Let's play mythbusters for the NFL playoffs: 14 teams, 14 things that aren't...

Zero2Cool
Elite Member Topic Starter

a month ago

Is the Steelers' defense actually elite? Is Jared Goff held up by his Lions supporting cast? And is Saquon Barkley really the difference for the Eagles?

Myth: The Packers can't get to the Super Bowl because they can't beat the top teams in the NFC.

Green Bay had an impressive 11-6 season but finished in third place in their own division behind the Lions and Vikings. The Packers' first five losses this season (prior to Week 18's irrelevant loss to the Bears) were to the 15-2 Lions (twice), 14-3 Vikings (twice) and 14-3 Eagles. Those were the Packers' only games against teams that won 11 or more games.

They weren't blowouts, though. Both of their losses to the Vikings were by two points, though they fell way behind early and were scrambling to make it close in the fourth quarter. Their losses to the Lions were by 10 and three points. And they lost by five to the Eagles in the season opener in Brazil. So the Packers have been competitive with those top teams -- they just haven't been able to beat them.

Why it's a myth: Failure to beat an 11-win team in the regular season doesn't disqualify you from making the Super Bowl. There have actually been 14 teams in history that reached the Super Bowl despite not posting a single victory in the regular season against an 11-win team. Most of them were 0-1 in such games, but the point here is that those teams hadn't been tested in this way, either. And perhaps the Packers can draw inspiration from the 2007 Giants, who went 0-4 in the regular season against teams with at least 11 wins but ended up beating a 16-0 Patriots team in that season's Super Bowl. (Those Patriots went 3-0 against 11-win teams that regular season.)

We found 32 teams in NFL history that have reached the Super Bowl after posting losing records against teams that won at least 11 games in the regular season. After all, 11-win teams are hard to beat! The Packers closed the season ranked third in ESPN's Football Power Index; being competitive against them ensures that no one will take them lightly just because they lack that big signature win. Plus, January's a great time to get the first.

Continue Reading @ ESPN

ESPN wrote:

CHAMPIONSHIP BABY!!!

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Zero2Cool
Elite Member Topic Starter

a month ago

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Fan Shout

Zero2Cool (8h) : Tua’s old DC won a Super Bowl Year 1 with Tua’s former backup

Mucky Tundra (9h) : *winning MVP

Mucky Tundra (10h) : Funny observation I've heard: Carson Wentz was on the sideline for both Eagles Super Bowl wins w/guys supposed to be his back up winning

Zero2Cool (16h) : NFL thought it would get more attention week preceding Super Bowl.

Zero2Cool (16h) : Yes, the Pro Bowl. It was played Sunday before Super Bowl from 2010-2022

packerfanoutwest (16h) : pro bowl

Zero2Cool (16h) : From 2010 to 2022, it was played on the Sunday before the Super Bowl

Zero2Cool (16h) : They moved it to the BYE week before Super Bowl several years ago.

packerfanoutwest (16h) : it was always after the SB.....

beast (10-Feb) : Though I stop following pro bowl years ago

beast (10-Feb) : I thought the pro game was before the Super Bowl?

packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : ok now for the Pro Bowl Game in Hawaii

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : If I was Philly I would try to end it instead of punting it

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : VICTORY! We have (moral) victory!

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Hey they mentioned that we 3-peted

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : seems to me the 49ers should have traded Aiyuk when they had the chance

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : if the Eagles get it down to the 1, do they Tush Push or give it to Barkley?

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : 49ers have a money problem if they want to sign their QB

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Wait for real? Didn't he just get an extension two years ago?

Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : 49ers gonna trade Deebo. Interesting

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Replays always never seem to show the holdings

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Great throw by Hurts

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Where Carter falls prey to bad off the field influences (to be clear, not saying he'd clip someone though)

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Had Carter not gone to Philly were they already had a lot of old college friends, he ends up in a similar spot to Aaron Hernandez

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : I think some of his coaches told scouts to stay away

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : the street racing incident+conditioning and motivation problems

beast (10-Feb) : Then Carter was street racing, where the other car crashed and people died... and other teams were scared to pick Carter for some reason

beast (10-Feb) : I think the Saints traded up, giving their next year 1st to the Eagles, and then they sucked and Eagles got the 10th overall pick

packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : wtf Barkley?

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Getting Carter and Nolan Smith in the first round in 2023 was pretty darn good

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : for some reason i'm thinking of a draft where the Eagles where in the mid 20s and a top player fell all the way to them

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : I think so. I would need to look it up. Think it may have been Carolina's pick.

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : i'm not sure who i'm thinking of now

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : oh fuck me i messed that up

Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Jordan Davis was 13th overall

Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Carter was 9th overall

Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Eagles had 15th and 10th selections, moved to 13 and 9 to get Davis and Carter back to back

Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Eagles traded up for Carter, didn't they?

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Obviously he was a huge risk but getting a top 5 talent on the dline in the mid 20s is fortuitous

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Jalen Carter falling into their lap certainly helps

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : And we could only wish to have this type of D

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : It's not like Philly has had low draft picks, but has managed to get themselves a top notch pass rush. We spend so much draft capital of D

packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : another crap halftime show

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : I think it is over, but then I think of Atlanta and want Philly to go in with the same intensity in the second half

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : And with a Pass Rush that might as well be on a milk cartoon and no Jaire

Martha Careful (10-Feb) : I cant help but feel good about how well the Packers D played in Philly during the playoffs

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : this game is over

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : This might be the kill shot here

Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : oh that's such a bad penalty for KC after getting the 3rd down stop

TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Philly DL has come to play

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2024 Packers Schedule

Friday, Sep 6 @ 7:15 PM

Eagles

29 - 34

Sunday, Sep 15 @ 12:00 PM

COLTS

16 - 10

Sunday, Sep 22 @ 12:00 PM

Titans

30 - 14

Sunday, Sep 29 @ 12:00 PM

VIKINGS

29 - 31

Sunday, Oct 6 @ 3:25 PM

Rams

24 - 19

Sunday, Oct 13 @ 12:00 PM

CARDINALS

34 - 13

Sunday, Oct 20 @ 12:00 PM

TEXANS

24 - 22

Sunday, Oct 27 @ 12:00 PM

Jaguars

30 - 27

Sunday, Nov 3 @ 3:25 PM

LIONS

14 - 24

Sunday, Nov 17 @ 12:00 PM

Bears

20 - 19

Sunday, Nov 24 @ 3:25 PM

49ERS

38 - 10

Thursday, Nov 28 @ 7:20 PM

DOLPHINS

30 - 17

Thursday, Dec 5 @ 7:15 PM

Lions

31 - 34

Sunday, Dec 15 @ 7:20 PM

Seahawks

30 - 13

Monday, Dec 23 @ 7:15 PM

SAINTS

34 - 0

Sunday, Dec 29 @ 3:25 PM

Vikings

25 - 27

Sunday, Jan 5 @ 12:00 PM

BEARS

22 - 24

Sunday, Jan 12 @ 3:30 PM

Eagles

10 - 22