DE PERE, Wis. -- After a 9-7 season that saw the Packers win seven of their last 10 games, expectations are high in Green Bay, where virtually the entire 2000 teams returns.

Shortly after last season, safety LeRoy Butler bumped into Packers capologist Andrew Brandt at a WalMart. Brandt mentioned that the team might have to adjust his 2001 pay for the good of the team.

"You'all have treated me so good through the years that whatever the number you put is fine," Butler said. "If you want $1 million or $2 million, I don't care. We got it done in 20 minutes."

Butler graciously accepted a $1 million paycut. Halfback Dorsey Levens, center Frank Winters, right tackle Earl Dotson and just this week defensive tackle Santana Dotson -- all members of the two-time Super Bowl teams -- did similar restructures. Each sensed something special about a group that finished last year with seven of 10 victories, including a four-game winning streak to finish 9-7.

"This team at the end of last years is a team that no one wanted to face," defensive end Vonnie Holliday said. "We were on fire. Every thing started clicking. The chemistry was so great at the end of last year because we went through the hard times. We believed in each other."

The Packers are back. At least last year's Packers are. Thanks to the contributions of longtime veterans, management was able to keep their two top free agents -- safety Darren Sharper and kicker Ryan Longwell. They got extensions done on quarterback Brett Favre and halfback Ahman Green. Draft choices reported on time. Instead of going outside the organization to replace general manager Ron Wolf, the Packers added the title to coach Mike Sherman.

"Individually, I think there are teams stronger than ours," Sherman said. "It doesn't have the talent of the Super Bowl teams. When Mike Holmgren was here, we were able to make runs. We had a four-game run at the end of last season, and we were a good team at the end of the season. Even though we weren't active outside of our own players, things were rolling for us."

Butler told everyone that if the organization kept things together, the Packers were back in the playoff hunt. Internally, they had their playoff game, the season-finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The pressure was thick in Lambeau. Players remembered in 1999, they finished 8-8, and coach Ray Rhodes was fired. Players liked and responded to Sherman. He was 8-7.

"That game was very stressful," Butler said. "We wondered, if we go 8-8, would they fire Mike? Antonio Freeman was suspended by the coach. We wanted to win. We wanted to beat a playoff team. We wanted to take care of one another."

The Packers won in overtime, 17-14. They were 9-7. For the first time in three offseasons, the Packers wouldn't undergo a coaching change. Holliday, for example, had been through three seasons since being a first-round choice. He's had three head coaches, three defensive systems and three defensive line coaches.

"Players believed in the coaching staff, and the staff believed in each other," Holliday said. "Everything meshed. We were embarrassed on Monday Night Football (Nov. 27) against Carolina (31-14). We came back and Mike Sherman did a great job in our meetings getting the guys back together to make a push at the end. We came back and beat Chicago and got rolling."

Perhaps the most heartening finish was that of Favre, who looked like the old Favre at the end of the season. "When you have a quarterback like Favre, you have a shot every year," Sherman said. Favre wasn't Favre at the beginning of last season. Tendinitis in his throwing arm haunted him through the pre-season and forced him to miss practice time.

His timing was off. Favre is a creature of habit. The more he throws, the better he plays, and the tendinitis made him a ghost through the preseason. Tight end Bubba Franks, last year's first-round choice drafted to give Favre a 60-catch tight end, spent so much time working with departed quarterback Matt Hasselbeck that adjusting to Favre was a shock.

"He throws the ball so hard that it takes time to learn to catch it," Franks said. "Either you catch it or you get hit in the face. He didn't practice much in the first four games and that hurt us."

The Packers started 0-2. Favre had two sub-200 yard passing games in his first four, and only three touchdown passes in his first month.

	“	I've won three MVPs. I made plays. But at some point, the 38 and 39 touchdowns are going to stop. I threw 20 touchdowns last year and we were 9-7, which proves I don't have to do everything. ”
		— Brett Favre, Packers quarterback

"I usually heal quick because I don't get hurt very often," Favre said. "The tendonitis is the first injury I've had for throwing the way that I do. I remember when the doctor put the needle in my arm to give me some cortisone. He told me to prepare to come back in a few weeks. He also told that most people he treats for tendonitis take a year or two to heal. Three weeks later I was playing against the Jets."

Watching Favre at Saturday's practice gave observers the impressions that the tendinitis problem is behind him for now. Sherman remarked to front office execs latter that it's the best he's seen the quarterback throw. Favre agreed. His passes were again like laser beams. Velocity was stunning. Accuracy was perfect. Favre estimated he threw 90 balls and felt great. His timing was back.

"I've heard people saying the old Favre and that stuff but I never paid attention to it," Favre said. "People who are saying it are the ones seeing me put up numbers that are unrealistic year after year after year. I've won three MVPs. I made plays. But at some point, the 38 and 39 touchdowns are going to stop. I threw 20 touchdowns last year and we were 9-7, which proves I don't have to do everything."

Another important comeback will be that of Freeman, who hasn't been the same receiver since getting his big contract two years ago. Among the receivers, he was the best in conditioning drills on Friday. His spirit was upbeat.

"I think a lot of it is I made just a lot of bad decisions off the football field," Freeman said. "This being a small town, when you get pulled over for speeding and you get a warning, it's news. I put myself in a lot of situations where I get viewed as a bad guy. Coming back late from the off weekend give you is demeanor as being a bad guy. That's just not the case."

Freeman is back in good graces. Togetherness. Chemistry. The Packers hope that translates into ending their two-year playoff brought.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.