Saints vs. Packers: If Aaron Rodgers Is This Good, Can Green Bay Be Beat?

The Green Bay Packers, and more importantly Aaron Rodgers, have picked up right where they left off last season.

Just past halftime in the season opener, Rodgers has completed 18 of 24 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns. At this point, he and Tom Brady have to be considered the top two contenders for the title of "Best Quarterback in the League."

Simple logic seem to give the answer to the question of whether or not the Packers can be beat if Rodgers plays this well.

Last season, Rodgers played at a high level for the entire season. From beginning to end, he was the consummate team leader. At the end of the season, largely on the strength of his play at quarterback, the Packers lifted the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champions.

If the Packers were Super Bowl champions last season, they have much the same team back in 2011 and Rodgers continues to play at a level as high or higher than he did last season, the Packers should again be the best team in the league.

It's not as if he doesn't have any help on that team.

The Packers's defense has a workman-like approach, led by ferocious linebacker Clay Matthews. With another year together, that group should be just as good.

On offense, they can only improve. James Jones could very well take another step forward to help take some burden off of Greg Jennings and the return of Ryan Grant at running back will help keep the defense honest.

The Eagles are the popular choice to unseat the Packers in the NFC, but you can't crown them as such until you see how they will respond on the field. With so many new players, they will have chemistry issues to work out and they will have to deal with the pressure of having such high expectations.

Those looking for the next big thing in the NFL should stop looking. The last big thing in the league, the Green Bay Packers, are still the class of the league.