{image1}The start to the 2005 National Football League season is just under a month away, and there are a number of hot storylines surrounding this year's installment of the Green Bay Packers.
The 2004 campaign was a rollercoaster of emotions that eventually culminated at a physical and emotional playoff butt kicking by the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field.
What's going to happen this year now that Mike Sherman is just the coach with one year left on his contract, Jim Bates is running the defense and GM Ted Thompson is looking at trying to make sense of everything?
Here are five things to watch as the season draws near:
Brett Favre's Eyes -- The veteran quarterback has had more than his share of fun during his career, and while nobody knows just when, it will come to an end sooner rather than later. Favre wants to win. Watch the focus in his eyes; if he's staring down younger receivers for dropped passes or bad routes, it could be the signal that this season is a final hurrah.
Mike Sherman's Demeanor -- Here is a guy that had the rug pulled out from under him when he was stripped of the General Manager duties. While both he and new GM Ted Thompson have toed the company line well so far, it's been obvious that Sherman's pride has been hurt a bit. In the last year of his contract, Sherman has a great deal of pressure to make the playoffs and get to at least the NFC Championship. He'll also have to deal with the constant rumors and speculation about his job status. How often is it that a new GM retains an old coach?
Jim Bates and The Defense -- Bates was brought in to be the third defensive coordinator in three seasons and shake up a defensive unit that bottomed out a year ago. He's made a good impression on his players so far, but you have to wonder if he's in Green Bay to run the defense, or to audition for the top job. Nobody has come out and said it, but its not like it's a secret: Bates wants to be a head coach.
Walker and Jackson -- On a team with fading talent, locker room chemistry is crucial. It will be interesting to see just what effect the contract status of Javon Walker and Grady Jackson will have on their teammates. Favre already came out and called on Walker to get into camp (which he did, surprising many), and the QB has let it be known he is none too high on Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for both Walker and Jackson. Will this develop into a rift? If it does, having a quarterback and his top receiver at odds for a year never leads to good results.
Special Teams -- Ryan Longwell is as automatic as things get in the NFL, but the punting situation has been a nightmare at times. The 2004 third-round pick of BJ Sander was a flop last year, but it looks like Sander has made some major improvements. You get the feeling that this year the Packers really need a guy that can drop a punt inside the 20s, and you have to hope Sander has figured out a way to do it. The return game needs a pretty substantial upgrade, too. Special Teams coach John Bonemago will have his work cut out for him.
Face it; it's been almost a decade since the Packers were in the Super Bowl. Amazing how fast time flies. The journey is winding down, and this might be the last team for a while that can pull it all together.
There is talent there, no doubt about it. But that talent is far from the dominant level that it was in past years. Every team in the division has made some vast improvements in the off-season, with the exception of Green Bay.
The clock is ticking; will this season be the start of a new era, or the beginning of another three decades of futility. Only time will tell.
