Yeah I really don't see the point in continually brining up the fact that the Packers are a worse team without Rodgers. I mean every team in the league with even an average quarterback is a worse team if their starting QB goes down. I don't think there is a single person on this forum who disagrees with that sentiment. So presenting it as some sort of contrarian view makes no sense whatsoever.

Originally Posted by: earthquake 

Are they a contender? I can't argue with the evidence to this point, but I still have the feeling that they aren't yet a championship-contender team.

Originally Posted by: Wade 

Is there a team in the NFL right now that truly looks the part as a dominate contender? I haven't seen one.. weird year in a sense. Even the Patriots got rocked by the Chiefs.. and KC turns around in the same season and loses to the Raiders.

Haven't seen a team that hasn't shown a soft underbelly at times this season.

Parity or mediocrity? Or a rule book that doesn't allow any defense and makes the any given Sunday theme more relevance?

Sorry to say.. this era of football.. the brand with a offensive slant to every rule.. is their ever going to be a true complete contender again without allowing defenses to play ball?

Originally Posted by: Pack93z 

I think there will be truly "dominant" teams occasionally, but they will be much more of the exception rather than any kind of norm. It's always possible for the stars to align and to catch lighting in a bottle for a year or two until all the players want big money or a few key players get injured. The impressive accomplishment these days are teams that are perennial contenders, such as the Patriots, and possibly the Packers if they continue to trend upwards. The Broncos, Seahawks, and 49'ers could be thrown in that discussion too.

Originally Posted by: DoddPower 

You do realize the things Bruschi is praising happened in the 1st half and not the 2nd, right? That is my issue...what happened in the 2nd on O. This backs that up and then some...

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/152192/inside-slant-nfl-week-13-qb-report 

Rodgers focused his efforts downfield during the first half of Sunday's matchup before pulling back after halftime. His average throw distance in the first half was 12.2 yards past the line of scrimmage. He threw nine passes that traveled at least 15 yards downfield, completing five for 171 yards and a touchdown. Downfield passes are lower-percentage throws, of course, and Rodgers overthrew four of his first eight attempts based on ESPN video analysis. In the second half, Rodgers didn't throw a single pass that traveled more than 10 yards downfield and his average throw traveled 5.3 yards. Not surprisingly, he was off target -- based on ESPN video analysis -- on only two of his final 30 throws. The Packers' pass protection also was exceptional, as Rodgers was pressured (sacked or put under duress) on only six of his 43 dropbacks (14 percent). For the season, Rodgers' pressure rate is 23 percent. (On those six pressured dropbacks, Rodgers was sacked three times and threw three incompletions.) The pass protection allowed Rodgers to set season highs in the average time he spent in the pocket (2.82 seconds) and time spent before throwing (3.11 seconds). His season averages had been 2.34 seconds and 2.57 seconds, respectively.

FINAL ANALYSIS
Considered through this lens, Rodgers aggressively helped the Packers build their lead in the first half and then protected it with higher-percentage throws in the second. The Patriots' decision to sit back in coverage -- they blitzed just 14 percent of the time -- helps explain the time he spent in the pocket and the strategy of throwing short. In the end, it gave the Packers a victory over one of the NFL's hottest teams.

I loved the 1st half minus all the FG's. The 2nd half was dreadful...all that creativity and "bag of tricks" GONE when the 2nd half kicked. I don't have any pre conceived notion but I feel you do. To not admit we were BRUTAL on O in the 2nd half is inaccurate at best. Night and day halves. 2nd half failings almost cost us and likely should've. We got away with one.

BTW...I'm not a huge Aaron Rodgers fanatic. I do think he's a sure HOF'er and the best to ever throw it. I'm not a sycophant for him, though. He has failings he shouldn't for as good as he is.

I'm a RC18 fan love that guy... like Jordy... Lacy is good... Clay and Daniels are good players. Shields and Hayward are good. See some talent in a guy like Janis, Jayrone, Ha Ha. You win as a team but we all know the reason we're competitive is Aaron Rodgers.

Originally Posted by: uffda udfa 

The 2nd half of the Patriots game would have looked a lot better had Crosby made a makeable FG and Adams caught an easy TD. They only had 3 real possessions in the 2nd half. 1 ended in a missed 40 yard FG, 1 a punt after they still drove to around mid field. Then the dropped TD where they ended with a FG. The only other possession was a good drive to run out the last 3 minutes. It wasn't as prolific as the first half was but it was hardly dreadful. They ate up over half of the 4th quarter with 2 possessions and won the game.

Originally Posted by: steveishere