2007-08 Green Bay Packers
Packers fans held their breath when star reciever suffered a bad foot injuy. Luckily for Packer Nation, It was only a sprain, and he is back in shape this season. And lucky that, because with Vernand Morency out, the Packers cant afford not to play Driver. Brandon Jackson should handle the carries until Morency returns — but can this rookie handle the load? The Packers are still a young team. But they were still young last year and won the final four games of the season. Mike McCarthy worked some magic last season, getting his team to .500. With the NFC pretty wide open, the Packers should see some action in December. .
Previous Seasons
Despite the worst season in the last 15 years in Green Bay, Packers football tickets remain prized possessions among the fans at Lambeau Field. Quarterback Brett Favre is one of the most prominent figures in professional football with a resume that includes three MVP awards and leading his team to 13 straight seasons without a losing record. However, most of these fans will use the off-season to forget the Packers of 2005-2006. With the firing of head coach Mike Sherman immediately following the end of the regular season, it appears the management hopes to forget, too.
While this year was a source of woe for fans at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field, it does not erase the Packers’ many seasons of greatness, which include the first two Super Bowl victories in 1961 and 1962, 10 trips to the playoffs in the last 13 seasons, and arguably the greatest coach in the history of the National Football League: Hall of Fame member Vince Lombardi. Lombardi’s legendary development of the Packers of the 1960s under the quarterback skills of Bart Starr was so remarkable that the Super Bowl trophy is now named after him. However, after Lombardi left the team in 1967, the Packers struggled through the next two decades with only two trips to the postseason. Their difficulties changed when Mike Holmgren assumed the head coaching duties in 1992.
The Packers have won 12 league championships, which is more than any other franchise in history. Eleven of the honors were earned before the title became known as the Super Bowl. Their most recent Super Bowl victory came in 1996 when Holmgren guided the team to a win over the New England Patriots. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the victory in Super Bowl XXXI was the special teams’ performance: Desmond Howard set a record with 90 punt return yards, and he also returned a kickoff for a 99-yard score.
Now, fans in Green Bay are proud of Favre’s extensive list of NFL records. He has thrown for 30 or more touchdowns eight times, passed for 3,000 yards 14 times, and started 241 consecutive games. Just how much do these accomplishments and the Packers’ starred history mean to fans in Green Bay? Every home game has been sold out for the last 45 years.
Many fans believe that Favre will retire following this season, but he has made no formal announcement. After setting the record for starting every game of his 14 years in the NFL, Favre would leave behind a team that hopes to recover from injuries and reach the playoffs again next year. Wide receiver Javon Walker and three of the team’s running backs were all plagued by serious difficulties during 2005-2006, limiting the Packers’ offensive threats. The Packers have already begun the search for a new head coach and may soon begin the hunt for a replacement for Favre. While the future looks uncertain for the Packers, one truth remains: Packers fans will continue to be the most devoted fans in all of football.
