The Packers are back, maybe. After trouncing the Minnesota Vikings 41–17 like England’s King Harold Godwinson did the purple people’s Norse namesakes at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, the Packers are suddenly looking at a real chance to make the playoffs despite a trying year that saw them lose five straight games. Should the Green Bay Packers (8–8) defeat the Detroit Lions (8–8) in the final week of the NFL regular season, the Pack will have secured a playoff berth.
For those of us who remember October, I always knew they could pull it out:
It must be said that the Green Bay Packers (3–3) are downright terrible, and that their season is likely over after six weeks. We’ve lost to the Giants, Jets, and Vikings. What’s next? Will the Tennessee Volunteers go pro after defeating ’Bama and sack Aaron Rodgers seven times before the half? I believe it possible. The Packers are goners, bums, and absolute dog water. They’re tepid garbage in a Shopko bag — and Shopko has been closed for three years. A decrepit and expensive team with abysmal offensive-line play and a mediocre wide receiver corps wedded to a churlish princess at quarterback; I despair of them.
. . .
The Packers aren’t good, and losing to the Jets 27–10 on Sunday confirms it. Fire the coaches, start the off-season, and bring on the draft; we need a new team.
Sincerely,
An Optimistic Packers Fan
Ah . . . well, the turkey is all gone anyway, so I may as well switch to crow.
It is a credit to Pete Rozelle and his vision for profit-sharing that the league has enjoyed the competitive parity it does. (Note: Collectivism can work when all parties are interested in the same outcome — in this case, expanding market share via a compelling product.) Some teams start hot, then fade (Miami, New York), and others appear scorching after grinding launches (Jacksonville, Greenbay).
The NFL remains the premier sports league because of “any given Sunday”: the idea that any team has a decent chance to win, no matter its record, which isn’t true in the case of most other major leagues.