FanHouse Ataribigby

With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.

I don't have to go out on a limb to say that 6-10 wasn't a goal for the Green Bay Packers in 2008. Yes, they lost Brett Favre to retirement/unretirement/trade. Yes, many thought the Packers would fall off from a 13-3 mark in 2007, even before Favre became a New York Jet. But last year was close to disastrous for the Packers, as a leaky defense blew numerous fourth-quarter leads, and the team slipped to third in the NFC North. Expectations are higher than that, and now there will be pressure on management, making its job even harder.

You've got questions. I've got answers. If not, I'll make them up. Each Thursday at 1 p.m. EST, I answer your queries on all things related to the NFL. If you have a question, send it over to NFLMailbag@gmail.com. Don't forget to include your name and location. Click here for the archives. Rock'n'roll.

How bad will the Colts beat the Texans on Sunday? Also, will the Texans win a game this year? Matt Schaub got in tune with the game for a while last week but he is so inconsistent. I think it's time for him to take a hike and take Gary Kubiak with him.
- Ward77029, Texas

Oh ye of little faith. The Texans won't continue to slide into the 2008 twilight. While the Dolphins and Rams last year offered legitimate hope for an 0-16 season, the Texans are simply too talented to continue losing, and I think it comes together this week in what most would consider a shocker. Schaub did begin to harmonize last week, and though the Colts defense is offering a remarkably stout pass defense, they're also now missing Bob Sanders, and if we've learned anything about the Colts it's that their defense relies quite heavily on that tiny young man. Add in a remarkable Texans front four that will be playing against a Colts line that will be missing Tony Ugoh and Ryan Lilja (though the line has done a good patchwork job of protecting Peyton Manning, they've been awful on the ground, and they haven't played a unit like this), and I like the increasingly-healthy Texans' chances of getting in the win column this week. Added motivation? I don't care what Bob McNair says, the Texans have a chip on their shoulder after Jerrah equated the fourth-largest city in America with Mayberry.

The Packers are one day into mandatory minicamp and we're already at DEFCON 1. The Guy Replacing Brett Favre, also known as Aaron Rodgers, had an atrocious first day of practice.

... Rodgers had perhaps his worst practice of the offseason. When he wasn't struggling to find open players, he was forcing the ball into coverage. He was nearly picked off by Atari Bigby in the two-minute drill. Rodgers failed to get a touchdown during his possession -- despite a questionable holding call that gave him one more play with 1 second left -- and slammed his helmet to the turf in frustration.

Wow, not just atrocious, the worst practice of the offseason. But when Atari Bigby almost picks you off, that probably goes without saying.

But it gets worse. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Greg Bedard writes that for as shaky as Rodgers was, Brian Brohm was worse. Obviously, that means Matt Flynn will be the starter come September.

Actually, this is hardly a big deal, even if some Green Bay fans might be a little nervous about the unknown as we head into the post-Favre era. Favre made a few bad decisions in his career, and he managed to stick around for 17 seasons. Nobody's ready to call Rodgers the next Favre, (Lynn Dickey, maybe?), but he doesn't need to be.

Green Bay's defense is good enough to carry this team, and the offense has plenty of weapons (assuming Ryan Grant signs in the next few weeks) to take some pressure off Rodgers.

Of course, dirty hippies have a spotty NFL track record (hi, Jake Plummer!), so he might do well to trim the wig. I mean, it couldn't hurt.

The Seahawks lost their best player 69 seconds into the first half. That was the last time Packers running back Ryan Grant fumbled on the day. His two turnovers, 57 seconds apart, led directly to a 14-0 Seattle lead. But the remaining 58:51 was all Green Bay.

The Packers tied a franchise playoff record for first-half points (28), and quarterback Brett Favre tied a personal playoff record with three touchdown passes. The team also set playoff franchise records for total points (42), individual rushing yards and total rushing yards (234).

Things were so one-sided that Jon Ryan didn't get punt until nine minutes to go in the game (snow he can handle; winds and freezing temperatures ... not so much). And the rushing record? Yep, Ryan Grant recovered nicely from his raging case of the early-game fumbles to finish with 201 yards on 27 carries, including three rushing touchdowns.

For a Seahawks defense has been stout against the run in '07 (ranking fifth, according to Football Outsiders), they were summarily abused against a Packers team that was without a rushing game for the first part of the season. Amazing what an undrafted rookie free agent can do to bolster the ground attack.

Offensively, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was a victim of at least eight dropped passes. Granted, the second-half conditions were awful, but even without the miscues, I'm guessing the Seahawks lose handily.

One of Coach Mike McCarthy's objectives was to get the Packers offense rolling against Seattle yesterday. Well, he certainly did that and then some. Green Bay, led by Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre, scored 48 points in their 60 minute destruction of the Seattle Seahawks. In fact, they were so dominate that their defense actually outscored the Seahawks offense.

Two of the more notable performances were that of rookie running back Brandon Jackson and rookie wide receivers James Jones. Both players have made strong cases for themselves throughout training camp and that trend continued yesterday. Jackson, who struggled a bit in his first NFL game, really displayed his ability last night. He gained 54 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries and added another 11 yards receiving.

And Jones, who Favre compared to Sterling Sharpe, had the standout performance of the night. He hauled in four passes for 58 yards two, count them two, touchdowns. What more can you say? That certainly was a sparkling home debut for him and the rest of the team.