Randall Cobb walk—PackersNews.comTributes continue to roll in for both Cobb and Matthews, but the turning of the page letting bo

With seven weeks behind us on the 2018 NFL schedule Aaron Ripkowski Jersey White , we are starting to learn which teams across the NFC are capable of contending and which are afterthoughts. For now, the conference has exactly six teams that are over .500, making it easy to set up the playoff picture as it would stand today. However, all but three teams in the NFC are still in serious contention, with 13 teams within a game of .500 and in striking distance of the Green Bay Packers.Green Bay currently sits in the sixth spot after week seven’s results, which saw the lead flip in the NFC North thanks to a Bears loss and a Vikings victory. Here is how things currently sit.Division LeadersLos Angeles Rams, 7-0 (NFC West)New Orleans Saints Womens Jermaine Whitehead Jersey , 5-1 (NFC South)Washington, 4-2 (NFC East)Minnesota Vikings, 4-2-1 (NFC North)The Packers get the unfortunate draw of facing the unbeaten Rams this week. Los Angeles continued their trampling of their opponents thus far in week seven with a 39-10 victory over the hapless 49ers, who had pushed the Packers to the brink of defeat at Lambeau Field a week earlier. The rest of the divisional leaders also won on Sunday, with the Saints escaping overtime thanks to a missed PAT by Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker.Wild Cards5. Carolina Panthers, 4-26. Green Bay Packers, 3-2-1If the Packers had beaten the Vikings instead of tying them Womens Brett Favre Jersey , Green Bay would have the division lead at 4-2 and would sit in the fourth spot thanks to a head-to-head loss to Washington. Minnesota would then be in the sixth position at 4-3.Just OutsideChicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks — all 3-3Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons — all 3-4Atlanta’s win over the Giants on Monday night got them back in a position where they might be able to contend for a playoff spot, sitting just one game back of even and matching the Packers in the win column. A whopping eight teams in the conference — fully half — have three wins at present.Out of ContentionNew York Giants Davon House Jersey White , San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals — all 1-6Bad. These teams are just bad and won’t be in the running this season. It’s a race for the top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft at this point. Letting Randall Cobb and Clay Matthews walk was tough but also absolutely necessary."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections The APC PodcastPackers Film RoomFantasy Football AdviceCDTShareTweetShareShareThursday Cheese Curds: Being nostalgic won’t win the Packers a Super BowlBenny Sieu-USA TODAY SportsAfter being able to keep a core of players together for several years, the past couple of days have been tough on the hearts of Packer Nation.As sad as it was to see Clay Matthews and Randall Cobb move on, letting them leave was also very necessary.Both players are no longer their former selves. Matthews has infamously struggled when healthy and even when he was on the field he was often invisible. Cobb had flashes, but he too was not as productive the past few seasons as Davante Adams’ star began to rise.They were both very popular with fans. and Matthews made THE play of Super Bowl XLV that stunted the Pittsburgh Steelers’ momentum and allowed Green Bay to win their fourth Lombardi Trophy. Cobb was a noted Chicago Bear killer as he scored two game-winning touchdowns against the Packers’ most hated rival. Those are moments fans will never forget.However had Green Bay brought them back, they’d be doing so based on what they did for the team more than what they can still do and being nostalgic won’t win you a Super Bowl. Same rule applies to bringing back Jordy Nelson. Green Bay is moving forward, not backwards.This offseason has been all about the Packers coming into the future and part of that means letting go of the past. As bitter of a pill as it is to swallow losing Cobb and Matthews Kyler Fackrell Jersey White , it was time.Their legacy in Titletown is secure, but their paths diverged from where Green Bay was headed. May their travels forever be smooth.You can read more on the tough but correct decision to let the two players walk plus how one of the new free agents could be in for a breakout season in today’s cheese curds.Packers send proper message in letting Clay Matthews, Randall Cobb walk—PackersNews.comTributes continue to roll in for both Cobb and Matthews, but the turning of the page letting both men walk feels significant. The Packers are in the process of being modernized and sometimes that means painful but needed decisions.From hoop dreams to NFL stardom: Za’Darius Smith’s path to Green Bay—ESPNMatthews’ replacement as the Packers’ featured pass rusher, with all due respect to Kyler Fackrell, took a strange path to the NFL and Green Bay. Za’Darius Smith’s heart is in the right place too, as the first person he called after he signed with the Packers was mother and he told her she could quit working.New Packers OLB Preston Smith due for breakout year in 2019?—Packers WireAll eyes were on the first Smith the Packers signed http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-justin-vogel-jersey , but what about Preston Smith? His pressures have gone up each of the past three seasons but his sack totals have fluctuated.This seems to indicate a player who is close and could benefit from Mike Pettine’s coaching and scheme.Jim Ringo was perfect fit for Lombardi’s offense—Packers.comBart may have been the Starr of the offense but Ringo was at the center of a legendary Fab Five offensive line.Escaped wallaby captured in Dallas neighborhood—UPIUnfortunately this is not the reboot of Rocko’s Modern Life we have all been waiting for.