Over the next few weeks, “Shutdown Corner” will pay homage to “Office Space” (TPS reports) as we take a quick look back at each team’s 2012 season and a look at what lies ahead for the 2013 offseason. We wrap up the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers. 2012 record : 11-5 What went wrong : After ranking third in the NFL in total offense and first in scoring offense in 2011, the Packers dropped to 13th in total offense and fifth in scoring offense in their first season with Tom Clements as offensive coordinator. The Packers’ ground game improved, slightly, while the passing attack dropped to ninth in the NFL as wide receiver Greg Jennings missed half the season with a groin injury and Jordy Nelson missed most of the second half of the season with a hamstring issue. Nelson and Jennings were among the top receivers in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) metric in 2011, but both fell out of the Top 15 in 2012, with Jennings sliding all the way to 66th during his injury-marred season. Green Bay’s special teams ranked 18th in Football Outsiders’ special teams DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), a ranking lowered by the struggles of kicker Mason Crosby, who missed five field goals from within 49 yards and was just 21-of-33 on the season. What went right : Aaron Rodgers remains one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, completing 67.2 percent of his pass attempts for 4,295 yards with 39 touchdowns and just eight interceptions for an NFL-best passing rating of 108.0 on the season. Sadly, Rodgers also tied for the team lead with two rushing touchdowns. With Jennings and Nelson banged up throughout the season, 2011 second-round wide receiver Randall Cobb had a breakout season, leading the Packers with 80 receptions and 954 receiving yards and his eight touchdowns receptions were second on the team behind James Jones’ NFL-leading 14 touchdown receptions. Cobb and Jones ranked among the leaders in Football Outsiders’ receiving DYAR metric. After ranking 25th in Football Outsiders’ defensive DVOA in 2011, the Packers shot up to eighth in 2012 and were seventh against the pass. Part of that was due to a resurgent pass rush that went from 29 sacks in 2011 to 47 sacks in 2012 as Clay Matthews shrugged off a less productive 2011 season (six sacks) to lead the team with 13 sacks in 2012. The Packers were outstanding against opposing No. 2 and “other” receivers , according to Football Outsiders, and got a productive season from 2012 second-round cornerback Casey Hayward, who led the team with six interceptions and 21 passes defensed. Coaching/front office changes : The Packers front office lost longtime executive John Dorsey, who is now the general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. Estimated 2013 cap space : $17.896 million
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‘Shutdown Corner’ offseason TPS report: Green Bay Packers (Shutdown Corner)
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