Defensive Line

Cullen Jenkins: Jenkins started the season on fire, with two sacks and eight tackles in the first two games, but he has been non-existent the last two games.  His big mouth hasn’t helped him get anywhere, either.  GRADE: B

Johnny Jolly: Look past the personal foul call on Jolly for two seconds and you will see that he has been one of our better linemen this season.  Very good in the run game and has gotten the job done for the most part, despite struggling the last few weeks (like everyone).  GRADE: B

Ryan Pickett: The best player on the Packers’ defense this season not named Charles Woodson.  It will be interesting to see what Ted Thompson does next season with Pickett’s contract up and B.J. Raji waiting in the wings, but he might warrant another contract.  GRADE: B+

Jarius Wynn: The rookie from Georgia has played better than most thought he would and seems like he could be a solid back-up for quite some time.  GRADE: INC

Michael Montgomery: One of the many players on defense who are probably better suited for the 4-3 defense, Montgomery has failed to make an impact this season after posting a decent 2008.  GRADE: D-

B.J. Raji: Due to the play of Pickett on the inside, Raji has not seen the field much.  His ongoing ankle has had something to do with this as well, so hopefully he will come back fully healthy in 2010.  GRADE: C-

Linebackers

Clay Matthews III: Saving the best for first, Matthews has been very good this season and seems like a keeper at the right outside linebacker.  GRADE: B+

Nick Barnett: Barnett probably came back too early from his knee surgery and was not healthy at the beginning of the season, but he has picked it up as of late.  GRADE: C+

A.J. Hawk: A dismal start to the season from the former fifth overall selection, but he has also picked it up lately and is second on the team in tackles.  GRADE: C

Aaron Kampman: Clearly frustrated with the 3-4 defense, Kampman has done his best to keep his mouth shut and continue playing.  His play has not been all that bad, especially when he is allowed to have this hand in the dirt.  GRADE: B-

Brady Poppinga: Maybe it’s just that I wanted Matthews to start all along, but I never liked what Poppinga did at outside linebacker and am glad he is gone.  GRADE: D

Brandon Chillar: Very close to Matthews for the award of best linebacker, Chillar saw some looks at safety in the “Big Okie” package and played very well.  A broken hand will keep him out a while.  GRADE: B

Desmond Bishop: The pre-season Hall of Famer has fared well on the field thus far, but makes too many mistakes to constantly be on the field as an ILB in the 3-4.  GRADE: C

Brad Jones: The seventh rounder might see time on the field this week due to Kampman’s concussion, but he has done a good job on special teams thus far.  GRADE: INC

Jeremy Thompson: I’ll raise my hand and say I was dead wrong on Thompson becoming a stud in the 3-4 defense.  He has shown to be too slow but might also see reps this week with Kampman probably out.  GRADE: D-

Defensive Backs

Charles Woodson: What more can you say about Woodson other than that he is a probable Pro Bowler and a great player stuck on a good defense.  GRADE: A-

Al Harris: His stock has taken a tumble this season as he seems a bit slower than last year.  Hopefully he can turn it around soon or it could be his last season in Green Bay.  GRADE: B-

Tramon Williams: A personal favorite of mine, Williams plays with great tenacity and seems to have the most excitement of anyone on the field.  A future starter for sure.  GRADE: B

Brandon Underwood: Definitely a project this season, but if Pat Lee does not work out he might get his chance as a dime back in the future.  GRADE: INC

Jarrett Bush: Nothing to say here. GRADE: F

Atari Bigby: Bigby has been injured for most of the season and he has really struggled against the pass so far.  GRADE: C+

Nick Collins: The Pro Bowler continues to shine and has become more of an all-around player this year.  He still finds himself out of position at times but is becoming a real playmaker.  GRADE: B+

Derrick Martin: The only good part about Martin is that we lost Tony Moll because of it.  GRADE: F

Matt Giordano: Strictly on the Packers for depth and special teams help, but could become something.  GRADE: INC

Overall

As a whole the Packers’ defense has been just OK.  Their stats would imply that they have been close to a top ten defense this season, but that is hardly the case.  Their defensive line has played well and the linebackers have picked it up as of late, but their inability to get off the field and not commit penalties has really hurt them. 

Special teams puts them in bad positions but it is still no excuse for why they have struggled to some extent.  Hopefully Dom Capers’ 3-4 defense will pick up in the second half of the season and the Packers can rebound from their average start. GRADE: B-

Seven games into the Packers’ season they stand at 4-3 and in relatively good position to make a playoff run. Their schedule matches up favorably compared to other teams and the talent is there for them to make it to the second season.

In honor of their current record, here are four reasons the Packers will make the playoffs and three reasons they will not.

Why They Will

1. Remaining Schedule

When one takes a look at the NFL playoff picture, it’s safe to assume the Saints (South), Vikings (North), and Cardinals (West) will win their respective divisions.

The NFC East is a little cloudy with the Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles all in contention.

In the North, the Packers and Bears stand at 4-3 and in the South the Falcons are very much alive as well.

The Falcons have the easiest schedule moving forward, playing just three teams with records above .500 the rest of the season. The Bears, Cowboys, and Giants all play six teams with records above .500, while the unlucky Eagles play seven.

As for the Packers, they play just five teams with winning records, the best being the currently 5-2 Steelers. They have gotten the Vikings out of the way and lost to a very good Bengals team, but the Bears still have to play the Vikings twice, the NFC East is going to beat up on each other, and the Falcons have another matchup with the Saints looming.

There are games on the Packers’ schedule that are relatively easy wins (Detroit, Tampa Bay) and games which are probably going to be losses (at Pittsburgh), but the big games are against other playoff contenders in Dallas, Chicago, and Arizona.

Those will be deciding games in the Packers’ season.

2. Aaron Rodgers

Football is a team game.

It’s impossible to win with just one guy, but if you are going to attempt to do so, start with a quarterback.

Rodgers has been the highest-rated passer in the league this season and has thrown just two interceptions, which is a big reason the Packers lead the league in turnover differential.

The Packers’ defense is not good enough for Rodgers to be average the rest of the way and expect to make the playoffs.

If they earn a Wild card spot, it will be Rodgers that gets them there.

Questions of him holding the ball too long or being afraid to throw an interception still linger, but any way you slice it, he has played well.

Greg Jennings has yet to get going as a No. 1 receiver, but we all expect a breakout.

Rodgers has the poise and consistency to match his talents this season and it has really shown in his stats.

Now it’s time for it to show in the wins column.

3. Talent

Whether you blame Ted Thompson or Mike McCarthy for the Packers’ struggles this season, the fact is this team has a ton of talent and has shown flashes of greatness over the last three seasons.

When healthy, they have the deepest receiving corps in the league, a top five secondary, a fantastic up-and-coming LB in Clay Matthews, and a defensive line playing very well.

Putting everything together is a completely different story, but the talent is there for the Packers to make a run.

If McCarthy and Capers can put their team in the best position to win based on the talents they have, there’s no reason the Packers can’t win 11 games this season.

They don’t need to be the New Orleans Saints to earn a playoff spot, and as of now the Packers have enough talent to win games.

4. Time

The best part about the Packers is that they have time to get better. It will be on the go and during a potential playoff run, but the offensive line is settling down and is at least looking more cohesive than the first couple weeks.

Rodgers has developed good chemistry with Jermichael Finley and his consistency is back.

Coming into the season, everyone spoke of how it might also take more than training camp and preseason for players to get comfortable with Dom Capers’ 3-4 defense.

Either way, the defense is a new wrinkle that everyone is adjusting to.

It’s not as easy as it is in Madden to just switch the formation and have three down linemen instead of four. Time will allow the Packers to continue getting comfortable in the scheme, and hopefully better results will form because of it.

Why They Won’t

1. Team Rifts

It is somewhat concerning that Packers players are going to the media to air their concerns.

When Ted Thompson took over as GM, he explained how he wanted “Packer people” who were going to make the team better, as well as the organization. This meant staying out of trouble and not throwing players and coaches under the bus to the media.

Compared to other seasons, that’s happening a lot this year.

Cullen Jenkins, Charles Woodson, and Aaron Kampman have been spotlighted for this and seem to be opponents of the new defense.

I understand it was a big loss to the Vikings that played with people’s emotions, but there’s no reason to call out a coordinator to the media.

Capers is highly specialized in the 3-4 defense and knows what he is doing more than any of the players on the Packers roster. He is doing everything he can to make sure the Packers’ defense is playing to its potential.

If this kind of garbage continues, the playoffs will be a distant memory and we will have to start wondering about next season.

Relationships are huge in the NFL and a player must be able to trust his coordinator and vice-versa.

Let’s hope they resolve this soon.

2. Offensive line

Watch one or two possessions for the Green Bay Packers and you will understand why this is such a concern.

Musical chairs is the latest game to be played on the Packers’ offensive line and it looks as though Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher will get starts this week.

Hopefully they can make things manageable for Rodgers when he drops back to pass more than three steps, but don’t count on it.

The theory of building an offensive line through the draft has fallen flat and the Packers have no back-up plan…unless you count Tauscher.

Unless the offensive line can pull something together during these last nine games, Rodgers is not going to make it through a full season. He cannot keep taking the hits he has been taking and be expected to stand upright for 16 games. What’s more, he can’t be expected to put up these numbers if he has a man in his face, three steps into his drop-back.

The run game has been average at best, feasting on the worst of the NFL worst, but then again the Packers always seem to be playing from behind against legitimate teams and must pass the ball.

The Packers will play some pretty good pass-rushers in the coming weeks, so let’s hope they find the answer soon or the Matt Flynn-era might start a lot sooner than we all want.

3. Youth

The Packers have the hunger to earn a playoff spot and even win a championship, but one has to wonder if they actually understand what it’s all about yet?

They have failed their tests against good teams so far and do not seem to have the discipline that a championship team needs. Part of this could fall on the coaching staff, but youth might have something to do with it.

The Packers are the league’s youngest team and have a lot of youngsters seeing a lot of playing time this season. Their veteran leadership is helping, but they have a lot of players who have yet to reach their potential.

When fighting to the death for a playoff spot, being cool under pressure is important and the Packers might not have that this season.

They have a head coach who has been to the playoffs before, as well as a defensive coordinator who has experienced just about everything a football coach can, but only time will tell if the undisciplined, young Packers can grow up to the postseason.

The penalties, especially the bone-headed ones (listen up, Johnny Jolly), will get a team nowhere. Unless that changes, the Packers will watch the playoffs from their coach instead of the sidelines.

After another loss to the Minnesota Vikings that all but wrapped up the NFC North Division, the Green Bay Packers were left wondering what it’s going to take in order for them to play a mistake-free game and come through in the clutch. 

One of the more confused looks on the Packers’ sideline yesterday came from Coach Mike McCarthy, who once again failed to win a big game and watched his team commit six penalties and give up six sacks.

While at 4-3 the Packers’ season is hardly over, it might be time to start thinking about who will be running the show next season in Green Bay if things do not turn around. 

Not once have I ever questioned McCarthy as the head of the Packers, but after the loss to Minnesota it seems as though the blame needs to at least start heading in his direction.

In his fourth season as Packers head coach, McCarthy sports a respectable 31-24 record and has also won a playoff game.  He also has a 13-3 season and an NFC Championship Game to his name and has seen some very high points as head coach in Green Bay.

In 2006, McCarthy’s Packers went 8-8, including winning their last four games of the season.  However, outside of a Week 17 win over the 13-3 Bears who were resting their starters for the playoffs, the Packers beat zero teams with winning records.

That next year, McCarthy led the Packers to a magical 13-3 run that included a huge victory over the San Diego Chargers in Week Three.  They failed to defeat the eventual No. 1 seed Dallas Cowboys in the regular season but had a successful season nonetheless.

2008 was McCarthy’s worst season as the Packers went just 6-10, but McCarthy got big wins over the Vikings and Colts during the season.  The Packers lost seven games by four points or less and could have had a much better record had some things gone their way down the stretch.

In 2009, the Packers have had three “tests” in the early season and failed them all. 

So what’s the point to all this?  Mike McCarthy has failed to win the big game for the Packers. 

In each of McCarthy’s four seasons, he has failed to beat the team with the best record on their schedule.  Whether it’s the Packers’ roster being inferior in all those games or McCarthy not getting his team ready to play, something is wrong here.

It’s tough to say that McCarthy does not show enough discipline toward his team in terms of penalties because, when all is said and done, McCarthy isn’t on the field. 

False starting has nothing to do with whether or not your coach disciplines you well enough.  Now, plays like Johnny Jolly’s headbutt can be seen as a lack of discipline, but even that was a heat of the moment action.

McCarthy seems to get on his players when they mess up in games, but one has to wonder how much it’s doing if we never see improvement.  With an inability to get his players ready for big games and a lack of discipline, is McCarthy getting enough out of this talented, young team?

With one of the most high-powered offenses in all of football, some of McCarthy’s play calls have been questionable at best.  Completely forgetting about the run game at times and being predictable on most of his calls, one has to wonder if McCarthy should be the one calling plays.

Things don’t look terrible for the Packers’ playoff hopes.  With three wins pretty much in the books (Tampa Bay, Detroit, Seattle), the Packers are looking at a guaranteed seven wins. 

With three huge swing games against the 49ers, Bears, and Cowboys, they would move to eight or nine wins and still have games against the Ravens, Steelers, and Cardinals in looking for a potential upset.

However, if McCarthy fails to get the Packers to the playoffs this season, after all the talent and personnel Ted Thompson has given him, it might be time to start looking in a different direction. 

The list of potential head coaches next season is one of the deepest of all-time, including the likes of Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren, and Mike Shannahan just for starters.

The Packers have a darn good resume for potential head coach candidates when you include the history of the Packers, a franchise quarterback, and the youngest team in the league. 

The Packers would move in a different direction rather than re-build if they switched head coaches next season, so one of those veteran coaches would fit right in.

Divisions, conferences, and Super Bowls are not won seven weeks into the season and it’s true that there is a ton of football to be played.  But the consistent miscues by the Packers and sub-par play with above average players is getting tiresome, and someone needs to take the blame.

I’ve been in McCarthy’s corner since the day the Packers hired him, but there comes a time when you have to realize problems with a team start at the head. 

If we believe the Packers have the talent to be a playoff team, then that is where a good head coach will take them.  Time will tell, but Sunday’s loss to the Vikings made McCarthy’s seat a little hotter.

In what could be the most watched regular season Sunday afternoon game of all-time, the Packers will host Brett Favre for the first time in his career.  In Week Four, Favre torched his old team in a 30-23 victory that seemed more like 30-3.  But four weeks later, some things have changed for each team.  Here’s five reasons why the outcome will be different this time around.

1. Location

Last time around, Brett Favre and the Vikings had the leisure of not only playing at home in the Metrodome, but also playing without the weather factor.  Fast forward three weeks and the weather conditions call for temperatures in the mid-40s with a 30 percent chance of precipitation.

Lambeau Field calls for a 100 percent chance of a hostile environment that is sure to shake the “ol’ gunslinger” into making errant passes.  Naturally, the nerves have to be getting to Favre as he prepares to face his old team in his old stadium for the first time ever.  In Week Four, the jerseys on defense were green and gold, but the stadium wasn’t.

It’s easy to forget with all the Favre hype, but this game means a ton in terms of determining who stands on top of the NFC North in a few weeks.  The Packers are one-and-a-half games behind the Vikes and face Tampa Bay the next week.  A win against Minnesota would mean first place for the Packers.

Combine that with the temperature change that has hurt Favre over the last three seasons and you have a recipe that, at the very least, is much different than it was in Minnesota.  It’s never easy to win on the road in the NFL and next week will be no exception for the Vikings.

2. Packers’ Offense

In Week Four, the box score would have told you that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers played an outstanding game on offense and had their way with the Vikings’ secondary.  But the truth was that most of Rodgers’ stats came in garbage time while the Vikings played prevent defense.

While the offense was able to move the ball and scored 17 points on offense, the Packers allowed eight sacks and Rodgers was pressured on just about every play, leading to errant passes and a fumble on Rodgers’ part.

The offensive line remains the same for the next week’s game.  Daryn Colledge will not see any time at left tackle like he did in Week Four.  Also, rookie T.J. Lang has had extra reps at left tackle if Chad Clifton can not go due to an ankle injury.  Expect Jared Allen to get his fair share of pressure, but the Packers have changed up their offense and have implemented many short passes that should help.

Rodgers has the second-best passer rating in the league and has averaged the most yards per attempt, all while being sacked more than any other quarterback.  If the Packers can get those short passes to work, it will take pressure off Rodgers in a mental and physical sense.

3. Injuries

In Week Four, the Packers were without Atari Bigby and it showed as Favre and the Vikings’ pass attack had their way with the Packers’ secondary.  This time around, Bigby will suit up and hopefully change the outcome in the passing game.  Vikings coach Brad Childress admitted that the Packers are a “different team” with Bigby and the difference between him and Derrick Martin will be night and day.

For the Vikings, standout cornerback Antoine Winfield is expected to miss the contest and Bernard Berrian has yet to practice this week.  Both players were huge contributors in the Vikings’ Week Four victory. Winfield compiled 10 tackles and an interception, while Berrian caught six passes for 75 yards and a third-quarter and eventual game-winning touchdown from Favre.

Jermichael Finley, who led the Packers in receiving against the Vikings with 128 yards and a touchdown, will miss Sunday’s game along with wide receiver Jordy Nelson.  Brett Swain was also lost for the season with a torn ACL against Cleveland, so Rodgers’ targets will be limited to Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Donald Lee and the backs.

There are injuries for both teams, but clearly the Vikings’ injuries hurt more than the Packers right now.  It was the opposite situation in Week Four.

4. Momentum

Aside from the fact that the Packers are coming off a bye week and two wins while the Vikings are coming off a loss, the Packers seem to be hitting their stride while the Vikings are fighting for their lives.  The Packers have had three easy weeks to prepare for their big division rivalry game in playing the Lions and Browns off a bye week.

On the other hand, the Vikings just barely held on to defeat the Ravens in a shootout and went wire-to-wire with the Steelers in a loss.  At the very least, the Vikings are more tired than the Packers are at this point.  Losing the game in the last six minutes had to be disheartening for the Vikings and while they will not be resting on that fact, it’s different than coming out of Heinz Field with a victory.

No one needs to tell either team to get up for this game, but you can bet the Packers do not want to see Favre leave Lambeau Field with a victory.  The tension was not as high in Week Four as it will be at 3:15 p.m. in Green Bay and the Packers will thrive off that.

The Packers finally feel confident in their offensive schemes and their defense has limited teams to three points in the last two weeks combined.  Rookies Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji are getting much more involved and Rodgers has settled in, throwing eight touchdowns in the last three weeks.  All signs point to the momentum being in Green Bay’s favor when the initial whistle is blown.

5. Twelve is greater than four

You knew it was coming, people.  I stayed away from it in Week Four because thinking about Favre playing against the Vikings in Minnesota didn’t hit me as weird.  But seeing Favre walk out onto the Frozen Tundra will be heartbreaking and as much as I love the man, Aaron Rodgers is my team’s quarterback.

Say what you will about the success Favre has had this season, but in four years when Aaron Rodgers is in his prime and Favre is (God, hopefully) on a tractor somewhere in his Wrangler Jeans, you’ll understand why Ted Thompson made the right call.  Rodgers has been a top-five quarterback this season and has four wins to prove it.  Cheer Favre for everything he did for the Packers, but once 3:15 hits, look to the other side of the field and watch the future of Green Bay Packers football, No. 12.

While the difference in the victories against the Detroit Lions (26-0) in week six and the Cleveland Browns (31-3) Sunday was just two points, the blowouts were about as different as they could be and showed what exactly the Packers have in store for the rest of the season.

Say what you will about the Browns easily being one of the worst teams in the league and that it is hard to gauge just how good the Packers really are based on two straight victories against teams with a combined record of 2-11, but Sunday’s contest wasn’t even close.  After Phil Dawson connected on a field goal to give the Browns a 3-0 lead, the Packers reeled off 31 straight points to coast for the win.

Don’t let anyone fool you: the Browns are bad.  They are very bad.  But it wasn’t as if the Packers struggled to find rhythm on offense and were making mistakes on defense like they did against the Lions.  They found a bad team at the wrong time and absolutely destroyed them in all aspects of the game, something great teams do.

Defensively, the Packers did what they had to do, forcing two turnovers and holding the Browns to just 139 yards on offense.  What helps is that they did most of their damage out of normal sets, making sure not give much away for next week’s matchup against Minnesota.

Call it a tune-up, but the Packers have used the last two weeks to become more comfortable within their defense and players like A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett are finally starting to get things down.  Aaron Kampman has been able to rush the passer more and has three sacks in the last four weeks, and Charles Woodson reminded the NFL why no one should throw his way as he picked off a pass and forced a Josh Cribbs fumble.

The Lions rank 22nd in total offense and the Browns 31st, but the Packers did what they were supposed to do and then some.  While some may say their stats are inflated from the last two weeks, the fact of the matter is their defense ranks third in total defense and is giving up just 16 points per game, good for fifth in all of football.

The big play threats are still there and are coming at the expense of trying to force turnovers, but that is something the Packers are hoping will cancel out by season’s end.  Their 13 takeaways rank third in the league and their turnover difference of +8 is second in the league.

Leading the way in that department has been the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has feasted on lesser opponents and seen his quarterback rating soar.  Rodgers has eight touchdowns in his last three games and has had a passer rating over 110 in each of his last four contests.  For the season, only Peyton Manning has a higher passer rating (114.5) than Rodgers (110.8).

His two interceptions have kept Packers’ drives alive and are a big part of the reason why the Packers rank fifth in the league in total offense and points per game.

The offensive line finally put together a rock solid outing, regardless of who it was against, in not allowing a sack and rushing for over 200 yards against the Browns.  T.J. Lang made his first start at left tackle and was solid all day in his potential warm-up for Jared Allen next week.  The right side of the line created holes all day and helped Ryan Grant to his best outing of 2009.

All in all, the last three weeks have been exactly what the Packers needed.  Defensive adjustments were clearly made during the bye week as the Packers not only beat up bad offenses, but completely shut them down.  Regardless of how bad the Lions and Browns may be, the Packers’ defense could not have played any better.

Offensively, the Packers continue to get better every week, improving their total yards in each of the team’s first six games.  They have also gone over the 400-yard mark on offense in each of the past four games.  Question marks arose in the first two weeks about Rodgers’ consistency, the dropped passes, and the offensive line, but that has not been the problem as of late.  If Rodgers’ can get time, the Packers’ offense is a top ten unit.

With just 16 games on the schedule, no team ever looks past games, but the Packers’ might have peeked at their match up next weekend against the Vikings.  The past two weeks have allowed the Packers to try out new things during blowouts and also disguise others.  Coming off a bye week and two blowouts is surely different than the Vikings, who have yet to play their bye and have battled to the extremes against two AFC powerhouses in the Ravens and Steelers the last two weeks.

The Vikings might not be tired but they will not be as well rested as the Packers.  While it’s too hard to judge whether or not the Packers’ wins over the Lions and Browns just met expectations or were a start of something new, it’s no secret the Packers have momentum coming into next week.  Not only are they playing great football, but the NFC North is on the line and the winner of the game will have that title all to themselves.

While the difference in the victories against the Detroit Lions (26-0) in week six and the Cleveland Browns (31-3) Sunday was just two points, the blowouts were about as different as they could be and showed what exactly the Packers have in store for the rest of the season.

Say what you will about the Browns easily being one of the worst teams in the league and that it is hard to gauge just how good the Packers really are based on two straight victories against teams with a combined record of 2-11, but Sunday’s contest wasn’t even close.  After Phil Dawson connected on a field goal to give the Browns a 3-0 lead, the Packers reeled off 31 straight points to coast for the win.

Don’t let anyone fool you: the Browns are bad.  They are very bad.  But it wasn’t as if the Packers struggled to find rhythm on offense and were making mistakes on defense like they did against the Lions.  They found a bad team at the wrong time and absolutely destroyed them in all aspects of the game, something great teams do.

Defensively, the Packers did what they had to do, forcing two turnovers and holding the Browns to just 139 yards on offense.  What helps is that they did most of their damage out of normal sets, making sure not give much away for next week’s matchup against Minnesota.

Call it a tune-up, but the Packers have used the last two weeks to become more comfortable within their defense and players like A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett are finally starting to get things down.  Aaron Kampman has been able to rush the passer more and has three sacks in the last four weeks, and Charles Woodson reminded the NFL why no one should throw his way as he picked off a pass and forced a Josh Cribbs fumble.

The Lions rank 22nd in total offense and the Browns 31st, but the Packers did what they were supposed to do and then some.  While some may say their stats are inflated from the last two weeks, the fact of the matter is their defense ranks third in total defense and is giving up just 16 points per game, good for fifth in all of football.

The big play threats are still there and are coming at the expense of trying to force turnovers, but that is something the Packers are hoping will cancel out by season’s end.  Their 13 takeaways rank third in the league and their turnover difference of +8 is second in the league.

Leading the way in that department has been the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has feasted on lesser opponents and seen his quarterback rating soar.  Rodgers has eight touchdowns in his last three games and has had a passer rating over 110 in each of his last four contests.  For the season, only Peyton Manning has a higher passer rating (114.5) than Rodgers (110.8).

His two interceptions have kept Packers’ drives alive and are a big part of the reason why the Packers rank fifth in the league in total offense and points per game.

The offensive line finally put together a rock solid outing, regardless of who it was against, in not allowing a sack and rushing for over 200 yards against the Browns.  T.J. Lang made his first start at left tackle and was solid all day in his potential warm-up for Jared Allen next week.  The right side of the line created holes all day and helped Ryan Grant to his best outing of 2009.

All in all, the last three weeks have been exactly what the Packers needed.  Defensive adjustments were clearly made during the bye week as the Packers not only beat up bad offenses, but completely shut them down.  Regardless of how bad the Lions and Browns may be, the Packers’ defense could not have played any better.

Offensively, the Packers continue to get better every week, improving their total yards in each of the team’s first six games.  They have also gone over the 400-yard mark on offense in each of the past four games.  Question marks arose in the first two weeks about Rodgers’ consistency, the dropped passes, and the offensive line, but that has not been the problem as of late.  If Rodgers’ can get time, the Packers’ offense is a top ten unit.

With just 16 games on the schedule, no team ever looks past games, but the Packers’ might have peeked at their match up next weekend against the Vikings.  The past two weeks have allowed the Packers to try out new things during blowouts and also disguise others.  Coming off a bye week and two blowouts is surely different than the Vikings, who have yet to play their bye and have battled to the extremes against two AFC powerhouses in the Ravens and Steelers the last two weeks.

The Vikings might not be tired but they will not be as well rested as the Packers.  While it’s too hard to judge whether or not the Packers’ wins over the Lions and Browns just met expectations or were a start of something new, it’s no secret the Packers have momentum coming into next week.  Not only are they playing great football, but the NFC North is on the line and the winner of the game will have that title all to themselves.

1. The Packers have the worst offensive line in the NFL.

Coming into the season, the Packers’ offensive line was hardly thought to be a liability but was still not a strong point on the team.  Six weeks in, the unit is as big a liability as one will find in the NFL.  Aaron Rodgers has put up outstanding stats considering he has been sacked a league-high 25 times. The current NFL record for times sacked in a season is David Carr, with 72.  Rodgers is on pace to be sacked 80 times, which would set a new record.

Injuries to Chad Clifton, Jason Spitz, and Daryn Colledge—combined with Rodgers holding on to the ball too long sometimes—might be excuses, but the Packers also rank 25th in rushing.  Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson are not going to make anyone forget about Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, but every rushing attack starts with the offensive line.

2. Clay Matthews is a future Pro Bowler at outside linebacker

A risky prediction? You bet. But one I will stick to until I see him in the actual game.  Five games into his short NFL career, Matthews has already taken over a starting role, racked up 12 tackles, been credited with three sacks, had three more tackles for loss, stripped Adrian Peterson and run it back for a touchdown, and defended three passes.  Dom Capers and Kevin Greene have a long history with the 3-4 defense and must have seen something in Matthews to make Ted Thompson trade up for him.

It sounds cliche, but he’s just a genuine football player out on the field.  His strength combined with his fluidity is perfect for the 3-4 defense and he is making the most of his time on the field.  With the starting job now in hand, he should be on the field a whole lot more and continue to improve his skill set. It seems as though the sky’s the limit for the USC grad.

3. Donald Driver can play into his 40s if he chooses to

Take Donald Driver’s name and number off his jersey and then show film to someone and ask them what they think of that certain player.  Assuming Driver didn’t do a first-down shimmy after a big catch to give his identity away, that certain someone would probably guess the player was a young and energetic rookie.

At 34, Driver seems to have more energy than he ever has and is showing no signs of slowing down.  He is in excellent physical condition, is loving the game, and has a quarterback suited perfectly to his skill set. This season, he leads the Packers in receptions, yards, and touchdown catches. He also set the Packers’ record for receptions last week in Detroit. With Greg Jennings constantly seeing double coverage, Driver has made the most of his opportunity to beat his man one-one-one.

4. Al Harris has lost a step and it might be time to give Tramon Williams a look

Maybe the second part of my thought is more of the reason I think Williams should get more looks a starter, but Harris does not look like the same cornerback. For starters, his reaction time has decreased and it seems as though receivers are getting a clean break on routes a step or two before Harris realizes it. One has to wonder whether the penalties on Harris for illegal use of the hands has tamed him a bit.

His 23 tackles—which rank fifth on the team—are a tad bit misleading because none of those are for losses, meaning Harris more times than not gave up a reception to make that tackle. It’s not an easy task when Charles Woodson is on the other side of the defense and your safety help has been banged up all year, but Harris just has not looked the same. Even his interception against the Lions was off blown coverage, and the ball was tipped by the Detroit receiver.

5. Even with Matthews’ great play thus far, Brandon Chillar is the Packers’ best linebacker

The interior of the Packers’ linebacking corps has struggled this season in comparison to their defensive line or outside linebackers, but Brandon Chillar has been a breath of fresh air and a versatile part of the defense. He has seen time at inside linebacker but also has played strong safety in the Packers’ “Big Okie” five-linebacker defense, and has done a nice job.

His sack on Jay Cutler was arguably the play of the year for the Packers thus far and he currently ranks second on the team in tackles. With A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett struggling, Chillar’s play has been a nice surprise and he seems to be fitting in very nicely in the 3-4 defense. Most of his tackles are within three or four yards of the line of scrimmage while other inside LBs are making tackles down field.

6. If the Packers cannot cut down on penalties, they can kiss the playoffs goodbye

The Packers are not a good enough team right now to be able to make up for their penalties. Their offensive line is shaky, meaning deep passes are at a minimum, their defense is playing good but not great , and overall they’re having trouble making up for their mistakes.

Last season, the Packers ranked second in penalties and first in yards. Six weeks in, the Packers are fifth in penalties and fourth in yards. It’s extremely frustrating as a fan to see yellow flags out on the field on seemingly every drive. Mike McCarthy claims it’s just part of the game, but penalties say a lot about a team’s structure and discipline.

It’s not McCarthy’s fault because he isn’t the one jumping the snap on false starts or holding on defense, but maybe it’s time for him to get on his players a little more disciplined. In a division or wild-card race that could come down to the wire, penalties can change the complexion of a game.

The next few weeks will be telling because, against lesser competition they should not have to be committing silly penalties.