After looking like the season was going to be lost early, the Green Bay Packers have ripped off two statement victories in a row over Chicago and Dallas to bring its record to 4-2.
That brings up the question, can the Packers actually compete for a Super Bowl this season?
There is a lot of football to be played yet this season, but if the last two weeks are any indication, it appears that this team is closer to what head coach Matt LaFleur had in mind, as opposed to what the Packers looked like through the first four weeks of the season.
“I think it feels pretty good right now,” said LaFleur, on Green Bay holding a 4-2 record. “Once tonight is over, you watch the tape, learn from it, you move on to the next. It is not like our schedule is going to get any easier here. It truly is a week-to-week league, and you have to take it one game at a time.”
While sitting at 4-2 is better than what the team’s record could have been, the NFL season is only a third of the way through. LaFleur is right. Given the expectations around not only getting to the playoffs, but also advancing far in the playoffs, Green Bay has to take the remaining schedule one game at a time.
For as good as the offense has looked over the past two weeks, the Packers are still lacking a consistent rushing attack. With a somewhat rebuilt offensive line, Green Bay is awaiting the return of Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs.
Jacobs was recently removed from the Commissioner’s Exempt List, meaning that he is eligible to return for Green Bay’s next game against the Detroit Lions. If the NFL does carry through with a suspension for Jacobs, his time on the Commissioner’s Exempt List does count toward the suspension, so there is a scenario where Jacobs can play in the remainder of Green Bay’s games, barring any other unforeseen circumstances.
Getting Jacobs back on the field will provide a spark for that run game that has really lacked any sort of rhythm.
Not far behind Jacobs returning is arguably Green Bay’s best player – Micah Parsons.
After injuring his knee late last season, the Packers defense has been without its star pass rusher so far this season. While it is still unknown when Parsons will return from the injury, one thing is certain. When he does return, Green Bay’s already stellar defense is going to get that much more of an upgrade.
So going back to the question of if the Packers can actually contend for a Super Bowl, it would be unfair to judge the team without two of its best players.
Even after a rough start to the season, Green Bay has stayed afloat without two of its best players, meaning that when the two are back at full strength, it is hard to see a world where the Packers team doesn’t have its sights set on winning the whole thing.
Jacobs and Parsons will cover up some of the flaws on the team, but as it stands without the two, Green Bay is still winning games, including two statement wins over Chicago and Dallas.
Until the two are back at full strength, Green Bay is going to have to keep doing what works – sending pressure after the quarterback and relying on the deep ball – to put the team in the best possible spot to when it can be judged if it can actually win a Super Bowl.
“You just got to find a way to go 1-0 every week,” said LaFleur.
