Green Bay Packers 2009 Season Preview: No Excuses Anymore

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Injuries are not an excuse. It's also not permissible to point fingers at guys on the other side of the ball when your team has problems. No one in Green Bay will do this, despite the way things went down last year. The Packers lost eight of their ten games by a combined total of 30 points. Despite this, no one in the locker room pinned the blame on the three-ring circus in training camp, major injuries on defense, or anything else.

Offense -- Throw away what has been seen from the first team in the preseason. Yes, it's impressive, but it's also meaningless until it's done in a game that counts. However, one accurate conclusion can be drawn. This is Aaron Rodgers' football team. He might be in the same division, but Brett Favre is no more in Green Bay. All the talk last year made it impossible for anyone to truly move on, but it's obvious now that the team has taken to their new leader. Rodgers was accurate, dependable, and tough last year, playing well and starting all 16 games despite a September shoulder injury that threatened to take him out of the lineup. By all accounts, Rodgers was front and center throughout the offseason, working hard to improve his game while urging his teammates to do the same. The team is much happier with the offensive line they've decided to go with, and it's a starting five that should do a good job protecting Rodgers. When they don't, Rodgers has shown he has the presence to move around and take off when needed. Given his history of injuries with the Packers, however, it would be wise to avoid Rodgers running around a lot. That line will be expected to perform better in the run game, as will feature back Ryan Grant, who battled a hamstring injury early last year and never got back to top form. Rodgers has a bevy of receivers to pick from. Pro Bowler Greg Jennings and veteran Donald Driver are the top two, with youngsters James Jones and Jordy Nelson also expected to see the field a lot. At tight end, Donald Lee is joined by a much-more-prepared Jermichael Finley, who has won raves from the coaches for his offseason work. The Packers were eighth last year in yards per game, and should at least hold that ranking in 2009. Heat Index: 9

Defense -- This is where serious improvement will be expected. The Packers move to a 3-4 base scheme this season, and it looks like they have more linebackers than most teams that make this conversion. Aaron Kampman moves from defensive end, and if coordinator Dom Capers can keep teams from isolating him in pass coverage a lot, he will be a success at outside linebacker. Brady Poppinga and Clay Matthews will vie for the other starting spot on the outside, with Matthews at least getting playing time on passing downs where his ability to get after quarterbacks can be used. Nick Barnett starts in the middle after blowing out his knee last year, and third-year pro A.J. Hawk also works inside. Up front, the Packers have big ends in Cullen Jenkins and Johnny Jolly, while rookie B.J. Raji will work inside and outside. Al Harris and Charles Woodson look comfortable mixing up their coverages between man and zone after years of strictly man coverage. Safety Nick Collins is off a Pro Bowl season. Capers needs to make sure the players communicate well, something that was an issue last year. The talent is there, and they are led by an accomplished coordinator. Heat Index: 7

Special Teams -- The Packers have a solid kicker in Mason Crosby, and they like young punter Jeremy Kapinos, who won the starting job over Durant Brooks. Improved athleticism all over the field should help the Packers in kick and punt coverage, where they were awful last year. Will Blackmon is a huge weapon in the return game, and he should start the season as the main runback guy for both kickoffs and punts. Heat Index: 6

Coaching -- McCarthy took some heat last year -- as did general manager Ted Thompson -- for how the Packers handled the Favre retirement/unretirement fiasco. While some of the criticism was absolutely warranted, the two have also been treated unfairly. In the end, they tried to do what was in the best interest of their entire football team, instead of giving in to the wishes of an individual. Their faith in Rodgers should pay off big-time in 2009 and beyond. McCarthy made a necessary change on his defensive staff, and also made a brilliant hire in Capers. He's renowned as a great teacher and defensive mind. Heat Index: 8

Intangibles -- A high priority for McCarthy upon his hire in Green Bay was restoring the traditional home-field advantage the Packers enjoy. It has to eat at him that this team lost late-season home games to Carolina and Houston, and that's before you think about the excruciating fashion in which those games were lost. The Packers play two at Lambeau Field to start the regular season, and it is fair to say the Packers need a 2-0 start for their own confidence, as well as the idea that they can ever enjoy a near-invincibility at home again. Having Favre in the division should provide even more motivation to a group that already has more than enough. Heat Index: 7

Total Heat Index: 37/50 -- 6-10 is no more. This is a different team, one that appears to be a cohesive group on a mission. The NFC North is not a one-team or two-team race. The Packers will not fall out of contention as meekly as they did last season, and anything short of a playoff berth should be considered a huge disappointment.