All signs point to bright future
Last Updated: Jan. 3, 2001
By: Mike Vandermause
What's not to like about the Green Bay Packers' future?
Based on the events of this past season, there's every reason to think the Packers will be a contender in 2001.
Everything came together for the Packers in the final month.
At the end of November it looked like they were headed for the scrap heap. But in an uplifting December they came away with not only a winning record and their pride intact, but a bright outlook.
A fast finish doesn't guarantee a thing next season, but there's no denying the Packers are on the rise. They fell short in their quest for the playoffs, but there are 10 reasons to feel good about their future.
1 -- The Packers had the best record (5-3) against NFC Central Division opponents, an indication that they could be in position to reclaim the first-place crown that has eluded them for the past three seasons. The Packers swept the division champion Vikings, and came close to doing the same against the second-place Buccaneers. Minnesota remains alive in the playoffs, for now, but was hanging on for dear life late in the season. After a typical fast start, the Vikings lost their final three regular-season games and nearly squandered their division title and first-round playoff bye. The Vikings have more than enough offensive firepower to be a contender, but their defense is a weak link that isn't getting better. The Buccaneers have the opposite problem. Their defense remains sound, but their offense is at times pathetic. They signed big-name free-agent offensive linemen and spent far too much (two first-round draft picks) for receiver Keyshawn Johnson. And for all their efforts, they scored just three points in their playoff opener against the Eagles. The continued slide of the Vikings and Buccaneers has given the Packers a window of opportunity.
2 -- During the past year the Packers lost their starting running back, best offensive lineman and best defensive player to season-ending injuries and their starting tight end to legal troubles. Despite that adversity, the Packers somehow managed to pull theirhead above water and finish 9-7. Just think what they can accomplish with a full contingent of players next season. Injuries are inevitable in the NFL, but the Packers endured more than their fair share. The law of averages should be in their favor in 2001.
3 -- The Packers were one of the hottest teams in the league in December. Only the Titans and Giants matched the Packers' 4-0 record in the final month, and both of those clubs were No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences. The best teams usually peak late in the season, so the Packers were in pretty good company. The Packers' strong play down the stretch indicates they are capable of big things.
4 -- The Packers won more games against teams with winning records - six - than anybody else in the league. They didn't get fat on cream-puff opponents. The Packers' record against playoff teams was 5-2. They were battle-tested and proved themselves worthy of hanging with the big boys in the league. Only two of their losses came against teams with losing records, but that was enough to keep them out of post-season play.
5 -- Brett Favre said after the season that the 2000 Packers had the best chemistry of any team he played for in Green Bay over the last nine years. That's a remarkable statement, considering that Favre and the Packers won a Super Bowl and qualified for the playoffs six different times. It speaks volumes for the job Mike Sherman did in bringing the Packers together in the midst of trying circumstances. The players rallied around Sherman, who obviously earned their respect. Even Antonio Freeman's antics couldn't fracture the Packers' keen sense of team unity. Sherman's highly organized, no-nonsense approach is working, and it bodes well for the future.
6 -- Much has been made of the Packers being an estimated $6 million over the salary cap, but many teams are in the same boat. The Packers are actually in decent position because they have only two unrestricted free agents who they absolutely must keep. Yes, they'll have to scramble to make room for Darren Sharper and Ryan Longwell, but it's not an impossible task. Sharper could generate a lot of interest on the open market, but the Packers could use a franchise tag on him, which would all but keep the free safety in the fold.
7 -- It's a good sign when individual players show improvement as the season progresses. There were many indications of that, with Ahman Green, Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Tod McBride, Bernardo Harris, Cletidus Hunt and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila being prime examples of players getting better. That reflects on the coaching staff, which stressed teaching and fundamentals.
8 -- Some players are bound to improve with more seasoning. For example, Bubba Franks made rookie mistakes, but has enormous potential. The Packer offense might soar if a reliable tight end is part of the formula. And can Antonio Freeman do anything but improve next season? He had a disastrous 2000 campaign, and if Sherman can get through to him, perhaps the wide receiver will flash the old form that earned him a Pro Bowl starting berth just two years ago. The point is, in some areas the Packers have nowhere to go but up in 2001.
9 -- For the first three months of the 2000 season the Packers had a troubling tendency to beat themselves. Inconsistency marked their performances. They committed too many turnovers and other mistakes. The Packers were a team that found ways to lose, rather than win. Early losses to the Jets, Bears and Lions could have easily gone the other way. The low point came at Miami, when the Packers blew a 17-point lead and lost. In all of those games, the Packers lacked confidence, cohesion and a killer instinct. All of that changed, however, in the final month. They were brimming with confidence and learned how to win. They didn't completely eliminate mistakes, as evidenced by four second-half turnovers against the Buccaneers, but found ways to overcome them. That's the mark of a winner.
10 -- Ron Wolf has been criticized during the Packers' fall from Super Bowl contender to playoff outsider. But the general manager hasn't lost his touch. He acquired several players last off-season who turned into solid contributors, such as Green, Allen Rossum, John Thierry and Nate Wayne. And his 2000 draft produced four starters, including Clifton, Tauscher, Franks and Na'il Diggs. With Wolf pulling the trigger, rest assured the Packers will do everything possible to acquire a much-needed receiver and defensive lineman. Given their salary cap constraints, the draft is the most likely source of impact players. But Wolf will continue to find diamonds in the rough. |
