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The Dallas Cowboys entered this year’s NFL playoff with the most pressure on them. That happens every time Jerry Jones’ soap opera of a franchise makes the postseason because lots of people either want to see them succeed or lots of people want to see them fail and fail in spectacular fashion.
Well, now that the Cowboys did the latter a few days ago and are once again done for the year well before the Super Bowl, the pressure now shifts to another storied franchise – the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers, of course, are led by a self-proclaimed critical thinker in Aaron Rodgers, who will likely and rightfully be named the NFL’s MVP this year. They have the best record in football and spent last week at home resting up and watching football TV.
Now, though, things get real for Rodgers and Co. as they look to finally get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since they won it at the end of the 2010 season. That was a long time. Too long, really, when you have someone like Rodgers leading the way.
I think it’s safe to say that this year will only be considered a success for the Packers if they get to the Super Bowl. A win in Los Angeles on the second Sunday in February would make that even better, obviously. Anything short of a trip to Sofi, however, will be an abject failure and you have to think everyone in that locker room and organization understands that.
Since that win over the Steelers in Dallas way back in Feb. of 2011, the Packers have lost all four NFC Championship Games that they have appeared in, including last year when the GOAT, Tom Brady, and the Buccaneers went up to Lambeau and punched their ticket to the Super Bowl with a 31-26 win. It was a heartbreaking loss for the Packers and was almost Rodgers’ last game in green in yellow.
Rodgers ended up returning after a weird offseason in which he flirted with retirement. He now has the Packers in a familiar position at the start of the playoffs and it’s time for him to either lead this team to the Super Bowl or face criticism yet again for not being able to do what the greats are supposed to do.
The Packers host a 49ers team that is a bit beat up but riding high after last Sunday’s win in Dallas. I’d have to think Green Bay can get through them.
Then it would be either the Rams, who faced an easy test last Monday, or the Bucs, who are also a bit beat up. On paper, Green Bay is better and healthier than those two teams and should be able to beat either of them in a NFC title game.
In all fairness, it would be a shocker if the Packers weren’t representing the NFC in LA next month.
But we’ve been here before with this team and know that nothing is a given with them.
All the pressure is on the Packers.
All the pressure is on Aaron Rodgers.
Now we’ll get to see how they handle it.
Quick hits: The 10 best possible Super Bowl matchups ranked… Stephen A. Smith’s scary COVID battle… Dak Prescott apologizes for postgame comments… And more.
– Charles Curtis ranked the top 10 possible Super Bowl matchups following the first weekend of playoff football.
– Stephen A. Smith spoke about his recent battle with COVID-19 and how doctors told him he wouldn’t be alive if he hadn’t gotten vaccinated.
– Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is rightfully sorry for what he said about refs following last Sunday’s loss to the 49ers.
– Here are the 9 best moments from the first year of Peyton and Eli Manning’s great MNF show on ESPN2.
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