Why Green Bay Packers' Road to Perfection Will Derail Their Super Bowl Hopes

The Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFL. There’s no debating that, as they have the best record in the NFL. They have the best quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. And they have an explosive offense that can keep up with any high scoring team. 

However, because of their push to finish 16-0, it will crush their hopes at repeating as Super Bowl Champions. 

In previous years, a team that was 13-0 or 14-0 like the Indianapolis Colts would sit their starters in the final two or three games to prevent injury. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy hasn’t let it known if he is going to play his starters down the road if they get to 13, 14 or 15-0. Instead, as he said in his postgame press conference yesterday, he is just trying to keep his team focused.

"

“From my perspective, and I clearly understand the 16-0 gig and the importance of it, 38-35 [speaks volumes],” McCarthy said. “That’s why you stay focused on what’s at hand, because every week it’s going to be a challenge. We’re 12-0, but we need to get to 13-0. We have other goals in front of us before we can even entertain that. So I hope we are in position to talk about that. But right now, we really aren’t.”

"

However, if the Packers try to go for the record of 16-0 it will result in this team suffering a bad injury. 

Yesterday against the New York Giants, the Packers lost their best cornerback in Charles Woodson to a concussion. He will probably play Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders though, according to McCarthy (h/t Albert Breer). However, after Woodson’s first concussion against the Giants, he will be more open to a second one. 

Football is a violent game and on any play, the Packers could lose one of their top guys to a bad hit. Green Bay could be playing all of its starters at 15-0 against the Detroit Lions in the last game of the season. Who knows what players like Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch could do with nothing to play for?

Against the Lions last year, Rodgers suffered a concussion that knocked him out for two weeks. What happens if Suh or Vanden Bosch hit Rodgers late concussing him again, thus ruining Green Bay’s chances at repeating as Super Bowl Champions?

The Packers should go for the record, and more than likely will. 

However, because of the wear and tear of the season, they will lose in the NFC playoffs to either an offense that can keep up with them in the New Orleans Saints, or the hard-hitting defense in the San Francisco 49ers. 

Follow @tjmcaloon