The Packers were one of the best teams down the stretch in 2009, winning seven of their last eight regular-season games, but they dropped a 51-45 playoff classic to Arizona. Green Bay's offense eclipsed 30 points in eight of its 17 games, and the Packers averaged 40.5 points in their last four contests. Let's take a look at the Packers during the 11th stop on NESN.com's 32-day voyage through the NFL.
2009 Record: 11-5 (lost to Cardinals in wild card round)
2010 Schedule Difficulty: Their opponents went a combined 125-131 (.488 winning percentage) in 2009, which makes for the 22nd most difficult schedule in the NFL.
Key Additions: Tackle Bryan Bulaga (draft)
Key Losses: Defensive end Aaron Kampman
Burning Question: How underrated is Ryan Grant? Grant was seventh in the league last season with 1,253 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He amassed more yards than backs such as Frank Gore, DeAngelo Williams, Matt Forte and Michael Turner, but Grant isn’t overly flashy and his spotlight is severely dimmed by Aaron Rodgers' rocket arm. Grant, who was undrafted in 2005 and made his NFL debut with the Packers in 2007, has increased his rushing total in each of his three seasons. He has accumulated 3,412 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns in his career, and Grant is a reliable commodity for the Packers.
2010 Outlook: This is a really good team that should have Super Bowl aspirations if the defense can remain on par with its 2009 form. The Packers were second in total defense and seventh in points allowed, which is a scary thought considering how volcanic the offense can be. Look for the Packers to make a deep playoff run in 2010.
