GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers open the regular season Sunday in Chicago against the Bears.
Here are three things to watch in the upcoming Packers season.
How good are they?
This Packers season has some mystery to it.
How good are they going to be? No one knows for sure. When Aaron Rodgers was in Green Bay, particularly in recent years, the Packers were considered contenders. Now, with Jordan Love taking over at quarterback and a much younger team, it remains to be seen what the Packers are. Reviews on Love were positive throughout training camp and the preseason games.
Murky NFC North picture
One thing that should help the Packers: the NFC North Division appears unsettled.
The Detroit Lions are the favorites, but skeptics remain. The Lions have never won the NFC North. Their last division title was when they took the NFC Central in 1993. The Vikings had to jettison some key players like Dalvin Cook to reduce payroll. The Bears will be better, but it’s unclear how big of a jump they can make.
D is key
You can’t say the Packers haven’t invested in their defense. They now have eight first round draft picks on that side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s unit will be expected to help shepherd the Packers through a transition at quarterback. Last season, a strong finish helped the Packers rank 16th in points allowed.
The Packers are young at wide receiver. Not one wide receiver from the last Packers playoff game just two seasons ago remains on the roster.