2013 NFL Predictions: Green Bay Packers Projected Wins plus NFC and Super Bowl Odds

2013 NFL Predictions: Green Bay Packers Projected Wins plus NFC and Super Bowl Odds: Despite injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, including receiver Greg Jennings and linebacker Clay Matthews, the Green Bay Packers won the NFC North for the second year in a row in 2012. Not surprisingly, the arm of 2011 NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers played a huge role in the team’s success, and for the second year in a row, he led the league in quarterback rating and touchdown percentage. However, the Packers also exited in the playoffs in the divisional round for the second year in a row. After dispatching the Minnesota Vikings in a wild card matchup, Green Bay ran into Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers and was on the wrong end of a 45-31 beatdown. While making the playoffs is nice, the fact that Rodgers and company hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in 2010 makes anything less a tough pill to swallow. As a result, a Super Bowl title is the only thing that will make the 2013 season a successful one for the Packers.

The Good News:

Green Bay has Aaron Rodgers under center, and that can make up for just about everything else. He has a cannon for an arm and is deadly accurate, and Rodgers has 84 touchdowns and just 14 picks over the past two years. He also has plenty of weapons at his disposal, including deep threat Jordy Nelson, red zone monster James Jones and rising slot star Randall Cobb. Meanwhile, this year’s offense might also feature a run game after the Packers used a second-round back on power back Eddie Lacy out of Alabama and a fourth-round pick on speedy back Johnathan Franklin out of UCLA. On the defensive side of the ball, sack artist Clay Matthews should be healthy after managing 13.0 sacks in 12 games last year. In fact, the entire front seven should be better thanks to multiple early-round picks being used to upgrade the defensive line over the past two seasons.

The Bad News:

Rodgers was sacked a league-leading 51 times last year, and protecting the franchise QB didn’t get any easier when left tackle Bryan Bulaga went down for the season with a knee injury. Plain and simple, the Packers aren’t going anywhere if Rodgers goes down. While the offensive line is definitely the top concern, Green Bay also lost a lot of leadership on both sides of the ball with the departures of receiver Greg Jennings and safety Charles Woodson. The loss of Woodson in particular could prove costly unless someone else steps up to lead a secondary that has been known to give up big plays.

 Outlook:

While the Packers aren’t without their flaws, having arguably the best players in the league at the most important position can make up for a lot of other issues. Rodgers has already shown he can make sure the Packers’ offensive remains one of the best in the NFL despite injuries to his receiving corps, a bad offensive line and the lack of a running game. In his last three seasons alone, he has helped Green Bay win a Super Bowl and a pair of division titles while winning himself an MVP Award. Meanwhile, the upgrades in the backfield and along the defensive front should help make the Packers a more balanced team. With Matthews leading a revamped defense and Rodgers taking care of things on the offensive side of the ball, Green Bay should be able to capture the NFC North crown for the third year in a row and make another run at a championship.

Prediction: 11-5, NFC North Division Champions

Green Bay Packers Odds to Win NFC North: -150
Green Bay Packers Odds to Win NFC: +600
Green Bay Packers Odds to Win Super Bowl: +1200

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