It ain’t 2011 anymore.
The identity of the Green Bay Packers is changing.
For so much of Aaron Rodgers’ illustrious career, the Packers have won with explosive offense.
We’ve been conditioned to expect 300-yard, 4 touchdown performances from the MVP of the league.
For 30 years, the Packers have won because of their quarterback, not in spite of their quarterback.
This season is different.
While Aaron certainly isn’t playing bad, he’s not playing like the MVP.
It might sound sacrilegious, but it’s the truth: the Green Bay Packers are a defensive football team, now.
Much-maligned Joe Barry and his injury-plagued unit just held Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes, and Russell Wilson to 34 points combined in the past three games.
For some context, the Chiefs dropped 41 points on Sunday Night Football last night.
Mahomes threw for 406 yards and 5 touchdowns.
The Packers held them to just 13 last week.
Mahomes threw for a modest 166.
The Packers defense wakes up this morning ranked third in the league. Third!
This is unequivocally the best Packers defense in a decade.
On top of that, the Packers are at their best on O when they’re running to set up the pass, not the other way around.
See AJ Dillon.
The Packers can’t win a Super Bowl without Aaron Rodgers.
That is stating the obvious.
Maybe more indispensable this year, though, are the 11 guys on the other side of the football.