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Packers’ schedule is among NFL’s ten easiest http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-j_mon-moore-jersey , says Football Outsiders Projecting the difficulty of an NFL team’s schedule is a tall order. Few sports have as much volatility from year to year as the NFL, and the inherent parity in the league tends to make measures based on previous years’ records unreliable.However, Football Outsiders attempted to project the strength of NFL team’s schedules for 2018 by projecting what their opponents’ collective DVOA ratings will be for the upcoming season rather than relying on simple measures like 2017 records. Under that scheme, they project the Green Bay Packers to have just the 25th-toughest schedule — in other words, the eighth-easiest slate in the NFL.That projection comes thanks to the team’s opponents having an average projected DVOA of -1.1%. Interestingly, that is the easiest slate of any team in the NFC North, with the Lions coming in 11th (+0.6%), the Vikings 16th (+0.1%), and the Bears 18th (0.0%). Last season, by contrast, the Packers’ schedule was the second-toughest in the entire NFL behind only the Bears.Granted, the Packers have a brutally difficult set of games in the middle of the season. That five-week stretch after the bye week, which features four road games and three of those coming against 2017 division winners Womens Kentrell Brice Jersey , will define this team’s season. Back-to-back games there come at the Rams and at the Patriots, two of the toughest contests on the schedule. However, with an advantageous lineup to start and close the season — including three games against poor AFC East squads — the Packers should have a chance to be right in the mix in the NFC North.This year’s toughest schedules belong to the four teams in the NFC South, with the Panthers, Falcons, Buccaneers, and Saints going one through four in that order. A big reason for that fact is that the division featured three playoff teams a year ago; likewise their schedule rotation features the NFC East (with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles) and the AFC North.Click here for the full analysis of all 32 NFL teams’ schedules from Football Outsiders, via ESPN. Adjusting route trees to fit the veteran’s declining athleticism is important this offseason and New England may have given the Packers a few examples."Heading into Super Bowl LIII, there was plenty of speculation that the big game could be the last for New England Patriots tight end and future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski.After earning another ring, the beaten-up 29-year old still could very much decide to call it a career. In a recent ESPN article, opposing defensive coaches said several remarks about Gronkowski’s aging body and athletic traits.And perhaps most importantly.In many ways, those quotes could also be applied toward Jimmy Graham and his first season in Green Bay. It seems hard to envision Graham re-discovering his Pro Bowl self in 2019, but he Reggie White Jersey , like Gronk, remains a player with a big body that can get into space and cause mismatches. Unfortunately, the Packers failed to use these strengths throughout the 2018 season. Once a feared runner in the seams and a red zone nightmare, Graham instead was confined many times to crossing routes over the middle and short sideline out routes. His large frame was rarely used to win 50-50 balls in the end zone and, really, was rarely targeted at all with just eight red zone targets. Eight!And while watching Gronkowski in the Super Bowl on Sunday did not provide insight into how to fix that specific error, it did shed light on how to use the 32-year old veteran’s size in other creative patterns. Here are two of those examples coming in a critical fourth quarter.The tight end wheel routeWith under 10 minutes to play, New England needed a play to jumpstart a stunted offense and begin a go-ahead drive. The Patriots did just that on first down by involving Gronkowski. Although he is a far better run blocker than Graham and can deceive defenses by lining up in a two-point stance, Gronk was able to hold up Samson Ebukam just enough before shedding away from Ebukam and getting downfield. The wheel route isolated Gronk in space down the right sideline, allowing Tom Brady to place a perfectly-thrown ball in his tight end’s hands with just one step on the defender. Gronkowski may not be the fastest target and Ebukam may have jammed him, but the Patriots’ largest weapon came up with a monumental play. If Green Bay ever attempted a wheel route with Graham last season, it was not often. However, it could be one of those plays the Packers draw up for third-and-short and other crucial situations. While Graham is not an in-line blocking threat Lance Kendricks Jersey White , the Packers could at least use him in that position as a decoy earlier in games to set up the wheel route later on. With his size and ability to run past most linebackers if he gains separation, Graham would be a good fit for the route if Aaron Rodgers can put the ball where he wants it.The seam from the slotThe seam is a concept many thought the Packers would deploy heavily the moment Graham signed on. And though Green Bay used it occasionally, Rodgers and Graham rarely connected.After feeding Gronkowski with the wheel route just a few plays earlier, Brady and the Patriots used a two-tight end set for a stretch of several plays to march down the field. With Gronk in the slot, New England ran and passed the ball with ease. And when the Los Angeles defense was at its breaking point, Brady sought out Gronk for a decisive punch. With Julian Edelman providing a distraction by motioning out to the right, Gronkowski took off running down the seam at the snap. Brady didn’t hesitate to throw to his tight end in single coverage, dropping the ball 29 yards downfield into his hands before the safety could arrive. Again, Gronkowski still had just enough speed to beat his solo defender and used his height and length to catch the ball and get his team into the red zone.If Gronkowski still has enough to win one-on-one battles down the seam, Graham is at least equally as capable and was effective in that role in New Orleans. Having more of a vertical presence from Graham in 2019 to pair with the second-year receivers would be a dimension Green Bay just did not have enough of last offseason. Seattle also struggled to game plan according to Graham’s strengths, but perhaps Matt LaFleur can help in this regard. Graham does not have the same type of quickness in his route-running that he used to. But neither the wheel route nor the seam require elite athleticism to be successful.New England’s fourth quarter playcalling not only benefited from a slot weapon like Edelman, it took advantage of Gronkowski’s remaining dominant skills. Green Bay has something to learn in both areas as the offseason truly begins.