Some Vegas oddsmaker put out an over-under for total wins for every team in the NFL for the 2007 season, and put the Packers a 7 1/2.
As I look through the schedule, I think they’re better than that. I attribute that belief to one of several things:
1) My opinions could be tainted by residual memories of late-90’s Packers teams, thinking they’re close to as good as they were back then.
2) My opinions could also be tainted by residual memories of Packer opponents from the mid-to-late 90’s. The Niners still kick ass, right?
3) I may have lied about how I feel about the preseason, and the defensive performance by the preseason Packers has me thinking we can play Ravens style football and win.
4) Looking at the ESPN Week 1 Power Rankings, if the Pack can beat the teams that are within a handful of spots of their placement (24th out of 32), and they lose to every team that is above that handful, that puts them at 8-8.
I think the last one might be the correct one. It makes a couple huge assumptions in opposite directions: the Packers beat the teams they’re supposed to, and they lose to the teams that should beat them.
And should the Green Bay Packers beat such NFL stalwarts as the Rams, Cowboys and Panthers, they’re sitting at 11-5.
So unlike last year, I think the Packers will overachieve this year, thanks in part to a coach that is beginning to show he belongs coaching at this level. So without further ado, my 2007 regular season predictions:
Week 1 - vs Eagles @ Lambeau: L. I’m not sure that it will be as lopsided as the power rankings would seem to indicate. The Eagles only racked 24 points in their final 2 preseason games, and we’ve seen that their all-pro QB has the fragile ego of a teenage girl that’s been teased for her weight her whole life. But even so, Andy Reid is too good to not pound our heads in with the team he has.
Week 2 - @ Giants: W. Last season the Giants beat the Packers into the playoffs using Triple-Lindy mathematics. This year they don’t have Tiki Barber, they might lose Michael “Antlers” Strahan, and well, they still have Tom Coughlin. The last on that list is alone enough to ensure Giant self-destruction. Look for the Giants to miss the playoff pool completely, but more importantly, lose to the Packers in week 2.
Week 3 - Chargers @ Lambeau: L.
Week 4 - @ Vikings: W. Can Childress steer the Minnesota Love Boat to success? Nah.
Week 5 - Bears @ Lambeau: L. Rex Grossman might be a box of rocks, but they could put the drummer for Def Leppard back there and they could still beat the Packers.
Week 6 - Redskins @ Lambeau: W. Seriously. It’s the Redskins.
Week 7 - Spring Break.
Week 8 - @ Broncos: L.
Week 9 - @ Chiefs: W.
Week 10 - Vikings @ Lambeau: W.
Week 11 - Panthers @ Lambeau: W. The Packers on a two-game tear face a quality opponent in the Panthers and show they’re for real.
Week 12 (Thanksgiving Day ) - @ Lions: L. This would fall outside of the “beat the teams you’re supposed to beat,” but the Packers aren’t that kind of team right now.
Week 13 - @ Dallas: L. Wade Phillips and Tony Romo are taking the NFC East by storm, with Romo, a native Wisconsonite, beating us in their house like I do the paperboy when he tries to overcharge me for the Sunday fish wrap. “C’mon inside for some lemonade, paperboy.”
Week 14 - Raiders @ Lambeau: W. It’s just a shame Randy Moss won’t be along to enjoy the game.
Week 15 - @ Rams: W. That old Vermeil team she ain’t what she used to be.
Week 16 - @ Bears: L. They will get treated like foreigners inside the UFO.
Week 17 - Lions @ Lambeau: W. Favre’s final game. Really. And the NFL was nice enough to serve up a soft, juicy Detroit Lamb for the occasion.
That gives us a grand total of 9-7 and a puncher’s chance at making the playoffs. So yeah, I guess I’m drinking the Packer Koolaid this year. I’ll take “Tropical Punch”, please.
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