2017 NFL Week 1: Packers vs. Seahawks

Today is the day we've been waiting for since the season-and-Super Bowl-run-ending loss in Atlanta, Packers fans...it's the start of a new season and the chance to bring the Lombardi Trophy back home to Lambeau Field where it rightfully belongs.

The NFL schedule-makers have set the Packers quite a test in their first two games, at home against the Seattle Seahawks and on the road versus the Atlanta Falcons...two of the teams, along with the Pack and perhaps another team or two that figure to be in the mix for the NFC Conference Championship. More about today's game in a moment. But first, here's a bit of an addendum to yesterday's Season Prediction post. Here is the overall strength of schedule for each NFL team (based on the final 2016 records of a team's 2017 opponents):

Looking at this strength of schedule, the entire NFC North seems to have one of the lighter schedules in terms of strength of opponent. Well...c'mon. This is the NFL and on any given Sunday, etc. Unless, of course...Cleveland...or Buffalo...or the Jets.

But back to the Pack and the Seahawks today. What do we know? Or at least think we know?

Packers favored by 3

At the time of this writing, the Packers get the benefit of home field advantage in what is otherwise being seen as a toss-up game by pundits and oddsmakers. The Pack has typically taken care of business, including the Seahawks, at Lambeau Field. Of course, over the last few seasons the Pack has also gotten off to slow season starts. This season, the team can't afford that. With the Seahawks and Falcons back to back to start the season, the Packers have to at least split those two games if not outright win both, as we'd all prefer, right? Right!

We have to believe that the Packers offense will put up points, particularly with the addition of Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks to the tight end corps, a focused Ty Montgomery in the backfield (who is backed up by all three of the Pack's rookie draft pick runners, just in case), and the best quarterback and wide receiver group in the league. The offensive line is a bit of a question mark in terms of depth. With right tackle Bryan Bulaga ruled out for today's game, a tight end or running back might need to be dedicated to help out that side of the field.

On the defensive side of the ball, that's the big unknown. Apparently Packers management wasn't satisfied with what they had following the preseason and picked up a couple castoffs from other teams to help beef up that side of the ball. Those players seem as if they will be an upgrade, but how much they'll contribute today after only a day or two on the practice field...? Also, it will be interesting to see how well the Pack's upgraded -- but still young -- defensive backfield holds up. The Pack's linebacker corps, assisted by defensive backs Morgan Burnett and Josh Jones playing in the middle sometimes, definitely needs to up its game from last season.

Game Prediction

Overall, expectations are high. What else is new? Anything can happen in a Game 1 situation, particularly with two heavyweights trying to find and establish their identities for the season. The Packers defense has had Seahawk QB Russell Wilson's number for the last few games. That trend needs to continue today. Oh, and for a reality check keep in mind that the outcome of this first game of the season may very well determine home field advantage come playoff time. Yeah...really.

We're calling this game Packers 27 - Seahawks 24.

We hope it's not a down-to-the-wire type of game. But it could be tight and back and forth for most of the game given the calibre of these two teams. Seems as if some strange plays also happen in these duels and just one of those today could be the difference.

But it's a beautiful day in Green Bay and the Pack is ready to roll. Go Pack Go!!!

Packers 2017-18 Season Prediction

Well, Packers fans...we've avoided making any posts during summer training camp and preseason. We've been slacking, no doubt. Sorry about that. But we'll try to do better as we are now at the start of the regular season.

One of the things we've done since the beginning of this blog -- quite a while now -- is to make a season prediction as to overall record. Lots of places give game-by-game predictions for the season and that's certainly a worthwhile pursuit. We do game-by-game predictions, too, but do them week by week as the season goes along; just too many factors that can affect things.

What we do at the outset though is use a game itself as a model. In short, we break up the season into quarters and give predictions for each quarter of the season. OK, yes, because of the bye week there are really 17 weeks to the season not 16...so how can we do quarters??? Hey, it makes sense to us and since this is our blog, well, that's all that matters. So here go...

First Quarter of Season - Weeks 1-4 (Sept. 10-28)

The Packers start off with the Seahawks at Lambeau Field, followed by a game at Atlanta, then at home versus the Bengals and Da Bearz. That's two tough games against likely NFC Conference contenders right off the bat. With three out of these first four games at home, the Pack's traditionally slow season starts might be mitigated. We see them taking three out of these first four games. Overall record: 3-1.

Second Quarter of Season - Weeks 5-8 (Oct. 6-29)

The Packers begin this part of the season at Dallas, then another away game at Minnesota before returning home to take on the Saints. Week 8 of the season is the Pack's bye week and they will no doubt rejoice in the week off after a very challenging first half to the season. We see the Pack going 2-1 in this stretch. Overall record: 5-2.

Third Quarter of Season - Weeks 9-12 (Nov. 6-26)

The schedule has a bit more symmetry to it in this stretch, with home-away-home-away: the Lions, at Chicago, home against the Ravens and then at Pittsburgh. We'd like to see this stretch go 3-1 but...OK, let's say it's 3-1. Overall record: 8-3.

Fourth Quarter of Season - Weeks 13-17 (Dec. 3-31)

In this final non-quarter-like quarter of the season (five games not four), the Pack has two home games and three away. They start at home against the Buccaneers, then are away at Cleveland and Carolina, home against the ViQueens, and finish the season on New Year's Eve day at Detroit. This has the feel of a 3-2 stretch, although it goes without saying (but we're saying it) that a lot here depends upon the health not only of the Packers but their opponents. Overall record: 11-5.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is set to take the team back to the Super Bowl.
(Photo: Jim Matthews / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wi, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Aaron Rodgers said this week that the way he looks at the season you win all your home goes and then split on the road. In other words, 12-4. He thought that would put the team right there in the mix. We'd feel more comfortable with that as well.

Given the offensive weapons the Packers have this season, they shouldn't have any problem scoring. The question mark, as it has been for seemingly too many seasons, is the defense. The Pack has concentrated several consecutive drafts on beefing up that side of the ball. And just this week, GM Ted Thompson added some free agents to the mix.

We have to agree with Rodgers that this is a good, very good, Packers team in terms of talent. But all the pieces still have to come together. Given that they got to the NFC Championship game last season with a glued-together defense, even an incrementally better defense could get them back to the Super Bowl.

This might be the thinking of a lot of pundits who have selected the Pack to be one of the favorites to go to the Super Bowl this season. We agree.

Please check back tomorrow (game day) to see our Packers vs. Seahawks game prediction.

Go Pack Go!!!