The Big Game of NFL Week 2: Seattle at Green Bay

Is there any denying that the biggest game of the second week of the 2015 NFL regular season is that of the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Green Bay Packers? Is there any denying that this game -- so early in the season -- may well go a long way to determining home field advantage in the post-season playoffs? Also, is there any denying that the Packers desperately want to take down this recent thorn-in-the-side Seattle team?

The answer to all of the above, as Captain Obvious would no doubt suggest, is a resounding "No!".

So what's our take on this game? Perhaps a bit more muted than it was earlier in the week. After the Chicago game, we knew the Packers would be without inside linebacker Sam Barrington for the rest of the season because of his ankle injury. That made an already thin inside linebacker group and overall questionable run defense even more so. The inside linebackers now consist of Clay Matthews, third-year player Nate Palmer (who relieved Barrington last week during the game after Barrington's injury and who will get the start today), and rookie Jake Ryan. The Packers do get back defensive end Datone Jones following his one-game suspension and that should help...somewhat. Consider that the Packers' biggest challenge is stopping RB Marshawn Lynch from tearing them up, followed by allowing QB Russell Wilson to remain untouched in the pocket...or out. The challenges to the Packers defense are significant. Seems as if we've been saying that for a few too many seasons now, doesn't it? Geesh.

Packers' slot receiver Randall Cobb can have a big day against a shorthanded Seattle secondary
Photo by Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
As if that blow to the defense wasn't enough, things then got worse mid-week for the Packers offense: starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga sustained a knee injury. Initially said to not be severe, we soon learned he'd had surgery and would be lost for at least 4-6 weeks. Not good, especially going into a game of this significance. Don Barclay will get the start in his place. Don't forget Barclay's started something like 21 games for the Packers during his previous three seasons with the team, so he's got good experience. But coming off his own injury of last season, Barclay looked overmatched at times during preseason action. Supposedly, he's getting back to his game. But he will need to be fully on his game today in order to give QB Aaron Rodgers the time he needs to work his magic.

While neither the Packers or the Seahawks are the same teams that met during the NFC Championship game, the Packers would seem to have the edge in this game (heck, they had that Championship game won big and gave it away, quite literally). Pundits seem to think so, too, generally picking the Packers to win this game. The oddsmakers have the Packers favored by 3-1/2 points. The projected 49-1/2 points total line for the game is the second highest of this weekend.

Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are 3-0 against the Packers, defeating the Pack twice last season. Seattle is now the Packers' "white whale," much as Dallas and San Francisco were at different points of time in decades past. The Packers have to get by Seattle. Doing so tonight, in the 2015 Lambeau Field home opener, during primetime, would be a big step to not only the playoffs but home field advantage and further the Super Bowl chances which many hold for the team.

Our Prediction
We haven't talked here much about the Packers offense. With the exception of the loss of Bulaga, the Packers offense is the better of the two offenses on the field today overall. The Seattle Seahawks defense is without several key players from last season due to free agency and a holdout. The Packers will put up points. The key is whether or not the Packers' suspect defense can stop the run and keep Seattle from putting up too many points. If they don't, it will be a tight game and -- as we saw last season -- if the Packers play not to lose...they probably will.

But we are going with home field being a big factor today. And the revenge factor, despite being downplayed by coaches and players alike, has to be a factor for the Packers in this game.

We're calling it...30-27 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers Bits and Pieces

It was an exciting post-draft week for the Green Bay Packers and their fans. Firstly, the Pack had, by most accounts, a successful draft overall. We gave it an A- and that seemed to be a popular grade among many if not most pundits. Yes, it could be argued the team needed to add a safety and didn't. Or a starting left tackle, and didn't. A few things like that brought down some people's opinion of the Pack's draft.

But on the other hand, the Packers picked up arguably the best running back in the draft -- Eddie Lacy -- and, according to some others, the second best back, Johnathan Franklin. Barring injury, that duo could be the starting backfield along with fullback John Kuhn. Given the paucity of a Packers running game since the departure of Ryan Grant at least and, some might say, Ahman Green, these two picks alone will give a much-needed boost and variation to an offense that for the last few years has been far-too one dimensional.

On the defensive side of the ball, DE Datone Jones may provide enough of a pass rush presence to make offenses account for more than just Clay Matthews in their protection schemes. DT Josh Boyd should help bolster and give relief to a defensive front that needed some depth. LB Nate Palmer spent time already with linebackers coach Kevin Greene. Greene, according to reports, told Palmer that he could help take his play to another level. Apparently, the Packers see something in Palmer they like. Very much.

The Flip-Flop
While the lack of offensive tackle picks bothered some, the Pack did add depth with the selections of David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter. But the other way the Pack addressed the offensive line issues of last year -- far too many sacks given up -- was to shuffle the existing players.

This week, head coach Mike McCarthy announced that they were moving Bryan Bulaga from the right tackle position to the left and also flipping Josh Sitton from right guard to left. Bulaga and Sitton are the two best offensive linemen the Packers have and it makes sense for them to be protecting the blindside of the $100+ million quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Evan Dietrich-Smith will anchor the line at center, while T.J. Lang will move from right guard to left. Marshall Newhouse will move from left tackle to right. So the personnel is the same, but they will now be playing different sides of the line. Let's hope it works out as planned. Let's also hope they are able to create some lanes for what could be the best running attack the Packers have had in a generation.

Al Harris Retires as a Packer
Former Packers CB Al Harris retired as a Green Bay Packer this week, despite not playing for the team for about 3-1/2 years. But that's OK, Al wanted to retire with the team and in the city that meant the most to him during his long career. He had many memorable moments as a Packer before a torn ACL ended his run with the team. But can we ever forget that interception off Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck in overtime of the playoffs? No. But if you need a reminder, just click here

Packers Shareholders Meeting Set for July 24
For those who are proud shareholders of the Green Bay Packers, the team announced that its annual meeting will be held at Lambeau Field on Wed. July 24. Once again, each shareholder will be able to bring a guest and, of course, revel in all things Packers. It doesn't get any better than that!

Learn more about the shareholders meeting here.

Packers Draft Re-Cap

The Green Bay Packers came through the three days and seven rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft with 11 selections when it was all said and done. GM Ted Thompson started off on Thursday with eight picks, wound up at the end of that day with a total of 10 yet to be used for the remaining rounds; yes, that would make 12 overall. But he used one of those picks on Day 2 to move up a few spots in Round 4 to select RB Johnathan Franklin of UCLA. When the draft finally completed last evening, the Packers had 11 new players to add to the pre-season roster mix. (This writer, by the way, in a pre-draft post had noted that Thompson would wheel-and-deal his way to wind up with at least 10 picks when it was over. I was close.)

What can we say, first, about the draft overall and, secondly, the selections in particular? Let's get the first question out of the way. I'd give Thompson and the Packers an A- on this draft. As I said in a reply to someone on Twitter during the draft, I had high expectations and they were exceeded. In scanning some of the pundit and media reviews of the Packers' picks, it seems as if the overall grades range from A to B depending upon the reviewer's view, of course (and individual player ratings generally ranged from A to C). So let's just not get into too many details about the overall grade. The Packers did well. Very well.

In particular, it seems as if many sportswriters' views of the success of the Packers' picks focuses around the two running backs they selected: Eddie Lacy out of Alabama and the aforementioned Franklin. Lacy, to many, was arguably the highest-rated running back in the draft and a likely first-round pick. He was a great value pick for the Packers, falling to number 61 in the second round. Franklin was also viewed very positively by many and for the Packers to wind up with both apparently left many in awe. Not just for the caliber of the backs themselves, but for the fact that the Packers might -- after so many years of floundering in the running game -- finally have a duo in the backfield that provides a thunder-and-lightening combination that could give defenses fits. Especially in terms of what it will do to further open up the Packers' passing attack. Add in last season's late arrival and impact running back, DuJuan Harris, and the Packers might finally have something to provide balance in the offensive scheme that we haven't seen in a long, long time.

The Picks for the Pack
Without further ado, let's just list who the Packers picked up in the draft. We'll then take a look at the undrafted free agents signed by the Packers so far.

• Round 1 #26 DE Datone Jones, UCLA
• Round 2 #61 RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama
• Round 4 #109 OT David Bakhtiari, Colorado
• Round 4 #122 OT J.C. Tretter, Cornell
• Round 4 #125 RB Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
• Round 5 #159 CB Micah Hyde, Iowa
• Round 5 #167 DE Josh Boyd, Mississippi State
• Round 6 #193 LB Nate Palmer, Illinois State
• Round 7 #216 WR Charles Johnson, Grand Valley State
• Round 7 #224 WR Kevin Dorsey, Maryland
• Round 7 #232 LB Sam Barrington, South Florida

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

• QB Matt Brown, Illinois State
• S Ben Ericksen, Illinois State
• G Patrick Lewis, Texas A&M
• OLB Andy Mulumba, Eastern Michigan
• RB Angelo Pease, Kansas State
• NT Gilbert Pena, Mississippi
• TE Jake Stoneburner, Ohio State
• G Lane Taylor, Oklahoma State
• CB Damond Smith, South Alabama
• S Cedrick Moore, Stony Brook
• C Patrick Lewis, Texas A&M

What Does it All Mean?
The general consensus among pundits seems to be that, after the Packers got shredded by the 49ers in the playoffs, changes needed to be made on both sides of the ball. And that's what the Packers have done with these signings and a few recent moves. "Bigger," "faster," "stronger" are descriptors which can apply favorably in most sports, but especially football. The Packers definitely got bigger and stronger with their selections. They may have also gotten faster, particularly with the addition of Franklin and Johnson, both of whom are speedsters. Hopefully, they also perhaps got a bit tougher. They'll need it all to go head to head against the 49ers again this season -- and every other team on a tough schedule -- beginning in the 2013 season week 1 re-match.

There's an excellent article on this very topic in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by sportswriter Tom Silverstein. I recommend you read it.

For now, it looks very good for the Packers going into their early pre-season OTAs and mini-camps. That's what we think. Tell us how you think the Packers did with their draft by taking our poll in the upper righthand column. Inquiring minds want to know: what grade would you assign?