The Green Bay Packers are heading into the 2013 season with championship expectations after winning the Super Bowl two years ago and with Aaron Rodgers being basically the best quarterback in the entire NFL, there is good reason to think they will make a playoff run this year to MetLife Stadium.
Last season the team felt it was good enough to make it through the NFC, but the Packers had numerous weaknesses exposed in their 45-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, especially on defense. The team also had no real consistent running game to speak of and head coach Mike McCarthy is hoping that he can change that after drafting Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin in April. The team is coming off of two disappointing losses in the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl, losing to the Giants in the NFC championship and then to the 49ers last season.
Colin Kaepernick torched the Packers defense for a record amount of yards with 181 rushing yards in the game, which is the most for a quarterback and he also embarrassed the team with a 56-yard run for a touchdown to break the game open for the 49ers. The team ran with that momentum all the way to the Super Bowl and now the Packers are moving farther and farther away from the roster that went 15-1. The team has some great offensive weapons with Randall Cobb and James Jones and with a quarterback like Rodgers, the offense should be very productive again.
Defensive coordinator Dom Capers has been working with the defense all offseason and after going from last in the NFL in yards allowed in 2011 to 11th last season, he feels the unit can be even better in 2013. The defense will get the chance to see if there's been even more improvement early on in the season, as the Packers will face off against Kaepernick and the 49ers in Week 1 of the regular season before playing Robert Griffin III and the Redskins in Week 2. Rodgers will get the chance to show off why the team gave him a five-year, $110 million contract extension in the offseason and he comes in after throwing for 4,295 yards and 39 touchdowns with just eight interceptions.
After opening the season against the 49ers and the Washington Redskins, the Packers will travel to Cincinnati to play the Bengals, a team that has gone to the playoffs the last two seasons, before having an early bye in Week 4. The Packers open up their NFC North slate for 2013 with a Week 5 matchup against the Detroit Lions before hitting the road to play the Ravens in Baltimore. After a home matchup with the Cleveland Browns, the Packers will travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings before a much anticipated Monday Night Football game at Lambeau Field on ESPN.
The final stretch of the season includes a home game against the Eagles and a road game against the New York Giants that should be an exciting game. After games against Minnesota and Detroit, the Packers will host the Falcons and then will travel to Dallas. The final two games are against the Steelers and Bears.
