2011 NFL Draft Results: Post-Draft Breakdown of the Green Bay Packers Schedule
As we know, the Green Bay Packers were the Super Bowl champions. They achieved the illustrious feat while having 15 players on IR.
And as we also know, the Packers' GM Ted Thompson is one of the best in the game when it comes to building through the draft. He often sees value in players when others don't.
For grades on the draft picks, click here.
Now that the Packers' draft is over, it certainly affects how their schedule will play out.
Quick Draft Recap
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1. Derek Sherrod, OL, Mississippi State
2. Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky (Pictured)
3. Alex Green, RB, Hawaii
4. Davon House, CB, NMST
5. D.J. Williams, TE, Arkansas
6. Caleb Schlauderaff, OG, Utah
6. D.J. Smith, LB, Appalachian State
6. Ricky Elmore, DL/LB, Arizona
7. Ryan Taylor, TE, UNC
7. Lawrence Guy, DL, Arizona State
Week 1: New Orleans at Green Bay
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In the 2011 NFL season opener (so we hope), the Packers will take on the previous Super Bowl champs, the New Orleans Saints.
Last season, the Saints were ousted from the playoffs after failing to tackle Marshawn Lynch.
The Packers have improved their already NFL-best wide receivers unit and hope to take advantage of the New Orleans Saints through the air.
In the meanwhile, the Saints had a good draft and upgraded their defensive line with Cameron Jordan from Cal.
A huge factor here is the stadium. The Packers are playing in Lambeau.
This will be a tough fought match early on, but the Packers will slowly pull away in the second half.
Prediction: Packers 31, Saints 17
Week 2: Green Bay at Carolina
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Sorry Cam Newton/Jimmy Clausen, but the Panthers don't stand a chance in this one. Even at home.
Whoever is playing QB will have a tough time against the Packers secondary, which is currently in the stages of grooming fourth-round pick Davon House.
DeAngelo Williams may be gone, and Steve Smith is extremely upset with the team.
Aaron Rodgers torches the Panthers secondary, and the Packers roll through the Panthers to a 2-0 start.
Prediction: Packers 35, Panthers 10
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Week 3: Green Bay at Chicago
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Last time we saw the Bears, Jay Cutler was on the sideline, and the Packers were winning.
Like the NFC Championship Game, this one will be close. Except this time, the result will be different.
Though the Packers match up well against the Bears and both are cold weather teams, the Bears get the upper hand early in this one after a Devin Hester punt return.
Rodgers has a 1:1 TD ratio, and the running backs aren't too productive.
The defense makes it hard on the Bears, but the offense doesn't produce enough.
Prediction: Bears 13, Packers 10
Week 4: Denver at Green Bay
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Von Miller, pictured above, is a beast. Unfortunately, he won't reach his full potential with the Broncos.
Miller will be a SAM linebacker, which in short means that his pass-rushing abilities won't fully be on display.
This one is in Lambeau, and while the Broncos should be slightly improved, they don't get much done here.
Tramon Williams shows why he should've been a Pro Bowler, and the Packers take this one easy.
Prediction: Packers 34, Broncos 14
Week 5: Green Bay at Atlanta
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In my mind, the Falcons traded way too much to get Julio Jones.
Especially when it was their defense that needed the upgrade, not the offense.
Jones and White have alright games, but the defensive end position was not upgraded for the Falcons. Their defense remains relatively unchanged.
That is the same defense that the Aaron Rodgers picked apart in the playoffs.
Randall Cobb scores his first touchdown of the season here, and the Packers also get a 100-yard rusher.
Prediction: Packers 38, Falcons 24
Week 6: St. Louis at Green Bay
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Sam Bradford is in his second year and gives hope to the Rams.
But the Packers defense steals the show in what is a media-hyped matchup between Rodgers and Bradford.
Stephen Jackson accumulates over 100 yards on the ground, but Bradford throws three interceptions against the Packers D.
Clay Matthews makes his presence known, as he will take down Bradford 2.5 times on the day.
The Packers go out to start the season at home 3-0 and an overall record of 5-1.
Prediction: Packers 31, Rams 7
Week 7: Green Bay at Minnesota
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Many feel that Christian Ponder was a reach at No.12 overall, but by Week 7, he's there starting QB.
By now, he's learned the offense and is starting to get a feel for how his offense is working. But he's still in the adjusting phase.
Ponder actually has a somewhat acceptable game, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions. But he can't escape from Clay Matthews.
Peterson gashes the Packers defense in the run game for around 135 yards. He singlehandedly gives the Vikings life.
The Packers grind it out as Ponder makes a rookie mistake in what would have been a game-winning drive.
Prediction: Packers 23, Vikings 21
Week 8: Bye Week
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The Packers go into the bye week a healthy 6-1.
They've feasted on some easier opponents, and their schedule gets harder after the bye week.
However, confidence is at a high at this point, as they're on a four-game win streak.
They take it easy and rest up.
Week 9: Green Bay at San Diego
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The Packers have rested their players and seem to have a reasonable amount of players (for them).
However, a game in San Diego doesn't bode well for them, as they were hoping for a bit of an easier opponent after their bye week.
Philip Rivers has a nice game and throws for over 300 yards against what is a very good Packers pass defense.
The offense looks shaky, and for the first time in 23 regular games, the Packers trail by more than seven points in a game.
San Diego has no trouble taking this one.
Prediction: Chargers 30, Packers 17
Week 10: Minnesota at Green Bay
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Though I believe the Vikings will have done horrible at the beginning of the year, they should have improved by this point.
If Christian Ponder has some bright spots during his rookie season, Vikings fans should feel content.
But in another battle against the NFL's best secondary, Christian Ponder doesn't fair too well.
Davon House gets some quality playing time and racks up some tackles.
Peterson doesn't have the same type of game he did first time around and loses a fumble.
Prediction: Packers 21, Vikings 3
Week 11: Tampa Bay at Green Bay
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The Buccaneers improved their pass-rush this draft by adding the best pass-rusher in the draft, Da'Quan Bowers and another great pass-rusher in Adrian Clayborn.
However, Bowers may not be ready to go and could end up being a bust coming out of the second round.
Clayborn has a solid game recording a sack against the elusive Aaron Rodgers, but the Packers defense holds tight once again.
Alex Green gets most of the carries in a Packers win at home.
Prediction: Packers 17, Buccaneers 10
Week 12: Green Bay at Detroit
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Nick Fairley teams up with Ndamukong Suh & Co. to make possibly the best defensive line the NFL has right now.
The Packers, however, aren't phased. Especially Rodgers.
Rodgers eludes a couple sacks, but in the end, gets taken down a total of five times by the enemy line. Suh leads the pack of Lions with two takedowns.
Matthew Stafford has been healthy for the year and keeps the Lions in the playoff race each week.
But the Packers won't give up that easily. They win it with an Aaron Rodgers game-winning TD pass to Donald Driver.
Prediction: Packers 21, Lions 20
Week 13: Green Bay at the New York Giants
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Prince Amukamara is a good corner if you ask me. A good No. 2 corner.
In college, Amukamara struggled with catching the football and defending elite receivers such as Justin Blackmon.
When faced with the task of guarding whoever the Packers No. 2 receiver might be at the point, either James Jones or Donald Driver, Amukamara will struggle.
Just like last time, late in the season, the Giants fall to the Packers.
At least it's not a blow that takes them out of the playoff race.
Prediction: Packers 41, Giants 13
Week 14: Oakland at Green Bay
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Instead of upgrading a cornerback squad preparing for the loss of Nnamdi Asomugha by taking a cornerback in the second round, what does Al Davis do?
Well, that's obvious. He reaches and takes the fastest player in the draft, and Hue Jackson declares his job at upgrading cornerback a success.
Van Dyke is a developmental corner who needs to add weight to succeed in this league. But the Raiders start him too soon.
Rodgers destroys the Raiders throwing for over 400 yards and four TDs. The ground game doesn't rack up a ton of yards, but Rodgers is throwing the ball left and right.
The Raiders need a new QB and this one isn't ever close.
Prediction: Packers 42, Raiders 12
Week 15: Green Bay at Kansas City
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Though some believe Kansas City was wrong in taking Jon Baldwin, I completely disagree. I love the move.
Baldwin shows off his height and jumping skills in this game, winning several jump balls that were otherwise well defended.
Cassel throws no interceptions. The Packers line can't seem to generate much pressure, and the linebackers try to work with what they can.
The Packers win streak ends here, as Dwayne Bowe and Jon Baldwin both gain over 75 yards.
Prediction: Chiefs 34, Packers 21
Week 16: Chicago at Green Bay
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The Bears took Gabe Carimi in the first round, and he turns out fine for them.
He played left tackle in college but should move to the right side. We'll see what the Bears do with him.
Cutler on the other hand, isn't having the year he was expecting at this point. The Bears defense is as tough as ever and keeps them in games that the Bears offense should win.
Kind of like, oh yeah, this game.
The Bears defense intercepts Rodgers twice, giving him eight interceptions at this point. One of them is almost returned for a touchdown.
But Cutler and the offense generate very little at Lambeau, and the Packers take one in a similar score to last season's finale.
Prediction: Packers 13, Bears 6
Week 17: Detroit at Green Bay
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At this point, the Packers are sitting at 12-3 and won a tiebreaker with the other team who is 12-3, the Atlanta Falcons.
The Packers play their starters for one quarter and then pull them. Once that happens, the Green Bay fans aren't happy.
The second string takes over and such rookies as D.J, Smith, Ricky Elmore and Lawrence Guy get to showcase their talents.
Flynn, who surprisingly was not let go, takes over. He does above average in this game against a weak Lions secondary.
The Lions are fighting for a playoff spot and grab the win in Green Bay to stay alive.
The Falcons, in the meanwhile, lose to Tampa Bay and the Packers gain the No. 1 seed in the playoffs at 12-4.
Prediction: Lions 24, Packers 17
Conclusion
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All in all, the Packers have a pretty nice season.
They aren't the juggernauts that some predict to destroy their opponents in every game, but their 12-4 record and No. 1 seed in the playoffs show they're a pretty darn good squad.
Rodgers throws for over 4,000 yards and 33 TDs as compared to eight INTs. He also gains four scores on the ground.
The running back trio of Green, Starks and Grant rotate nicely with Kuhn filling in on the goal line.
The Packers undoubtedly find a steal in the sixth or seventh rounds, and fourth-round pick Davon House shows amazing potential.
The receivers unit shows why they are the NFL's best, and Cobb has a productive year at receiver and on special teams.
Cheeseheads all over America have to be pretty satisfied as to how the season went here.
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