Let’s get this party started. We continue the series with the Green Bay Packers season preview. 
Green Bay Packers Season Preview Overview:
As long as Aaron Rodgers is around, the Packers are going to be Super Bowl contenders, year in and year out. Like Brett Favre before him, he makes his supporting cast that much better, and the parts interchange, with similar results. However, if Rodgers goes down, the 2014 season is over- period. You saw the Pack go 0-4-1 once #12’s collarbone broke. It didn’t matter which signal caller they tried, the parts interchange, with similar results. So as long as Rodgers (who’s thrown just one pick-six his entire career, more on that here) stays healthy, the NFC Central goes through Green Bay- period.
Green Bay Packers Season Preview Offense:
The greatest example of Rodgers, and of course, Favre’s greatness was when you looked at their respective receiving corps. Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones…has now given way to Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Jarrett Boykin. Big Target DaVante Adams is next in line, as he was a hell of a second round pick . I also love the value pick of former Wisconsin Badgers weapon Jared Abbrederis in the fifth round. That’s a steal! He lit up Bradley Roby of Ohio State, a corner who although he went at the tail end of the first round, is certain to be a huge NFL bust.
What makes the Pack special on offense though is their balance: 7th last year in rushing, 6th in passing. Eddie Lacy is the best green and gold tailback we’ve seen in a while, and vastly underrated. Because of this, he may be my favorite Packer.
Green Bay Packers Season Preview Defense:
The drafting of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round is exactly what the ailing, 24th ranked pass defense needs. And it just can’t be coincidence that it occurred on the same day that Monica Lewinsky ended her 16 year silence, as Vanity Fair dropped that tell all article the day before the draft. Now if only there was another guy out there somewhere, named LOL Carter-Cox, who could play corner and you could pair the two. Stop me, I may joke again.
But seriously folks, speaking of defensive pairings, what about this Julius Peppers signing, huh? At 34, does he still have enough to be a true pass-rushing complement to Clay Matthews? How will he adjust to Dom Capers’ 3-4 hybrid style? Last year, at times he was more absent than my inhibitions during happy hour at an upscale wine bar. Please, remember to tip your bartenders. And the 11 o’clock show is totally different from the 7 o’clock show. 
Green Bay Packers Season Preview Special Teams, Odds and Ends:
What the world…needs now…..is (apologies to Burt Bacharach) more media coverage of Aaron Rodgers’ personal life. Kidding of course! I do not care whether or not Rodgers is gay or straight. I do not care whether or not his boyfriend or girlfriend is obscure or a celebrity. If there was a sunblock cream for blocking out coverage of Aaron Rodgers’ relationships, somehow, I would have caseloads of SPF 5000 strength on hand at all times. Ted Thompson is as much as a “value GM” as it gets when it comes to drafting, and he proved that again this May. He doesn’t build through free agency usually either. Again, rounding into form in 2014. Peppers doesn’t count. 
Mason Crosby is still the placekicker. Just like Jimmy Fallon still has a talk show. I guess people, for some weird reason think Crosby can kick field goals and extra points. Just like some people, for some weird reason, think Fallon is funny. Likewise with Ellen Degeneres and George Lopez.
Green Bay Packers Season Preview Bottom Line:
They’ll probably go 10-6 or so, and win the division comfortably. But how much will they miss Jermichael Finley? And how will my comedic stylings do at the Mars Cheese Castle or the Milwaukee Brau Haus? I’m telling you my bit kills in The Poconos, kid. KILLS!
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports and Yahoo! He’s been a guest on news talk shows all across the world. He’s also a special contributor to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Banks has been featured in numerous media outlets including NFL.com, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, ESPN, NBC, CBS, the History Channel and more. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)