Tom Oates: Has the defense been improved enough to allow the Packers to take over? | Professional Football

GREEN BAY – The change hit hard the North Division of the NFC during the off season.

Chicago outbid half of the NFL to get goaltender Khalil Mack through the trade, Minnesota spent a lot of money on a veteran quarterback, Detroit hired a defensive guru as new coach and the Packers of Green Bay.

Despite these franchise change initiatives, however, one thing remains the same: as long as quarterback Aaron Rodgers is healthy enough to line up every week, the Packers will be competing for the division title and / or playoffs.

In the NFL, an elite quarter guarantees almost a team of 10 wins, which coincidentally is widely considered the magic number for a playoff team. The packers are the proof. Since 2009, they have failed to win 10 games just twice – 2013 and last season – and both times, Rodgers missed most of his matches due to an injury.

Rodgers will be ready to leave when the Packers open the season at home against the Bears on Sunday night, but 10 wins seem barely enough in the busy NFC, where six teams, including the Vikings, are true aspirants to the Super Bowl. Indeed, the success of this Packers season is based on their ability to win 11 or 12 games, and their arrival will depend not on the offensive but on the reworked defense.

In 10 years as a starter, Rodgers has never competed in an NFC home game. For the Packers to get a field advantage in the playoffs, the off-season construction project on a catastrophic defense for several consecutive seasons must pay off.

New defensive coordinator Mike Pettine needs to resume his creativity and success at his other stops in the NFL. The influx of half-backs, young and old, must turn the greatest position of weakness into strength. And one way or another, the defense must find a way – or ways – to get rid of the quarterbacks.

Pettine revealed little about her plan during the exhibition matches, so the defense remains a mystery. Rodgers said the unit was hard for him to oppose the training camp, but details of all the changes were rare.

Still, one wonders if the Packers have done enough for such a talented defense that replenishment could take two years. On the other hand, Rodgers and the offense never needed a good defense. They need a competitive defense, which is a realistic possibility this season.

"I think it has improved," Kenny Clark said. "I think we have a lot of potential. We have a lot of guys who are intensifying. "

With the arrival of rejuvenated Pettine disciple Mohammad Wilkerson, the line should be one of the greatest strengths of the team. Tramont Williams, a 35-year-old prodigy son, and Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson were chosen by Kevin King and Davon House. The linebackers' corps remained largely unchanged, although rookie Oren Burks showed a rare coverage ability before being injured in the shoulder.

The only defense position that fell was security, where the Packers did not adequately replace Morgan Burnett. This is largely because second-year athlete Josh Jones could not get a job.

"We have to run," said Rodgers of the defense. "It will be a work in progress. These guys did not play a lot together in the pre-season. It will be a work in progress so that these guys are comfortable, playing young people, especially on the perimeter.

In addition to outside pass coverage, an area where the Packers need to improve is the pass race. This is where Pettine comes in.

In recent seasons, if field jumpers Clay Matthews and Nick Perry did not compete in the race, this is often not the case for Green Bay. Pettine is a master of shenanigans to bring his rushers into one-on-one situations, giving them a better chance of winning, especially the inner rushers. Wilkerson, in particular, could really have an impact there. Finally, if the rears can cover longer, the rushers will have more time to return home.

Of course, the acquisition of Mack in Oakland would have solved all the problems of rush, but the Packers, even if they have made great efforts, have never had a chance to reach one of the riders the most influential of the NFL. First of all, the Raiders only wanted to trade with teams that could finish badly and return selections in the first half of the first round, which virtually eliminated the Packers.

Secondly, it would not have been prudent from a pay standpoint, as the NFL's highest-paying offensive player (Rodgers) and the highest paid defensive player (Mack) would have handcuffed the Packers for years. Do not believe it? Of the four teams – Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo and the New York Jets – who have finally had the chance to get Mack, all have quarters for their rookie contracts.

Mack was a pipe dream, that's why the Packers defense is going to have to do it alone.

"I think we're in a good position right now," said Clark. "We fly around. We play fast. We know our missions. We know our alignments. We know what we expect from us. We are ready to take up the challenge.

A division title may depend on it.