Surviving Sunday: Packers News, Notes and Links for the Football Deprived

Surviving Sunday with no Packers Football

I published my way-too-early Packers 53-man roster and depth chart prediction on Thursday. Now it?s time for some way-too-early predictions of the entire 2012 NFL season. I?m guessing my mind will change about several of these predictions between now and the period of time where it is no longer way too early to make these sorts of predictions, but for now, here goes nothin?.

Super Bowl
Steelers 34, Packers 27

MVP
Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions

Defensive Player of the Year
Patrick Peterson, CB, Cardinals

Rookie of the Year
Trent Richardson, RB, Browns

Coach of they Year
Mike McCarthy, Packers

Dark-Horse Super Bowl Pick
Eagles 27, Chiefs 24

Dark-Horse MVP Pick
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots

Most Disappointing Team
New York Giants

Most Disappointing Player
Andre Johnson, WR, Texans

Player that Becomes a Star
A.J. Green, WR, Bengals

First Coach Fired
Jason Garrett, Cowboys

Ted Thompson speaks, OTAs, Dancing Donald Driver

• Ted Thompson spoke with Rob Reischel on a variety of topics in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. You can tell Thompson is a scout at heart. He gives longer answers and even a little bit of insight on questions about the scouting process, and pretty much blows off questions about the draft, contracts and team building.
• OTAs started this week?.yawn. When I become?emperor?of the universe, one of the first laws I will force upon the people is a ban on all media coverage of OTAs. Unless someone blows out his knee, there is never any news worth reporting at OTAs. You see the same stories ever year: (Insert name of young player) looks much improved. (Insert name of guy coming off injury) looks healthy and ready to go. (Insert name to team troublemaker) looks extra focused and less selfish. And on, and on, and on??
• I?ve never watched a second of Dancing with the Stars in my entire life, but I couldn?t resist tuning in when I noticed Twitter blowing up about the forthcoming final results announcement. I flipped it on just in time to see Donald Driver declared the winner, roll around on the floor like he was on fire, and celebrate with his extremely attractive dancing partner.?I was very happy for Driver, but my attention during the 60 seconds I was tuned in remained mostly on Driver?s extremely attractive dancing partner.

In case you missed it

• Now that Driver is a dancing champion, the Packers are trying to figure out a way to keep him on the team.
• The Packers tried to trade James Jones before the draft, but (big surprise) nobody was interested. I?ve always been higher on Jones than most, but I?m not surprised no team wanted to give anything up to acquire him.
• Kelly over at Pocket Doppler has some thoughts on retiring Brett Favre?s number.
• Acme Packing Company laid out how NFL rule changes could impact the Packers.
• Mike Neal maintains his innocence. No word on if he?s consulted Ryan Braun on the ins and outs of escaping punishment due to a technicality.

Non-Packers thought of the week

Cantor Gaming has released its 2012 NFL over/under win totals and degenerates everywhere rejoiced. The Packers? and Patriots? number is set at 12, which is huge. I probably wouldn?t touch either one.

A few numbers I do like are Houston over 10, Denver under 9.5, Tampa Bay over 6 and the Bengals over 7.5.

The NFC North numbers are as follows: Packers 12, Lions 9.5, Bears 8.5 and the Vikings 6.

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Adam Czech is a freelance reporter and a Packers fan living in the Twin Cities. Follow Adam on Twitter. Read more of Adam's writing on the Packers here.

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