The Green Bay Packers are the best team in the National Football League.
After 11 weeks, Green Bay has established themselves as a juggernaut after smacking around the Mark Sanchez-led Philadelphia Eagles 53-20 at the frozen tundra that is Lambeau Field. The game was supposed to be a match of two top teams, but ended up being a slaughter of the highest order. The Packers are now 7-3 and in a tie atop the NFC North with the Detroit Lions, who beat Green Bay in Week 3 but travel to face them in Week 17.
Behind Aaron Rodgers, nobody looks more daunting to face in a playoff game than the Packers. Rodgers, 30, is enjoying what appears to be an MVP season, throwing for 2,748 yards and 28 touchdowns against three interceptions. Rodgers is leading the NFL in yards per attempt at 8.78 and is sixth in completion percentage, 66.8, despite throwing downfield constantly. The kid from Chico, Calif. is enjoying the finest campaign of his Hall-of-Fame career, but this time has adequate help around him to make a run to the Super Bowl once again.
Jordy Nelson will finally make his first Pro Bowl, barring the largest voting disaster since Florida in the 2000 presidential election. Nelson has amassed 60 receptions for 998 yards and nine touchdowns, becoming one of the more disruptive deep threats in the game. Nelson has five catches of over 50 yards this season and five times has eclipsed 100 yards.
Opposite Nelson is Randall Cobb, who is making more money by the second in his free-agent year. Cobb has emerged to become a star wideout, hauling in 54 catches for 779 yards and 10 touchdowns. Most important, Cobb can create chaos with the ball in tow, leading the team with 16 explosive plays (20+ yards). Cobb entered the season with 1,762 receiving yards combined in his first three years, a number he could top in 2014 alone.
On defense, coordinator Dom Capers brilliantly moved Clay Matthews inside to allow for Nick Perry to play more snaps. The results in the first two weeks have been devastating. The defense has allowed a total of 34 points with most coming in garbage time. The unit has also scored two touchdowns in that span and has forced seven turnovers and seven sacks. Matthews and Julius Peppers have been at the forefront of the pass rush, combining for 9.5 sacks this year.
On the surface, Green Bay’s defense still gives up too much yardage. The Packers sit 25th in yards against per game (377.4) and 17th (22.5) in points allowed. The run defense is even uglier, sitting 30th in yards against (139.2), better than only the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. However, the difference is in the margins. Green Bay checks in 13th on third down (42.1 percent) and is 10th in sacks with 25. The Packers also have 22 takeaways, second only to the Houston Texans. Overall, Green Bay has a league-best +14 turnover ratio.
Coming down the stretch, the Packers have a favorable schedule that could well lead to a bye week come January. Green Bay has three road games, all against losing teams in the Bills, Buccaneers and Vikings. At home, where the Packers haven’t lost this season, they host the Patriots, Falcons and Lions. It’s hard to envision Green Bay losing more than once.
If the Packers get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, any team going into Lambeau Field will be a massive underdog and for good reason. Between the cold, Rodgers, and an opportunistic defense, Green Bay is the most complete team in the league. Nothing against the Arizona Cardinals and their NFL-best 9-1 record, but does anybody really believe Drew Stanton is leading Arizona to a Super Bowl? The Arizona Cardinals are 9-1, but still face the Chiefs, 49ers and Seahawks twice. It could be tough for them to hold off the Packers.
With six weeks remaining in the regular season, plenty of things can change. For the sake of everybody outside of Green Bay, they better.
