Last season, I gave the world the absolutely perfect gift list for the Green Bay Packers. That list can be found here, and I’m excited to announce that the Packers received most of the gifts on that list. They are forever grateful for those presents. So, this season their gift list might look a tad different.
What did the Packers receive off of last year’s gift idea list? Let’s do a quick review:
Last Season… The Packers
- 1. The Packers needed a new defensive coordinator and they definitely received that in Jeff Hafley.
2. The run defense last season wasn’t good for Green Bay and so I said they needed defensive tackles, inside linebackers and safeties to control the middle of the field. The Packers received two-thirds of this gift.
3. The Packers third gift was continual improvement by the offensive line, and that seems like a gift that will continue to give. As in: give Zach Tom all of the money.
4. Green Bay needed a more prevalent running game. They for sure received that one in Josh Jacobs.
5. Number five was for the continual development of the Packers’ offensive weapons and this is indeed an ongoing gift. It definitely is happening, just might be slower coming in.
Bonus Gift: I said it was a long shot, but I wanted the Packers to make the playoffs last season and even called it a “long shot.” Well, this gift was delivered too.
So, as you can see, the Packers received all of the gifts that I recommended for their list last year. What do I have for them this year?
Packers Gift Idea Number One:
It would be absolutely great if Jaire Alexander could get healthy and stay healthy. Over the past two seasons Alexander has only play in fourteen games. He was available in seven games last season and technically seven games this season even though he played only ten snaps in Chicago.
This can’t continue to happen, so a great gift for this Packers team is for Jaire Alexander to get healthy and stay healthy. He would go a long way in helping this secondary.
Gift Idea Number Two:
Christian Watson has really started to come on lately. In the first eight games of the seasons, Watson was averaging 29 yards per game. But in the past five games, he has been averaging 77 yards per game. This is a big uptick in production. I think it would be an absolute wonderful gift if this production for Watson would continue to develop so the Packers could really continue to stretch defenses.
The more defenses play close to the line of scrimmage to stop Josh Jacobs, the more the Packers could use those deep shots to Christian Watson.
Gift Idea Number Three:
Edgerrin Cooper is going to be special. I mean honestly, he already is. His athleticism is off the charts. Just watching him run that interception back was absolutely amazing. He can really move. The Packers probably haven’t had this type of athletic linebacker in ages. So, for this third gift idea, let’s get Cooper on the field more often.
Yeah, I know he is just a rookie and will still have those rookie moments probably. But his natural abilities, instincts, and pure athleticism require that he stay on the field. There will be more good than bad with this guy, even if he is just a rookie. Cooper needs more playing time.
Gift Idea Number Four:
I know Matt LaFleur doesn’t seem to care and will challenge a play whenever he seems fit, but for Christmas, the Packers could really use LaFleur winning a challenge. This season, Matt LaFleur is 0-6 on challenges.
Packers Gift Idea Number Five:
This has got to be the healthiest that I have ever seen a Green Bay team this late in a season. I mean, look at this injury report:
So, for this gift, I think it would be great if the Packers stayed healthy and continued to get healthy on their way to and through the playoffs. If Green Bay can stay healthy, then their chances to go far into the playoffs increase so much.
Bonus Gift Idea:
Finally, just to give you one more – this gift would be the absolute greatest – it would be awesome to see Green Bay beat the Lions and Vikings on their way to a Super Bowl appearance. That would be the dream.
Either way and always,
Go Pack Go!
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Damon is a diehard, fully-immersed cheesehead who currently lives in southern Missouri. He teaches at a local high school and has a family YouTube channel about all things Packers. You can follow him on twitter at @packersfamily and on YouTube at The Packers Family.
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