2006 Green Bay Packers - Kool-Aid(ed) Preview

2005 was a rough year for Green Bay fans (I feel terrible for you). 4-12 tied their worst season since 1991 when they had the same record. Packer fans will tell you that the season could have been totally different as they lost 5 games by 3 points or less. Well, it is hard to make up those points when you give the ball to the other team on a regular basis and then give up your kicker in the offseason.

Through my purple colored glasses it was a great season. The Vikings swept the Pack for the first time since the 98 season and evened the overall regular season record to 44-44-1. The Vikings have actually won 3 consecutive games vs. Green Bay dating back to their playoff victory at Lambeau in 2004.

One statistic jumps out that the Packers need to correct. Turnovers!

• Offense - 18th in yardage
• Defense - 7th in yardage (19th in scoring)
• Turnover Margin -23

That is incredible. 29 interceptions led all QBs by 12 (Aaron Brooks was 2nd with 17). What did they do to rectify this problem? Nothing, Ol'#4 is back behind center for another year. Favre needs just 24 TDs to break Dan Marino's career record of 420 (which would be a truly great accomplishment), but he is also on pace to set the career record for INTs (needing 22 to tie George Blanda at 277).

With a QB who will throw more INTs than TDs, an oft injured RB who is prone to fumbles, an inexperienced offensive line, a weak defense that was only slightly improved and having lost their reliable kicker; this could be another disastrous season for the state of Wisconsin.

I don't have to drink much Kool-Aid for this preview.

Reality says this team will finish right around the 5 win mark again.

After a gallon of Kool-Aid I think I actually want them to finish 7-9 and go 0-2 vs. MN. This way they don't get a top 10 draft pick and hopefully this will perpetuate their mediocrity.

Prediction is 5-11, 5th in NFC North
Hopeful for 6-10, 5th in NFC North

Regardless of how they finish, I'm sure we'll all hear multiple times about how many Super Bowls the Pack have won and how the Vikings are 0-4 in the big game (blah, blah, blah). While that is all true, they can cling to that while they participate in the 2007 Brady Quinn Sweepstakes.