Packers Huddle

Yeah, we have game 17 and possibly playoff appearance yet. But I'm ready to start summarizing the 2023 season. We can surely add to it in the next few weeks after we beat da Bears and win a game or two in the playoffs as the 7 seed.

When the season began, so many people expected this to be a rebuilding season. Truth it that it was. But the leadership on Lombardi insisted to never say that word. I'm sure they wanted to set expectations higher and I appreciate that. This season shows the value of expectations.

We traded away Aaron Rodgers. This led too many people to think that we would only win a few games and may be even "contend" for one of the top draft picks. Those people were wrong.

We brought in a bevvy of young skill guys, had an unproven OLine, a new starting QB, a highly criticized DC, a HC that is great for his QBs but still seemed to lack gameday savvy, and a lack of overall talent at Safety. We also brought in rookie Kicker and Punter. We became the youngest team in the league. How much more could we change and not be rebuilding?

September and October (and part of November) showed so many lapses in judgement and communication and experience. For as many high highs as we had (and there were plenty), we had low lows as well. Surely we would anticipate that from such a youthful squad.

But along the way we've seen:
Love becoming an upper tier QB
Jones prove his value (again)
Musgrave as a viable deep option (if only he can stay on his feet)
Kraft as an excellent open field receiver with yards after catch ability
Reed as a legitimate play maker and scorer
Doubs as the most dependable hands on the team
Tom as a very dependable RT
Walker as a good LT
Increased ability to run block by the OLine
Gary prove he is worth his contract
Quay showing more ability to get his hands on the ball
Cohesion in the locker room. No matter how bad things got, it seemed like this team has always believed.

Our setbacks include:
HEALTH. And let's not count how many hamstring injuries again this year.
Inexperience at DB (even offset by raw ability)
The OLine had to relearn how to run block. It was awful in the start of the season.
Watson missing more time to injury, just when he was getting primed
Stokes and his comeback setbacks
Bahktiari being unable to play.
Campbell seeming to have lost a step and his own injuries
Possible chaos in the locker room (Douglas?, Jaire?)

That's a lot to be thankful for and a lot to overcome.

In your FACE, Golf Cart Dave!!

I think I said 10-7.

So this year was a disappointment. We started off a lot worse than I expected we would.

But even I, I would consider myself a young gun homer, didn't expect our offense and Love to look this GOOD by season's end. This offense is 2009/2010 level right now. They are that good.

go pak go wrote: ↑

01 Jan 2024 12:56

I think I said 10-7.

So this year was a disappointment. We started off a lot worse than I expected we would.

But even I, I would consider myself a young gun homer, didn't expect our offense and Love to look this GOOD by season's end. This offense is 2009/2010 level right now. They are that good.

100% this. I fully expected the team to improve on last years record. I expected a slow start but strong progress after week 6ish, especially on offense. It all happened a bit late but better late then never!

Despite being young, this is a strong roster. They should be at this point in their progression, if not further along.

If anything, the last two weeks should help us understand that we do, in fact, have enough talent on defense to do good things. It only needs to be used properly.

Scott4Pack wrote: ↑

08 Jan 2024 18:01

If anything, the last two weeks should help us understand that we do, in fact, have enough talent on defense to do good things. It only needs to be used properly.

Lions, Chargers, and Chiefs games were also examples of that.

Pckfn23 wrote: ↑

08 Jan 2024 18:10

Scott4Pack wrote: ↑

08 Jan 2024 18:01

If anything, the last two weeks should help us understand that we do, in fact, have enough talent on defense to do good things. It only needs to be used properly.

Lions, Chargers, and Chiefs games were also examples of that.

I maintain that the Chiefs game was not a good defensive performance but a performance in which the Chiefs only had the ball 6 times and had a turnover.