Every year, the Packers are usually a team that gets off to a slow start and then become a force as the season goes on. However, the beginning of the 2011 season they are off to a 3-0 start due to the continuing effort from the top quarterback(in my eyes), in the league. Aaron Rodgers has amassed over 900 yards passing with 8 touchdowns. Two areas of the team that are off to a slow start is the running game and pass defense. The running game is not a dominant one as we Packer fans know, but Ryan Grant did have a good game this past Sunday at Chicago, rushing for 92 yards on 17 attempts. Rodgers is 9th in total yards in the NFL with 917, 8 TDs, and 1 INT with a RTG rating of 120.9, the highest RTG in the league a head of Tom Brady. He has 305.7 yards per game and has the highest completion rating in the league thus far, completing 74-103 with a rating of 71.8. Greg Jennings is the Packers leading receiver with 18 rec 263 yards and 2 TDs, look very good last week against the bears catching a career high 9 rec in a game with 119 yards and 0 TDs. speaking of career games, Packers star TE Jermichael Finley had 3 TDs 7 rec and 85 yards against the Bears in week 3. Ryan Grant had a slow week 1-2 but looked like he was back to his old 2008-2009 form with 17 att: and 92 yards rushing with 0 TDs, As for the pass defense, the Pack are currently ranked 31st in opposing team’s passing yards.
Injuries can make or break any teams season. Look at the Indianapolis Colts. One key injury can make your team go from contenders to pretenders, most of the time last year the Green Bay Packers deified the odds and won a Superbowl with over 15 people on the injured reserve. This year the Packers have been bitten by the injury bug one more time with Nick Collins having a season ending neck injury. Granted Morgan Brunett made a huge impression on Packers fans with a huge game against rival Chicago Bears. Also having big games against the Bears were running back Ryan Grant and right tackle Bryan Bulaga. I bring up these names because like Collins they were also injured. Just not to the severity of Collins. Ryan came out of the game last week vs the Bears with a bruised kidney but did end up coming back in the game. Grant is questionable for this weeks game against the Denver Broncos but doesn't think it will keep him out very long, In an appearance on WSSP radio in Milwaukee, Grant said: “I feel fine. I have been walking around. I finished the game and everything. We really don’t know any details right now. Like I said I feel fine. It wasn’t really anything major to it, just precautionary I guess. We’ll get some more information from the doctors on some tests later on this week.” Bulaga on the other hand narrowly missed a season ending ACL tear, but thankfully for fans, he only suffered a sprained and bruised knee and will only likely miss one game. The season is still young and everyone is trying to get back into sync now with the unfortunate loss of Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins lost for the season with a neck injury. I have faith in Charlie Peprah stepping in after last year’s display of good play from him, teamed with rising star Morgan Burnett. Also with a slight injury is back up linebacker Brad Jones who is dealing with a hamstring strain. Compared to this time last year Packers are in similar if not better shape. The lack of OTA's and training camps has not effected the Packers as severally as many people have predicted. Packers have started the season 3-0 and compared to the same time last season, they have been better offensively and poorer defensively. With 13 games left its no doubt that the packers will become a stronger team after every week. I see the Pack making another deep playoff run, hopefully ending with another Superbowl victory.
Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.
-Andrew Vrchota @TheBIGVrchota
-Michael Schuster @mikeshuz
-Nick Pritzlaff @WSB_Nick
-Brandon Krueger @WSB_Brandon
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