Green Bay Packers: Mid-Season Report Card

The last time the Packers started out 7-0 you would have to go back to the 1962 season when they went 13-1. Fortunately for the Packers, that's not the last time they had a great quarterback to lead them to such a great feat. Aaron Rodgers has quickly risen the ranks as a quarterback in the NFL these past 3 years. In his 4th year as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, he is showing no signs of slowing down. Through 7 games, Rodgers has completed 171/239 passes (71.5 completion rating), 2,372 yards (averaging 339 YPG), 22 TDs (2 rushing), and with only 3 INTs. Those stats accumulate a passer rating of 125.7. Playing 15 games last season, Rodgers only tossed 28 TDs. Rodgers in on pace to shatter his previous season TD total and his all-time season high of 30 from the 2009 season. To his credit, he has all of his offensive weapons healthy this season. At this point last year, Finley and Grant were both lost causes for the Packers with season ending injuries. Rodgers has had the luxury of having all of his weapons. He's a craftsman with all of his loyal tools, and the football field is his workshop.

The Green Bay Packer's defense is still ranked amongst the worst in the NFL coming in at 27th. They are averaging to allow 20.1 points a game with a total of 141 points given up in there total of 7 games. They give up about 391 yards a game to there opponents in 7 games. If you compare the Packer's defense to the entire NFC there coming in at 14th out of 16th. Even though their defense isn't looking too hot right now, their defense didn't start off too hot last year, either. After the Week 7 win over the Vikings rookie Christian Ponder, who was tearing apart the Packer's defense until Charles Woodson was able to slow him down by grabbing two INTs to put him at #1 in the league with 5 INTs. Even though Clay Matthews has been slacking with the sacks this year after having a career best 13.5 sacks last year, he was able to record sack #3 last week against. If the Packers defense could stop allowing so many yards per game this team would be even more dominate, But how can a 7-0 team get any more dominate then they already are. The Packers have been cutting it close in some of there games because the defense is unable to make the 3rd down stops. They have been riddled with injuries, losing Chad Clifton, Sam Shields, Frank Zombo and Nick Collins. Collins is out for the year with a neck injury, and his career could possibly be over. Clifton and Zombo have injured knees while Shields has been bothered by a concussion.

Taking a step back and looking at the grand scheme of things, whether you focus on the dynamic offense, or their spotty defense, you can't give the Packers any less grade then an A so far for the season. The Packers have 3 legitimate tests left for the rest of the season. It will be next week in San Diego, Detroit on Thanksgiving,  then the following week in New York against the Giants. If the Packers can get past those 3 teams, I don;t see why not we couldn't see the Pack go 16-0. Stay healthy, be smart, make plays.

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

-Andrew Vrchota @TheBIGVrchota & @WISportsBlog

-Nick Pritzlaff @WSB_Nick

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