough. These boys are in a deep, deep rebuild.


AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs - 86 OVR - Projected Record: 11-5
Oakland Raiders - 85 OVR - Projected Record: 11-5
Denver Broncos - 85 OVR - Projected Record: 9-7
Los Angeles Chargers - 83 OVR - Projected Record: 7-9

The Wild Wild West is alive and booming with Kansas City, Denver, and LA boasting Top 10 defenses, while Oakland sports a Top 5 Offense. In terms of the AFC, I think we have our most competitive division here in the West, likely finding at least one of our Wild Card teams, if not both, by seasons' end. The AFC West holds arguably the best defensive talent in the NFL with guys like OLB Von Miller (99), OLB Khalil Mack (97), OLB Justin Houston (96), CB Aqib Talib (96), SS Eric Berry (94), DE Melvin Ingram (89), and DE Joey Bosa (88). What's concerning in the West is that there is no standout. There's a likely scenario where these guys beat each other up, someone wins the division, and everyone misses out on the Wild Card with 8 or 9 wins, while another division gets a 10 win squad, plus their division champ. I'll target the Chiefs and Raiders to get into the playoffs right now, but don't be surprised if Denver or heck even LA gets in as well. West coast best coast.


NFC North
Green Bay Packers - 87 OVR - Projected Record: 12-4
Detroit Lions - 85 OVR - Projected Record: 10-6
Minnesota Vikings - 84 OVR - Projected Record: 7-9
Chicago Bears - 83 OVR - Projected Record: 5-11

Home sweet home in the NFC North. I'll come out and say right now that I do not believe there's any bottom feeding talent in the NFC North. Even though the Bears are rough on both sides of the ball, I do think there's competitive talent in that system, especially because I am not using pre existing injuries. Minnesota has one of the strongest defensive units, Top 5 in the league, but there are definitely questions surrounding QB Sam Bradford (83) and the Vikings offense. Detroit is a strong club all around, really well balanced, despite neither of their units being Top 10 talents. They are definitely going to be our toughest test for the division & our defense has to limit QB Matthew Stafford (87) and WR Golden Tate III (87). The NFC North is ours to lose, but we have to come to play every single week.


NFC South
Atlanta Falcons - 86 OVR - Projected Record: 13-3
Carolina Panthers - 87 OVR - Projected Record: 10-6
New Orleans Saints - 85 OVR - Projected Record: 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 82 OVR - Projected Record: 8-8

The NFC South is the Wild Wild West for offensive talent, with Atlanta and Carolina boasting Top 10 units & New Orleans and Tampa Bay not far behind. The QB play in this league is ridiculous with guys like QB Matt Ryan (98), QB Drew Brees (94), QB Cam Newton (88), and QB Jameis Winston (81). Not only this, but the South also has dudes like WR Julio Jones (99), TE Greg Olson, and WR Mike Evans (95). Carolina sports the most well rounded team with both units in the Top 10, but the offense of Atlanta is going to be a lot to handle. Tampa Bay, despite being the least talented OVR team in the South, can definitely contend for a playoff spot. This gunna be good...


NFC East
Dallas Cowboys - 89 OVR - Projected Record: 14-2
Washington Redskins - 86 OVR - Projected Record: 10-6
Philadelphia Eagles - 86 OVR - Projected Record: 10-6
New York Giants - 84 OVR - Projected Record: 8-8

Speaking of good, holy cow the NFC East is LOADED. All four teams boast a Top 10 unit, with Dallas sporting the #1 offense in the league behind their ridiculous O Line. I really don't know what else to say about this division, it's going to be a blood bath. Between the East and the South, it's going to be war for the two Wild Card spots...brb getting the popcorn.


NFC West
Seattle Seahawks - 89 OVR - Projected Record: 13-3
Arizona Cardinals - 83 OVR - Projected Record: 7-9
Los Angeles Rams - 81 OVR - Projected Record: 6-10
San Francisco 49ers - 79 OVR - Projected Record: 3-12

#1 Defense in the NFL & #3 Overall, Seattle looks to QB Russell Wilson (90) and the Legion of Boom: SS Kam Chancelor (95), MLB Bobby Wagner (94) FS Earl Thomas III (94), and CB Richard Sherman (90), to have the West locked up tight. I can't really fathom a scenario where Seattle doesn't win the division, barring some sort of catastrophe with injuries. Arizona actually has a pretty good system under it's belt as well, but just looking at these two squads on paper, Seattle all the way. Los Angeles and San Francisco have too many glaring holes & are definitely projects. The Niners are likely on the up & up, but it's still too early to hand them a 5+ win projection.

[saintrules]

Below is the Packers Depth Chart for the 2017 NFL Season:

Quarterback:
1. Aaron Rodgers (99)
2. Brett Hundley (72)
3. Joe Callahan (65)

We've got a once in a lifetime Hall of Fame caliber QB to lead an offense with weapons all over the board. Mr. Discount Double Check is not only by a long shot the best player on our roster, but tied for #1 in the entire NFL. Rodgers is in his prime, and we need to utilize every single moment of him that we can. Brett Hundley isn't really our post Rodgers plan, though a decent talent, he's here for injuries to the big guy, and he better perform if it comes to that. Joe Callahan, for all intensive purposes, is just hanging out, happy to be getting paid.

Runningback:
1. Ty Montgomery (82)
2. (R) Jamaal Williams (76)
3. (R) Aaron Jones (75)

Our backfield isn't great when you compare it to our QB, WR, and TE core, but it'll do for now. Ty Montgomery is worth starting over our BYU rookie, Jamaal Williams, who is raw & needs time to develop. Williams will get 3rd down exposure here and there, but I'm looking for Ty to be a three down back. Aaron Jones is also in the pipeline, rookie out of UTEP.

Wide Receiver:
1. Jordy Nelson (92)
2. Randall Cobb (88)
3. Davante Adams (86)
4. Jeff Janis (68)
5. Geronimo Allison (68)

The Nelson, Cobb, Adams, trio, makes up one of the best receiving cores in the league. Rodgers is bound to have a field day with these talents & there are very few opposing defenses that should be able to even limit these guys. Janis and Allison aren't my favorite WR4 & WR5 options, but they are both relatively young, so let's see how they pan out. I do have to consider that Jordy is 32 years old & there's always that potential he hangs up the cleats. This will be something to address down the road, but for now, this is the squad.

Tight End:
1. Martellus Bennett (92)
2. Richard Rodgers (85)
3. Lance Kendricks (81)

The Free Agency acquisition of Martellus Bennett in the offseason was huge, now it's time for it to pay dividends. This dude is a beast in all aspects & I think a lot of teams are going to have issues containing both he & our stud WR's...throw in another solid TE in Richard Rodgers & Lance Kendricks here and there...yikes. I love it.

Offensive Left Tackle:
1. David Bakhtiari (92)
2. Jason Spriggs (74)

Bakhtiari is one of the best Left Tackles in the business. Throw in Jason Spriggs coming up through the pipes & we are all good at Left Tackle for a while.

Offensive Left Guard:
1. Lane Taylor (79)
2. (R) Adam Pankey (66)

Lane Taylor isn't the best talent at Left Guard, but it's kinda one of those positions you can get away with. I'll keep an eye on his stats & if sacks become an issue from his spot, I'll note it. He needs to stay healthy, however, because the difference between he & Pankey is way too big.

Center:
1. Corey Linsley (82)
2. (R) Kofi Amichia (70)

Linsley is a 3rd year man & he's doing alright at Center. Is he a stud muffin? Nah, not really. Can he turn into one? There's always a chance. He's young and we've got an even younger rookie in Amichia out of USF. Praise the Packers front office for doing a dang good job setting up this O Line for the future.

Offensive Right Guard:
1. Jahri Evans (80)
2. Don Barclay (70)

Here's a spot on the line I have slight reservations about. I say slight, because, once again, Right Guard is a bit of a spot you can get away with. However, Jahri Evans isn't getting any younger entering his 11th season in the league. Don Barclay is a 5th year man and only a 70 OVR, so I've made a mental note that Right Guard may need to be addressed this offseason.

Offensive Right Tackle:
1. Bryan Bulaga (84)
2. Kyle Murphey (69)

We have kind of a similar situation at Right Tackle as Left Tackle, give or take a few OVR differences. Bulaga isn't O Line old quite yet, so I imagine he'll be around for a bit, giving 2nd year man, Kyle Murphey, some time to grow. O Line guys are like gardens...you gotta feed them, water them, give them sunlight, and in a couple years they'll produce for you.

Defensive Left End:
1. Kenny Clark (78)
2. Dean Lowry (71)

Second year man, Kenny Clark, will head up the Left End spot for us entering 2017. I'll definitely consider him an up and coming talent for this defense & hopefully the next Mike Daniels. Dean Lowry is also a 2nd year player, so we are set here.

Defensive Tackle:
1. (R) Montravius Adams (78)
2. Letroy Guion (77)
3. Christian Ringo (69)

Here goes the gamble. Auburn rookie Montravius Adams is getting the start at Nose Tackle over 10 year man, Letroy Guion. Adams is already more talented and it's a fact he is going to be a better player. A 78 OVR for a rookie is pretty good, so I'm excited to see what he can evolve into after getting a full 16 game season under his belt.

Defensive Right End:
1. Mike Daniels (90)
2. Ricky Jean Francois (77)

Big Mikey D gets the start at Right End, no surprise at all here. We are going to NEED him to step up and make plays as our most talented defensive piece. We're going to be facing some standout offenses this season & he can set the tone for the younger Adams and Clark. Ricky J ain't that good and ain't that young, but he's a decent guy to backup a star player.

Left Outside Linebacker:
1. Nick Perry (88)
2. Jayrone Elliot (74)
3. (R) Vince Biegel (72)

Let's go down the line here... Nick Perry, 6th year man out of USC, 88 OVR. Great talent, not too old, solid starter. Jayrone Elliot, 4th year man out of Toledo, 74 OVR. Growing talent, good age, solid backup. Vince Biegel, rookie out of Wisconsin, 72 OVR. Growing talent, great age, solid future. I can appreciate what the front office has done with LOLB.

Middle Linebacker:
1. Jake Ryan (78)
2. Blake Martinez (77)
3. Joe Thomas (73)

Here begins the first of our two problem areas with the defense. Jake Ryan and Blake Martinez aren't old or bad talents by any means. They're young & have room to grow, problem is, we need these suckers to grow fast. If we had a stellar D Line and Secondary, we could probably get away with these two as our 3-4 MLB's. Problem is, we really don't have that stellar of the aforementioned. I may be overreacting a bit, but Ryan and Martinez stick out a bit like a sore thumb, and my fear is that we are going to have issues stopping some of the better running games once they hit the second level, TE's going on drag routes, and WR's working mid field. Not only this, but if an injury (knock on wood) hits either of these guys, Joe Thomas is all of the sudden a starter and there is no other backup.

Right Outside Linebacker:
1. Clay Matthews (85)
2. Kyler Fackrell (74)

When you think of the Packers you think of Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews. Sure, Matthews isn't quite the talent he once was, but the talent is still there and he will be a Packer till he hangs up those cleats. Good talent & a pretty good backup in place.

Cornerback:
1. Damarious Randall (78)
2. Davon House (75)
3. Quinten Rollins (74)
4. Ladarius Gunter (73)
5. (R) Kevin King (71)

Ah, our second problem area with the defense. Here's the skinny on Cornerback: We've got good talent in the pipeline, thing is, the talent is in the pipeline. Quinten Rollins, Ladarius Gunter, and Kevin King are my future at CB for the Pack, but for right now, Damarious Randall and Davon House are tasked with the job of stopping WR's we play this season such as: Julio Jones (99), Antonio Brown (99), Mike Evans (95), AJ Green (95), and in division rival talents like Golden Tate III (90). Randall and House need to step up and play out of their mind, there's no breathing room.

Free Safety:
1. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (83)
2. (R) Josh Jones (75)
3. Kentrell Brice (69)

Ha Ha aka the best name in the NFL is a good talent, that's where I am at with him. I think he's relatively the bridge player between whomever came before him & our future FS, Josh Jones. Hopefully he can step up and prove he's a worthy starter, creating a little position battle once Jones progresses.

Strong Safety:
1. Morgan Burnett (85)
2. Marwin Evans (64)

Morgan Burnett is a good Strong Safety & I think we can rely on him to do his job & do it well. There's practically zero depth here, so his health is vital. Maybe we need to address this in the offseason...

Special Teams:
K. Mason Crosby (74)
P. Justin Vogel (71)
KR/PR. Randall Cobb (92)

Mason Crosby isn't a very good Kicker anymore & that's kinda worrisome. This isn't really a position that grows on trees in college football, so if we want to upgrade at all we will just scour FA in the offseason.

[saintrules]

Week 1 Packers (0-0) vs. Seattle Seahawks (0-0)

Pregame Thoughts: Why not start the 2017 NFL Season with the #1 Defense & #3 Overall team in the NFL? It's time to begin the grind & set the tone for this year. Yeah, the Legion of Boom is insane, but our offense is pretty insane too. Let the games begin...

Game Result: 26-32 Loss
Game Injuries: None
Game MVP: Russell Wilson (27/31, 290 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT)
Game Thoughts:Despite the loss, this thing was a barn burner from the moment, "GO". We managed to keep things knotted up heading into halftime, 16-16, with Rodgers (28/38, 323 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) connecting twice with Randall Cobb (9 catches, 85 yards, 2 TD) & both special teams missing XP's and scoring a FG a piece. Things remained super tight heading into the 4th where Clay Matthews (5 tackles, 2.0 sacks), Mike Daniels (7 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.0 sacks), & Kenny Clark (6 tackles, 1.0 sacks) all recorded sacks or TFL's, limiting Seattle to 3 & tying the game at 19 a piece. After each team recorded TD's deep in the 4th, Clay Matthews came up with another massive sack on Russell to get us the ball with a minute to go. Unfortunately, the ball hawking Seattle Seahawks swooped in and stole a pass from Rodgers, returning it for the score.

Postgame Thoughts: We knew this was going to be a super tough matchup & one of these two powerhouse squads was going to get the loss. Unfortunately, it was us, but that only gives me more of a chip on our shoulder to come out next week against Atlanta and prove we are not to be messed with.

Week 2 Packers (0-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

Pregame Thoughts: Our secondary needs to step up big time to limit Matt Ryan and Julio Jones this week. Russell Wilson was damn near perfect last week, connecting on over 85% of his throws, and we just cannot let that continue. Let's see Damarious Randall and Davon House get their hands in there, whilst Matthews, Daniels, and Clark, come out with the same vengeance as last week.

Game Result: 30-19 Win
Game Injuries: None
Game MVP: Damarious Randall (1 INT)
Game Thoughts: Sweet, sweet victory against a crew I know will be competing in the postseason. Rodgers (34/47, 376 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) commanded our offense to 30 points, once again connecting with Cobb (10 catches, 131 yards, 2 TD), twice. Ty Montgomery (28 attempts, 97 yards, 1 TD) recorded his first rushing TD of the season, nearly eclipsing the century mark in yardage. I have to give the game ball to Damarious Randall, however, who was tasked with limiting Matt Ryan (15/22, 148 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and Julio Jones (7 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD), and he did just that. Did they manage to score together? Yeah, but that was pretty expected. Kudos to you Randall.

Postgame Thoughts:Very strong win against a unit we can definitely see in the NFC Championship, knock on wood, we make it there. After the loss to Seattle & the win in Atlanta, we've split two of the three hardest non division teams we will face this season, the third being Dallas in a couple weeks.

Week 3 Packers (1-1) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Pregame Thoughts: The Bengals are kind of a hidden gem to me. They aren't really on the up & up, nor are they trending downward, they're just "there" and they have some pretty good pieces to go along with that. Andy Dalton and AJ Green are kinda like the budget Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, whom we beat last week, so let's do that again, okay?

Game Result: 23-28 Loss
Game Injuries: LG Lane Taylor (5 weeks Shoulder Tear)
Game MVP: Cincinnati Defense (3.0 sacks, 2 INT, 2 TD)
Game Thoughts: In a game where my concerns were focused on my weakest link, our secondary, it was our strength that got caught up and lost the game in the end. Aaron Rodgers (23/39, 320 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT) was picked off twice by the Bengals secondary, both times resulting in six. QB is really the only position that can both win & lose you games & today, Rodgers just made two critical mistakes and it resulted in the loss. Overall I think we performed pretty well, Ty Montgomery (23 attempts, 98 yards, 1 TD) put together another nice game on the ground, scoring his second rushing TD of the year. Rodgers, minus the bad parts, connected for a lot of yards with Martellus Bennett (7 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD) and Jordy Nelson (5 catches, 98 yards, 1 TD) nearly snagged 100 as well. Jake Ryan (9 tackles, 2.0 sacks) & Kenny Clark (5 tackles, 2.0 sacks) got after Andy Dalton (25/42, 253 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT) a couple of times each, holding him to a mild outing.

Postgame Thoughts: It was an unexpected loss in Week 3, and an even more unexpected way of getting the loss. The season is young & I know a little rust needs to shake off, hopefully all was shook today. Injury Note: OG Lane Taylor will be out for the next 5 weeks with a Shoulder Tear.

Week 4 Packers (1-2) vs. Chicago Bears (2-1)

Pregame Thoughts: There are no "easy wins" in the NFL, but there are teams who have their stuff together, and those that do not. The Bears are figuring their stuff out, and we are a team who is expected to be contending. Let's get this division win & get back to .500.

Game Result: 30-36 Loss
Game Injuries: LT David Bakhtiari (8 weeks Broken Collerbone)
Game MVP: (R) Mitchell Trubisky (21/32, 255 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT)
Game Thoughts: For the second week in a row, our fate was sealed by a pick 6. Aaron Rodgers (28/38, 265 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT) played superb besides the one mishap, which, we have to allow for more room. This falls on our defense who failed to stop Trubisky and Jordan Howard (38 attempts, 142 yards, 1 TD) from scoring & moving the ball. Mike Daniels (4 tackles, 2.0 sacks) showed up and snagged two take downs on Trubisky, but if a team is going to run a guy nearly FOURTY TIMES, we are doing something very wrong in the rush defense department.

Postgame Thoughts: We had to win this game & throwing another pick 6 to lose it is infuriating. We lost Bakhtiari, our starting LT, for a really good chunk of the season...not good.