The Packers were expected to decline when Brett Favre left, but they have instead improved steadily each season with Aaron Rodgers under center and are in line for a big 2010.
If you're looking for a team that has been steadily on the rise for the past couple of seasons, look no further than the Green Bay Packers.
This was a team that saw its market value get slashed when QB Brett Favre decided that it was time to skip town, but buyers from that point on have had a great return on their investments on the NFL odds. Check out what is bullish and bearish for the Pack in 2010.
The Blue Chipper: QB Aaron Rodgers - Any time you can start off your career by posting back to back 4,000 yard passing seasons, you're doing something spectacular. Rodgers has truly rounded into one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, especially considering the fact that he is in the NFC, where the level of play from signal callers is subpar in relation to the entire league.
The former Cal Bear led the seventh ranked passing attack in the league at 262.0 yards per game in '09, and it certainly wasn't his fault for losing in the playoffs to the Arizona Cardinals. Rodgers threw for 423 yards and four scores, and put 45 points on the board. 5*s for certain for Rodgers, as this could be the year that he surpasses names like Brady and Manning in the pecking order for quarterbacks in the NFL.
Sign up to win prizes in SBR Contests!
Too Hot to Drop: RB Ryan Grant - We were always wondering whether or not RB Ryan Grant was a flash in the pan or not. Though Grant's stock probably isn't as high as some of the other running backs in the league, we sort of feel as though he has tapped his potential. Grant ran for 1,253 yards and had 11 total touchdowns in 2009.
The passing attack is only going to get more and more work as Rodgers becomes more comfortable in his role. We wouldn't be shocked in Grant didn't ultimately get to the 1,000 yard mark, but even if he didn't, that doesn't mean that he won't have his scores. He has become a highly rated stock, and we're suggesting that you hold onto it for good value, but shouldn't be buying it at this point.
Stock Rising: DC Dom Capers - If you're looking for the next coordinator that is going to be in the pecking order to get a head coaching job, look no further than Dom Capers in Green Bay. Capers did a great job running the Houston Texans, but ultimately, not making the playoffs cost him his job. The move to Green Bay has done wonders for both his career and the franchise, as his aggressive style of 3-4 defense in the "Pittsburgh Steelers" mold is wrecking havoc all over the place.
The Pack picked off 30 passes last year and had four defensive scores. The unit ranked second in total 'D' at 284.4 yards per game and first against the rush (83.3 yards per game). Now, if the scoring could improve from 18.6 points per game (7th), Capers will have it made. Buy this stock while the getting is still good!
Buying or Selling the Green Bay Packers - What's not to love about this stock? The Packers have improved in each of the two seasons with Rodgers at the helm, and it's becoming pretty apparent that this team is just as good as anyone in the conference, including the Saints and the Vikings, with or without Favre.
The pro football betting lines have the Packers as the third favorites in the NFC behind the Saints and Cowboys. We tend to believe that this is a great spot to take Green Bay in, as it will almost certainly be in the playoffs in spite of the fact that the schedule is a bit tough at times. At that point, the Packers have to have at least a one out of six chance of winning the conference.
If there's one stock that you absolutely have to buy this year, this is it. The Packers are young, exciting, and incredibly well coached. That was the recipe for success in places like New England and Indianapolis, and it will most likely be how Green Bay finds its way to the Super Bowl again one day in the very near future.
Back your Pack this year before the stock shoots through the roof! Buy, buy, buy!
Stock Trading the Packers
CATCH ALL OF THE NFL BETTING PREVIEWS HERE AT SBRFORUM.COM
Arizona Cardinals ... Atlanta Falcons ... Baltimore Ravens ... Buffalo Bills ... Chicago Bears ... Carolina Panthers ... Cincinnati Bengals ... Cleveland Browns ... Dallas Cowboys ... Denver Broncos ... Detroit Lions ... Green Bay Packers ... Houston Texans ... Indianapolis Colts ... Jacksonville Jaguars ... Kansas City Chiefs ... Miami Dolphins ... Minnesota Vikings ... New England Patriots ... New Orleans Saints ... New York Giants ... New York Jets ... Oakland Raiders ... Philadelphia Eagles ... Pittsburgh Steelers ... St. Louis Rams ... San Diego Chargers ... San Francisco 49ers ... Seattle Seahawks ... Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... Tennessee Titans ... Washington Redskins