The offense will be called upon to not lose games, meaning it will be crucial to not to turn the ball over, establish a late-game rushing attack, and be able to turn red-zone possessions into touchdowns instead of field goals.

The times are a changin’ at 1265 Lombardi Ave. in Green Bay. Instead of relying on future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre to do the heavy lifting to win games like in the past, the defense will be called upon to carry the torch.

And if defense truly wins games as the old saying goes, the Packers will have a great chance of challenging Chicago for the NFC North title.

With a front seven that’s the best in Green Bay since the Super Bowl run in 1996 and 1997, the Pack has a chance to be truly special. It starts up front with four down lineman fully capable of putting heat on the passer without help from a blitz.

Ends Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins continue to improve and have been outstanding during training camps. On the interior, Ryan Pickett is a steady player while fellow starter Corey Williams is on the incline. Kabeer Gjaba-Biamillia has been relegated to a third down speed rusher while players such as Colin Cole, Johnny Jolly and first-round pick Justin Harrell provide sound depth.

The line-backing core of Nick Barnett, AJ Hawk and Brady Poppinga has the coaching staff raving. All three look to take another step forward as Barnett and Hawk have legit shots of making the Pro Bowl. In the secondary, veterans Al Harris and Charles Woodson look to continue to be lockdown cover guys. The third corner spot could be a weakness with Jarrett Bush currently filling the role.

At safety, Nick Collins is a young player entering his third season and looks to build off a good camp. He was another key player in the final four-game winning streak in which the Pack had one of the top three defenses in football. The one shady spot on defense is strong safety, where third season journeyman Atari Bigby has replaced Marquand Manuel in the starting lineup. Bigby is clearly not a strong player in coverage, but either is Manuel and Bigby plays with more aggressiveness and tenacity.

The offense will be called upon to not lose games, meaning it will be crucial to not to turn the ball over, establish a late-game rushing attack, and be able to turn red-zone possessions into touchdowns instead of field goals. If competent, the Packers nation will witness a fun season.

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