Serviceable quarterbacks and Super Bowl champs are not synonymous. Gilbert Brown is the key defensive ingredient. The 350-pound Brown stayed healthy all of last season, but he is just one caught spike on the turf at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia away from injured reserve. No matter who replaces Brown in the lineup, they will not carry the trump card the big man in the middle possesses. Brown's absence from the lineup would have a filter down effect on the entire defense.
Good luck is vital.
For the most part, the ball bounced the Packers way all of last year as if they were destined for glory. Without that non-call the Packers may have been on the road in the playoffs. Expecting a repeat of that magic is beyond comprehension. Much of the talk in recent years has centered on the incredible bond between Packer players under coach Mike Holmgren. Neither are the caliber of a Sterling Sharpe, but look at the wedge the former all-pro receiver drove between his teammates a few years back.