The 2014 season came to a brutal end for Green Bay Packers fans, who watched in horror as the team was on the in-depthwrong end of one of the best comebacks in NFL postseason history. But the loss to Seattle couldn’t dampen the exciting run that got them to the NFC Championship.

An elite offense coupled with an improving defense to run roughshod over most of the league for the final three-quarters of the regular season. And much of the core is back. So can the Packers make another run into the deep postseason? Or will a hangover from 2014’s rough ending scuttle any chance of a repeat run? Ray Rivard, editor of Lambeau Ave., shares his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: Green Bay rolled through the regular season and into the NFC Championship game where everything was going right until the last minutes when the Super Bowl slipped away. How would you assess the season?

Rivard: Yes, the Packers experienced one of the largest meltdowns in franchise history. There had never been a loss on as big of a stage as we witnessed in last season’s championship game. Packers fans, coaches and administrators are accustomed to the Packers winning games like that.

So, we look at the final three minutes of the season and hang our heads and ask why? But when assessing the entire season, we have to look way beyond what happened in Seattle.

The Packers had a championship-level season. There were the ups and downs – starting 1-2 with two miserable losses at Seattle and Detroit, there was the loss at Buffalo when the Packers did everything they could to give that game away and of course there was that championship game.

But between those downers you had a team that saw its defense go from the bottom of the rankings to near the middle of the pack in less than half a season; you saw a defensive backfield, especially the play at safety, go from abysmal to one of the best units in the league; you saw Eddie Lacy once again rush for more than 1,000 yards and catch passes for more than 400 yards; you saw Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb garner total receiving numbers of more than 1,200 yards each, with Nelson exceeding 1,500 for the first time in franchise history; and most of all, you saw Aaron Rodgers not only re-establish himself as the best quarterback in the league, but win his second MVP trophy in four years.

You saw a team roll over opponents and rack up 50 points in back-to-back games against the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles; you saw the Packers beat the likes of the New England Patriots and then win a huge game against the Detroit Lions in Week 17 to capture their fourth straight NFC North title. They then beat Dallas in the playoffs and advance to the championship game against the NFC defending champ on the road

On top of that, the team was three minutes away from a Super Bowl Berth.

How do I assess that? Well, that’s a season for which most teams in the league can only dream. For the Packers, it’s a season that occurs year-in and year-out.

I’ll take it and give the team an A- only because of the way it ended.

Zoneblitz: Are you worried about a hangover effect from the loss to Seattle, particularly given the manner in which it happened?

Rivard: Absolutely not.

The NFL is all about “not for long” and if you look back, you’re done. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy isn’t going to let that happen.

Does it hurt? You damn right it hurts.

But with Aaron Rodgers under center, he’s not going to let a bump in the road bother him.

Don’t worry, the Packers will be back with a vengeance once again in 2015. The team has had its bloody Mary and the hangover is well behind them. It’s time to move on.

Zoneblitz: Assuming health, Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are all givens on the offense. What about complementary backs, third and fourth receivers and tight ends? Who is looking good to claim some playing time in those areas?

Rivard: The reason the Packers are contenders each and every year is because the team reloads through the draft and re-signs their best players.

The Packers depth is the strength of the team. Look at running back – the Packers still have James Starks backing up Eddie Lacy. Starks could start for many teams in the league. In addition, the team has some undrafted free agent running backs and Rajion Neal who spent the year on the practice squad vying for a third running back spot.

At wide receiver, the Packers are stacked. In addition to Nelson and Cobb, the team is looking toward number three receiver Davante Adams to have an even more productive season in 2015. Behind him they have the likes of Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis and rookie Ty Montgomery waiting to make a statement. And that’s not even considering the undrafted free agents waiting their turn.

Even at quarterback, the Packers are looking good. Backup Matt Flynn wasn’t re-signed because the Packers have confidence in Scott Tolzien. They also went out and drafted UCLA QB Brett Hundley as a project for future consideration. Should Rodgers go down to injury, Tolzien now has the experience and skills to step in.

Zoneblitz: Corey Linsley emerged as a solid center last season and Bryan Bulaga re-signed for 2015, keeping last year’s line together another year. It’s an unsung group, but how good is it and how important is their continuity for maintaining the health of Rodgers?

Rivard: Last year, Mike McCarthy called his offensive line the best he has had since taking over as head coach in Green Bay. This spring he said it’s going to be an even better line in 2015.

Not only is that good news for Aaron Rodgers, as he was sacked fewer than 30 times last season … but it’s great news for Eddie Lacy and the Packers running game. Expect this line made up of left tackle David Bakhtiari, Pro-Bowler left guard Josh Sitton, second-year phenom center Corey Linsley, right guard and the most underrated T.J. Lang and newly re-signed Bryan Bulaga to do great things this season.

What’s really amazing is that the entire line, with the exception of first round pick Bulaga, are mid-rounder’s. That’s another testament to Packers GM Ted Thompson’s draft and develop philosophy.

Zoneblitz: The defense improved from 24th to 13th in the league in points allowed and from 25th to 15th in yards allowed. What happened and what could be made better on that side of the ball?

Rivard: The reason for the pathetic start to the season in 2014 was the horrid play of inside linebackers A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. After the Packers benched both Hawk and Jones midway through the season, moved Sam Barrington into the lineup and slid Clay Matthews inside, the defense responded.

Those simple moves made the world of difference as the Packers defense began to stop the run and put pressure on quarterbacks.

The drafting of linebacker Jake Ryan and the decision to continue to move Matthews around will help the team immensely. Add in the fact that the defense improved itself for the long haul by drafting two cornerback/safeties in Demetrius Randall and Quinton Rollins, and you’ve got a recipe for success. There may be a learning curve by the rookies, but their athleticism and instincts in this defense will be valued as 2015 moves along.

Zoneblitz: Cleveland did sign Tram on Williams, leaving a hole at CB. The Packers, to a mixed reaction, did take safety Demetrius Randall in the first round and CB Quinten Rollins in the second. What are your thoughts on those picks and the state of the secondary?

Rivard: As stated above, these two picks will be beneficial in the long run. Most Packers fans were scratching their heads with the announcements a little over a month ago, but these two guys were needed and were the best players on the board for this team at the time.

I feel that these two players will fit in well with the defensive packages the Packers utilize. In my mind, they will be, for the most part, plug and play additions to the Packers defensive backfield and will help the overall makeup of the defense, from front to back.

Zoneblitz: What will happen with Clay Matthews? Will he move back outside? Does he stay inside where his presence made the team more effective in 2014? And what does` the LB corps look like?

Rivard: Matthews will continue to be moved around. That tactic confused offenses last year and helped the Packers improve overall. That should be the case once again in 2015. Though the linebacking corps was the thinnest heading into the draft, Ted Thompson used only a mid-round selection to bring in Jake Ryan out of Michigan.

But the message Thompson was making was that he liked the guys the Packers already had in-house, including Sam Barrington, Nick Perry, Julius Peppers, Mike Neal, Carl Bradford, Adrian Hubbard, Nate Palmer, Jayrone Elliott and Andy Mulumba, among others.

The linebacker position will surely be one to watch to see who emerges in training camp and secures a spot on the team. The Packers like the athletic linebackers who can also play special teams … so that will be a big factor.

Zoneblitz: Randall Cobb stuck around. So did Bryan Bulaga. Even special teams tackling ace Sean Richardson stayed. It looks like the core is intact. What does this team need to do to make another deep run in the playoffs?

Rivard: Success is pretty simple in Green Bay … it comes down to players buying into the system and playing their role. Take for instance the changes that superstar Clay Matthews underwent last year.

Of course, the key this year will be with the defense. The Packers can’t rely on Aaron Rodgers putting up 50 point per-game to win. They will have to win some rugged, close games in 2015 which includes a brutal road schedule the last half of the season.

Don’t get me wrong, the Packers will score points, but they have to be better in the red zone, have a consistent running game and the defense to win. Most importantly, this team has to be better on special teams. We all remember the implosion last year that could be attributed to special teams. That cannot happen again in 2015.

Aaron Rodgers has to remain healthy this year and the team will need a little bit of luck to win the division, get into the playoffs and advance.

It should be an interesting season for the Packers, but if they can put together consistency in all three major phases of the game there’s no reason they can’t once again put together a Super Bowl run.

Zoneblitz: Collectively, what are your thoughts on the offseason to date and what would you like to see the team do through the rest of the offseason?

Rivard: I am never one to argue with the personnel decisions of Ted Thompson. Yes, he’s made some mistakes over the years, but his collective decision-making has been solid. He’s built teams that are young, hungry and competitive every year using a compelling mix of veterans, rookies and undrafted free agents. Melding that mix is Mike McCarthy, one of the best coaches in doing so.

It seems the team roster is pretty well set, but I would like the Packers to make some moves to bring even more depth to the linebacking position. That would make me feel a bit more comfortable heading into training camp next month. However, given Thompson’s history, I wouldn’t expect any type of major changes between now and the start of training camp.

It’s basically what you see is what you get.

Zoneblitz: What Packers players have a chance to break out in 2015?

Rivard: Look for Davante Adams to build on what he started last season, as well as Corey Linsley. Should anyone on the line of scrimmage get hurt, look to the likes of J.C. Tretter to step in and make an impact.

On defense, Packers fans are looking forward to seeing cornerback Casey Hayward move to the outside to replace Tramon Williams, who left for Cleveland in free agency. Hayward, who has struggled with injuries, now has a shot to make his mark on the defense. He was one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league and now gets a chance to prove he is starting NFL material on the outside.

Also look for rookie Ty Montgomery to have a shot at being the guy on returns … he comes in with high expectations and a chance to turn some heads. Another rookie, linebacker Jake Ryan, will be looked to as a key player to add depth at that position. Many see him as an old-style, hard working, blue collar player who will be a perfect fit in Green Bay.

We’re also hoping for a re-emergence of defensive lineman B.J. Raji who was on his way to a promising season in 2014 when he was injured in the third preseason game and missed the entire year. The Packers rolled the dice and decided to bring him back for one more try. We’re hoping he has what it takes to be the guy in the middle of the defensive line.

Zoneblitz: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Rivard: Many are predicting the Packers will play in Super Bowl 50 with a strong chance of winning its league-leading 14th championship.

I’m not much into making predictions in June, but if there’s one team across the league that seems built for a late season run through the playoffs, it’s the Packers.

Without injuries, with an improved defense, with special teams that are “special” and an offense that is better in the red zone – along with some luck – this could be a very exciting year for the Green Bay Packers and the franchise’s millions of fans.

Follow Ray Rivard on Twitter at: @apackphan
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