The Green Bay Packers were able to get hot at the right time, last year, as they ran through the playoffs to their first Super Bowl since Brett Favre’s pair of trips to the promise land in the late 90s. Last year, the Bears won the division, but they were upset by the Packers in the conference championship game. This year, there doesn’t seem to be much doubt that the Packers will host that very game. Are we watching the birth of the next dynasty?
When you start talking about dynasties, there’s a lot to consider. The first question that comes to my mind is, “Does this team have an elite quarterback?” Well, the Packers may have the best quarterback in the league this season. Aaron Rodgers currently sits third in passing yards, and he has thrown more touchdown passes than anyone in the league at 17. To top it off, he’s thrown just 3 interceptions all season. The result is that Aaron Rodgers also has the highest passer rating in the NFL at 122.4. I usually don’t like the “all inclusive” nature of the passer rating stat, but in this case I love it because it’s not even close. The next closest rated passer is Tom Brady at 104.8. Simply put, yes, the Packers have an elite quarterback.
The next question I ask when I’m considering a team as a viable dynasty candidate is, “Do they have a championship defense?” The Packers’ defense is currently giving up 383.7 yards per game, making them the 23rd ranked defense in the league. That’s not sounding to promising now is it? That’s before we look at the only stat that really matters.
Points.
The Green Bay Packers’ defense is only giving up 19 points per game, putting them in a tie with the Detroit Lions for the seventh best in the league. The Packers are giving up far too many yards, but they are also playing opportunistic defense. I’ve always preferred to watch a defense that just shuts a team down and forces punts. I’ve always enjoyed seeing the Steelers’ and Ravens’ defenses, but the Packers’ defense is working for them. Their defense has created 14 turnovers, and when your offense virtually never turns it over, you’re setting yourself up in great positions to score on a frequent basis.
The final question I ask about potential dynasties is, “Are they young enough to sustain it for years to come?” The Packers simple answer is yes. The average age of a player on their current active roster is 25.8 years of age. When I saw that, my mouth hit the floor. This is a team that is dominating everyone, and they’re a very young team. Are they young enough? Well, I think that number speaks for itself. The Packers are likely to be a major power in the NFC for another decade even if they didn’t draft well.
I’m not ready to anoint anyone as the next New England Patriots or Pittsburgh Steelers of the 70s, but the Packers have put themselves into a position that we can legitimately start asking that question. They have to be the odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl this season. Normally, I would worry about a team crumbling under the pressure of expectations, but not in this case. The Packers are an amazing team. I can’t wait to see where there season takes them.
