The Packers Are Going To Win The Super Bowl
Looking past the momentary panic, these Packers still possess the recipe to be world champs.
By Mark Ballard
Yeah, I said it.
Why is that so crazy? Leading into week 3, the entire NFL punditry universe was chirping about Green Bay’s new championship defense. Fans were making travel plans for the Super Bowl parade. Some wondered if Green Bay would even lose a single game.
In fact, Green Bay has lost three games before Thanksgiving, and tied another. It's been a severe back-to-reality whiplash that has left fans to wonder: Were those first two weeks a mirage? Make believe? Did we dream it? In fact, no – those two performances were not fiction, they happened, and they stand as proof for what this team still could be.
Yet, one might logically say, “I’ve got new information, man. New shit has come to light.” And yes, it’s true, the Packers will be without their would-be All Pro tight end Tucker Kraft for the remainder of the year, and yes, former All Pro guard Elgton Jenkins may now be gone, too. And after a pretty rough stretch of mistake-heavy football, you might even wonder if this team’s mojo left with them.
You wouldn’t be alone in that negativity. The belief that the Packers are cooked is suddenly everywhere. After leading the Packers to five playoff appearances in his six seasons and holding the second-most wins in NFL history for a coach in his first six seasons, Matt LaFleur is suddenly facing job security issues. ESPN’s Chris Canty declared that, “Jordan Love is bad.” Nate Hobbs and Aaron Banks have been labeled “busts” 10 games into their injury-plagued Packer careers. Matthew Golden still hasn’t scored, and don’t get me started on kickergate.
It’s been a tsunami of criticism, and frankly, much of it is pretty fair. LaFleur has been stubborn and timid. Hobbs and Banks haven’t delivered (yet), Love has been poor at points, the kicker stuff is a disaster, and yes, Matthew Golden still hasn’t scored.
But lost in the relentless pessimism and casting of blame is both analysis of why the Packers have struggled, and also, a lack of appreciation for what has gone right with this team.
Yes, Jordan Love has work to do. The interception in Cleveland was a killer. The fumble in Philadelphia can’t happen. Both reflected a lack of situational awareness, an issue that’s starting to be a regrettable trend for Love. That issue aside, we’ve also seen glimpses of Jordan Love, the Superhero. In Dallas, Love went back and forth with Dak Prescott like Hagler vs Hearns. Fans may have been frustrated with the result, but nobody can deny Love’s greatness in that game.
Just a few games later, Love passed a tough mental test in a primetime road game against his former mentor. There, Love painted a second half masterpiece, completing 20 consecutive passes at one point, which tied Brett Favre’s franchise record.
Another element that has gone very right is the defense. Fans and media may be apoplectic about the Packers three losses, but the defense was superb in all those games and the new crown jewel of that defense, Micah Parsons, has been absolutely dominant.
The Packers offense, by sharp contrast, has been dormant. The primary culprit for the malaise has been the offensive line. The musical chairs unit has yet to gel in any consistent way – and now they’ll have to navigate life without the All Pro Jenkins.
However, sometimes necessity is the mother of invention and losing Jenkins forces a change to the line that almost certainly would not have happened otherwise. Guard Sean Rhyan now transitions to center. That shift could create a ripple effect to the guards and tackles. By his own admission, Jenkins was not playing his best ball this year, so maybe the mauling and motivated Rhyan can offer an upgrade. He held up well against a stout Eagles defense and gets another stiff challenge this week from the NY Giants.
Away from the trenches, LaFleur and the Packers offense has been criticized for being too conservative, but that apprehensiveness could have something to do with the offensive line struggles and a cast of pass catchers that’s also been a mix-and-match affair. Christian Watson missed the first six games coming back from his ACL injury, Jayden Reed has been out since week two, Kraft was lost in week nine, and Golden and Wicks have both been banged up at points.
With Reed hopefully returning for the Thanksgiving game, Golden recovering, and Watson rounding into form, there’s reason for optimism. Maybe, finally, LaFleur will dial back his conservative approach, unleash Love, and throw the ball down the field. At the very least, he’s running out of excuses not to do so.
The Packers have another opportunity this week to quiet the critics. If the offensive line can stabilize, if the receivers can get (and stay) healthy, and if the defense keeps dominating, these Packers could still be a huge problem for the rest of the league.
The great philosopher John Blutarsky once said, “Nothing is over until we decide it is!” – and with a 5-3-1 record and Toyotathon looming, the big goals and dreams are all still very much in front of these Packers.
Packers WR Jayden Reed has had a successful surgery on his broken collarbone, per himself on IG live
Before thanking everyone for the prayers, he made one thing clear: “PACKERS GOING TO THE BOWL BRUH” 😂😂😂#GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/PC1J8DN8be
— SleeperPackers (@SleeperPackers) September 16, 2025
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Mark Ballard is an obsessive Green Bay Packers fan, born in Buffalo Bills country, but raised right by a Mom from Rice Lake, WI. You can find him on X at @ballark
__________________________
Comments (59)
Coldworld
November 14, 2025 at 10:12 am
I don’t see a momentary panic at all. I see a lot of repeated failings that we’ve discussed for years repeating. One could argue some have got worse, but none are new. The play of the D has just exposed them more starkly. Time and reputation have just worn away patience and excuses.
If the roster is as good as you seem to believe (and I somewhat share that view), then the answer is as obvious as it is inescapable.
All that said, I expect a clear victory on Sunday that some will see as salvation but in reality it is just that the Giants are the worst team in the league against the run and offensively challenged too.
dblbogey
November 14, 2025 at 02:06 pm
We are only 4 competent offensive linemen away from being good.
bjkdad44
November 14, 2025 at 07:26 pm
Only…
Starrbrite
November 14, 2025 at 09:43 pm
CW—Winston is worrisome to me. He’s a no-fear of INT(s) QB. Last year he threw for a million yards against the Broncos and also couple of INTs that lost the game.
We should be able to force some him into some trouble—I hope?
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 09:02 am
He's a "short memory," "chuck the ball downfield, chuck it again, then chuck it some more" kind of QB. The Giants are really beat up, but they're going to score points tomorrow.
jannesbjornson
November 15, 2025 at 10:51 am
When you got nothin,' you got nuthin' to lose.
KenEllis
November 14, 2025 at 10:17 am
Sure, yeah some time in the future the Packers will certainly return to play in another Super Bowl. Right?
But that some time will not be this year.
It also will almost certainly not be while MLF remains the head coach and it is looking less and less likely that it will be while Gutey, who has no 1st round picks the next 2 seasons and very little $$ to spend given the dire cap situation, remains the GM.
I get the desire to sell HOPE but sometimes it helps to acknowledge the cold hard reality.
It has been 15 years since Green Bay even reached the Super Bowl and the way the organization is run I see no reason to believe that streak will end anytime soon.
Coldworld
November 14, 2025 at 11:24 am
Justice Mosqueda over at APC did a “know the Packers” for the equivalent Giants’ blog. It’s a pretty candid assessment of where we are as a team:
https://www.bigblueview.com/new-york-giants-game-information/144816/gian...
LambeauPlain
November 14, 2025 at 02:17 pm
Fair assessment.
He also gave LaFleur a game plan last week to attack the Eagles D. Gap blocking, throwing behind the LBs. More up tempo. And more passing from under center and from RPO.
Didn't see much of it. Still zone blocking for guys who aren't playing as a unit and rarely get to the second level. More throwing at or behind the LOS. Little up tempo while using all the play clock. And shotgun, pistol misfirings. (I read Love was 4/5 for 45 yards when taking the snap under center.)
NFLfan
November 14, 2025 at 02:43 pm
@CW-Lots of MLF trashing-not one word about the OL and its architect-hmmm
Coldworld
November 14, 2025 at 03:01 pm
Nothing about coaching there really, just that the faults aren’t new and thus this isn’t the momentary panic the author asserted. Furthermore, if the author is correct in his assessment of the roster (clearly not the same as yours), that then the answer is clear.
Add to that a reference to an interesting take by Mosqueda. Admittedly he does reference coaching more than the roster, but your Gute (Initially Banks) obsession appears to be causing you to see things. Your take on this roster is not that of the author self-evidently.
NFLfan
November 14, 2025 at 08:25 pm
Gutekunst whiffed badly on the OL roster construction and MLF gets overly blamed for it.
Packerpasty
November 14, 2025 at 03:25 pm
good read... and true..MLF can't run the ball, he wants to run the ball, he can't figure out how to move the ball down the field because he can't run the ball...I thought he was an offensive genius???
Alberta_Packer
November 14, 2025 at 01:03 pm
We often look to HOPE when all else fails. In other words - a means of last resort. Not the best strategy for a sports team.
joejetson
November 15, 2025 at 12:49 am
Hope- and Change.
That didn't work either.
Snap the ball
November 14, 2025 at 10:24 am
Ken
Will you sit by me in Santa Carla this year when the Packers vs the Bills
NFLfan
November 14, 2025 at 02:43 pm
Santa Clara
T7Steve
November 14, 2025 at 10:26 am
Okay. That was a good one.
Just win this weekend to start with.
Besides being bad football teams the other thing the Giants have in common with Cleavland is one of the best D-lines in the NFL that's on losing teams (per ESPN). The Packers' kryptonite. The O-line better come to play.
GPG!
Coldworld
November 14, 2025 at 11:19 am
The Giants are by far the worst team in the league at stopping the run in the league so far. They also have given up first down conversions at a rate in the top 3. That’s despite Dexter Lawrence, who has apparently been well below par.
They do have some pass rush. It is probably their strongest suit in fact. If we can’t run on them then that would be incredibly damning, on the other hand, we don’t want to be holding the ball for extended periods in the passing game. This game is actually set up for us to just run and run.
The Giants might be the only team that are actually built to lose to what LaFleur had been doing. There will be no room for excuses if we can’t dominate possession and win on the ground. Winston may also hold the ball long enough to rack up sack stats and get some turnovers. They will try to go deep and test our corners. Their run game has become disappointing due to injuries.
They are in a tough spot. They are more injured than we are and at key offensive positions: it’s removed their QB and best WR and RB when they were thin to start off with. Losing, in fact not winning pretty comfortably, would be a searing indictment. Fortunately I think what hasn’t worked (and won’t) against most teams is actually the best way to beat the Giants and that we will. It just won’t help our prospects after that, beyond the W.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 09:07 am
"Losing, in fact not winning pretty comfortably, would be a searing indictment."
This isn't the SEC. Win column, not polls or power ratings.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 09:06 am
The Giants have an upfield, rush the passer kind of DL that struggles to consistently hold the point of attack. They've gotten worse as the season has progressed. The book on the Giants' D is to run right at them and then play action to hold the rush. We don't like this idea, but that's what the Packers are going to do on Sunday.
I hope it works.
splitpea1
November 14, 2025 at 10:27 am
Yeah, well they'd better win the next two games with all these "ifs" or they're probably toast at least as far as getting a high playoff seed, or possibly even making them. You know we still have three divisional games on the road, so the turnaround needs to happen starting now.
PackfanNY
November 14, 2025 at 10:47 am
Uh, today I am more worried about beating the Giants in New Jersey on Sunday.
Leatherhead
November 14, 2025 at 10:59 am
Let's make the playoffs first,and the first step in that is beating the Giants this Sunday.
We've had six games where we scored 27 or more points and were undefeated, some people seem to think it's the three games we've lost that define us, not the six where we didn't. I can't help those people.
The offensive line is stretched paper thin, and the next injury is going to put somebody on the field who probably isn't up to the job,and that'll be the end of the good offense. Fortunately, we still have a very good defense that will keep us in games.
The losses of Reed and Kraft are substantial. No serious contender is missing two of the main weapons at this point, and I'm afraid that we're not going to be able to overcome that this season.
Still....make the playoffs and see what happens. Upsets happen all the time. Last year Washington went to Detroit and got the upset win. In 2010, we went to Chicago and got the upset win. So, it happens. But you've got to make the playoffs first, and that means we need to beat the Giants.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Why is Hakeem Jeffries in the picture? I didn't realize he was a Packers fan.
TarynsEyes
November 14, 2025 at 12:05 pm
"We've had six games where we scored 27 or more points and were undefeated",
Dude, what are you drinking?
5-3-1
You have the Cowboy game logged as a win, don't you? Heck, why not make the losses 'if' games and now we are undefeated.
Leatherhead
November 14, 2025 at 12:40 pm
"Undefeated" means "not defeated", as in a tie.
So 5-3-1 is 5 wins plus one tie.
5+1=6
TarynsEyes
November 14, 2025 at 01:29 pm
A tie is neither a win nor loss, it's a tie. It's why there's a separate column.
Oppy
November 14, 2025 at 09:11 pm
A tie is neither a win nor a loss, it's a tie. That's 100% accurate.
..But if you're going to be pedantic about it (just like Leatherhead is), he's not wrong in the least, per your own definition here- if a tie is not a loss, you're not defeated.
Is he being silly? Yeah, he's carefully selecting his wording to get that magic number 6. But he's certainly not wrong, as you yourself just unwittingly proved with your break down of what a tie is and isn't.
Congrats.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 09:08 am
I can't believe we're arguing over this.
Bitternotsour
November 14, 2025 at 12:06 pm
ha ha ha, i get it, you're referencing a racist shitpost. maybe workshop your comedy stylings a bit.
Cheezehead72
November 14, 2025 at 11:24 am
Yes the Packers have the players on the roster to go to the SB. The problem is that some of the key players are hurt. What will keep the Packers from making it to the SB and possibly the playoffs is the inconsistent play. This is on the coaches and the players.
The key to any championship is consistent play that improves during the season. I have not seen that.
Now as for MLF being to conservative. Yes he is and at time he is not but it seems that he is conservative at the wrong times and not conservative at the wrong times.
Duneslick
November 14, 2025 at 11:38 am
My guess is that and i hope he really doesnt think this is its just so he gets a lot of responses and attention.
PackBacker
November 14, 2025 at 11:45 am
"The Packers Are Going To Win The Super Bowl"
Sure. Replace LaFlop and then tell me that.
stockholder
November 14, 2025 at 11:49 am
Nate Hobbs and Banks are busts at their present position!
Banks was nothing more than a make up for Gute's errors.
So the starting point;
is negotiate early with the “guys” your pleased with.
Nothing tells a player he’s doing a good job and wanted.
Then signing him early.
My Gut tells me that these coaches knew Jenkins would fail,
when Rhyan was next up on the depth chart.
And That is why Morgan was starting at RG.
My Gut also says that Gute tried to sabotage MLF when he
Signed Banks. And kept Jenkins knowing he regressed.
IMO- Both should be gone at the end of the year.
Because after Bahk. You don’t wait on injuries.
It took 10 years for this Defense to regain respectability.
Why blow it not signing your own. Tags vs greed. Period.
MLF isn’t Dan Devine or Sherman.
When your stuck with a QB who is his worst enemy.
That work just never pays off. It’s a tease.
Like Mathew Stafford, Love is tradable.
He should be someone else’s problem not MLF.
While he holds your heart- He isn’t special.
And might I ad; thats why this team is a Yo Yo.
While opportunity still knocks.
The case for urgency, is over.
barutanseijin
November 14, 2025 at 03:23 pm
Do you check for Gute under your bed before your mom puts you to sleep?
stockholder
November 14, 2025 at 10:18 pm
My dog sleeps there.
Packerpasty
November 14, 2025 at 03:30 pm
your correct, MLF has a Love problem and so do the Packers and in a year or two everyone will see that...mediocrity...maybe he proves me wrong but I doubt it...I don't see much growth as a QB..
Alberta_Packer
November 14, 2025 at 12:44 pm
For added context - Jayden Reed''s video prediction came right after the Packers impressive 2 wins over the Lions and Commanders. So his enthusiasm was understandable - just like many others. I recall at that time the Packers were even thought to be co-favorites for the SB. Since then the team has been trending downwards - currently sitting as the 8th favorite team to win the SB at 12-1. So now a lower long shot. Still worthy of a $ 2 wager but not a second mortgage.
TarynsEyes
November 14, 2025 at 01:30 pm
Save the $2.
Alberta_Packer
November 14, 2025 at 02:23 pm
Good financial advice. However my heart may not listen.
canadapacker
November 14, 2025 at 01:04 pm
Very nice pipe dream IMO - And I guess depending on what one is smoking - it is better to be where we are than have the grandious ideas from having that we now have 3 in the L column that should be in the W column. I mean that we should already have 8 wins. But other than the next game against the Giants we are about to hit the toughest part of our schedule. We could easily go winless in December - playing the Ravens, Denver, Lions and Bears twice . And that is assuming that we can win twice in November - Giants and Vikes. Lose 3 in December and we do NOT make the playoffs. Must sweep our division IMO - and that is highly unlikely. So I guess it is going to be Superbowl or BUST. LOL
NFLfan
November 14, 2025 at 01:48 pm
From what I see the most successful teams are aligned from top to bottom. No one person is high-jacking the health of the team for their own agenda. (I would place Murphy in that position) A team or corporation either succeeds or fails by the behavior at the Top.
Successful teams, corporations show the following:
-The owners/CEO are serious about what it takes to succeed.
-They choose Leaders/GMs wisely. they give those folks what they need.
-There is a high degree of trust and integrity and team-focus
-Those leaders are top-notch at recognizing Talent and rewarding that Talent
-Talent, kids, dogs are also appropriately disciplined.
-Problems are faced head-on and fixed
Creating a good team is much like successful parenting and/or dog training-it relies on Care, Discipline, High Expectations, Integrity and recognizing and fixing problems as they occur.
I feel Green Bay has been operating in a fraudulent system created by Mark Murphy.To keep that system in place he had to hire 2 men he could control & who wouldn't contest that system. And, their reward was little supervision & accountability. MLF has been allowed to make the same mistakes x 6 years, he avoided personnel decisions, retained sup-par coaches-Gute has been allowed to be 'less than careful' with Capital' and too many misfires in early rounds has impacted the strength and longevity of the Roster. The President's low integrity set this team on a very unfortunate course and has prevented exposure to the best GMs and HCs
Right now, everyone is pointing the finger at MLF because they sense his current weakness and lack of support-kind of like smelling blood in the water---but Gutekunst bears just as much responsibility. And,Murphy was always the real problem (No one in GB media will talk about)
Boneman
November 15, 2025 at 07:50 am
Please enlighten me of just which "successful teams" are aligned from top to bottom? Is it college or high school? It sure isn't any team I know except for maybe...the Packers? Standing up to the storm of petulant criticism from fans is exactly the alignment needed.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 09:10 am
I'd argue the best organizations tend to have stronger personalities at key positions who guess right much more often than they guess wrong.
The key word being "guess".
PackerBackerAZ
November 14, 2025 at 02:41 pm
The Packers Are Going To Win The Super Bowl Is that before or after the Vikings and Bills and, at 77, will I live long enough to see it?
All Pro guard Elgton Jenkins Jenkins has never been all pro.
The primary culprit for the malaise has been the offensive line. LaFleur is the real culprit.
Nate Hobbs and Aaron Banks have been labeled “busts” 10 games into their injury-plagued Packer careers Their careers at Las Vegas and San Francisco were taken into account when labeling them busts.
With so many errors in this story, how can I take it seriously?
nygary
November 14, 2025 at 02:43 pm
This team is no where near a sb team. Being a die hard fan is one thing, thinking this team is that good is just nonsense.
HarryHodag
November 14, 2025 at 02:58 pm
This analysis reminds me of the jab, "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln how was the play?" referring to the assassination of President Lincoln.
I would like to be optimistic but the way this season has shaken out I really wonder about Super Bowl dreams.
The Lions were denied a shot at the Super Bowl by injuries last year while inept offensive play and injuries are likely to derail the Packers this year.
Sorry, but I don't see this team winning enough games to get into the playoffs.
TruePackerBacker
November 14, 2025 at 03:10 pm
Do anyone want to Bet that The OLine will play much better with Rhyan at C now?
This goes back to question.. Packers Coaches are playing players that are high draft picks and bigger salary OVER the better player.
The OLine Fix was so simple, Move EJ Back to LG, Rhyan at C, Morgan and Belton Battling for RG. But guess what stops that? "Banks being paid as a starter"
You can go ON AND ON about packers coaches going with talent on PAPER than talent on what they actually see.
Amari Rodgers was sooooooo bad at kick returns, while we had a pro bowl retuner in Nixon (At the time)
Edge Coop coundlt see the field as much as a rookie even tho he was the better player we had.
New Kicker who gave us a record is being sat because well, he wasnt the plan to begin with.
Hobbs was being forced at Outside CB KNOWING CV was better.. Because well " We paid Hobbs too much to also not be on the field"
Packers are not getting better because they refuse to play the better players until the player in their position either gets injured or playing soooooooooo bad (like SOOOOOOOOO bad because they will still give you chances after playing bad) which by then the bad plays has cost us wins.
When does this END?
NFLfan
November 14, 2025 at 03:36 pm
.
NFLfan
November 14, 2025 at 03:37 pm
It's not the coaches, it's Gutekunst trying to justify his picks.
Very few talk about that here. Thank you.
egbertsouse
November 14, 2025 at 03:17 pm
To quote John Blutarsky, "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"
I think the Packers will go to the Super Bowl. They will just have to buy 53 tickets.
TXCHEESE
November 14, 2025 at 03:49 pm
Just over halfway through the season. Lotta ballgame left. Happens every year all over the league. Teams go into a funk for a stretch and then poof! They figure it out and go on run.
Not saying that's what GB will do, but they are definitely a team that has the ability to.
Mark Ballard
November 14, 2025 at 11:41 pm
Bingo.
THESZOTMAN1
November 14, 2025 at 06:27 pm
Sorry Mark, but we are not going to the Super Bowl this year, nor are we going to be in it.
We have lost the mojo we generated the 1st 2 weeks, and now, decimated by injuries, we are unlikely to get it back. #1 problem is O-Line, a problem exacerbated when Jenkins went on IR. What we really have now is a MASH unit. Rasheed is only adequate, we badly overpaid for Banks, and Rhyan is inexperienced, a real impediment for a C. Morgan and Belton are works in progress, and God help us if Tom goes down. This front 5 is barely able to pass block and simply cannot generate space for JJ to run. Result: Jacobs runs hard; gets less than 4 yards per carry and not even a sniff of a 100 yard game.
All this said, our path forward is the short passing game and continue playing great defense. This MAY get us in the playoffs, but NOT to Santa Clara.
Still GPG
The Szotman
Dragon5
November 14, 2025 at 07:27 pm
The Packers Are Going To Win The Super Bowl? 😏Winning the lottery has better odds
👉DELUSIONAL👈
Oppy
November 14, 2025 at 09:26 pm
Packers fans are notorious for finding someone to hate and make a public statement about how bad they suck- player, coach, etc- and then they STFU, sometimes for seasons at a time, when every metric and eye test proves their take didn't hold water..
..but the second there is any adversity, it's blood in the water and those sharks start circling, like all the good performances in-between are null and void, and they pipe up again, eager to get their pound of flesh.
It is absolutely embarrassing.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 07:58 am
Packer fans are usually hugely deferential and willing to buy the team line long after it’s obviously at odds with reality. On the other hand, they are relatively knowledgeable and can see history repeating. At some point the two collide and they have.
Oppy
November 15, 2025 at 12:39 pm
There's a myth that packers fans are 'more knowledgeable than the average NFL fan". Packers fans, like the majority of NFL fans, don't seem to really know much.
General exception: Packers fans from the south, where college football rules the roost. That segment of football fans tend to actually know wtf they're talking about.
stockholder
November 16, 2025 at 07:30 am
I say Rhyan will work out better at center than guard.
And Gute will make a other mistake resigning him early.