Packers Dynasty On The Horizon?
By Brian Carriveau on Feb 08, 2011 with 15 Comments
Being busy in Dallas, I never had time to post my weekly column from last week. With a win in the Super Bowl, it’s even more appropriate now.
Here’s my column published on Wednesday Feb. 2, in which I tackle the subject of the Packers being built for sustained success:
DALLAS––Every decade in the long, storied history of the NFL has one team that is remembered as a dynasty.
Think of the Packers of the 60s, the Steelers of the 70s, the 49ers of the 80s, the Cowboys of the 90s and the Patriots of the new millennium.
It’s only one season into the newest decade, but the Green Bay Packers are in great shape to become the first team to be a repeat dynasty.
Head coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged that his current focus is on the Super Bowl and the Pittsburgh Steelers but knows that he has a young core of players that can be formidable for years to come.
“I really like our team,” said McCarthy. “I really like our structure, our program. We have drafted players, we have developed them and have been successful in doing that. We need to continue to do that because every year is a new year.
“This year for us is a great example of that. There are challenges in front of you that you don’t know you’re going to hit, and when they hit you have to be prepared and you have to fight through the adversity of every season because it is always different. Every team is different, every season is different. But I think the future is bright for our football team.”
The most important piece to any championship puzzle is a great field general. The Packers found one in Aaron Rodgers and have him locked up for years to come.
But they also have young, impact players at several other positions that figure to be effective for the next ten years or so, barring injury. Last season’s first-round draft choices B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews come to mind.
From the decision to move beyond Brett Favre and make Rodgers the future of the franchise to several years of solid drafting, general manager Ted Thompson deserves much of the credit.
Even the players on the Packers, who frequently turn a blind eye to the ongoings of the front office, know Thompson has earned the lion’s share of the Packers achievement this year.
“I think the guys upstairs have done an outstanding job of bringing in guys with high character but at the same time guys that can get it done on Sundays,” said wide receiver Greg Jennings. “What Ted (Thompson) has done and those guys upstairs, I think it kind of goes underrated sometimes because of some of the decisions he may have made in the past.”
For the Packers to overcome the volume of injuries they did this season––15 players on injured reserve––and still have the success they did, speaks volumes about the level of talent they have on the team.
With a little better luck in the injury department, and that’s not hard to imagine, the Packers should only be better in future seasons.
The Packers also have the proper mix of veteran leadership to add to the youthful talent, that makes them a championship-caliber squad.
Guys like Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett, who have both been to a Super Bowl and lost, bring perspective to the team and said that the Packers can’t use injury as an excuse for what they still have to accomplish yet this season.
“I definitely think Ted Thompson, all these guys put together a great nucleus,” said Pickett the week before the Super Bowl. “It’s a team. We have a lot of good players and a lot of them are young. But it doesn’t matter. I mean, it’s hard in the NFL.
“You have to take your shot when you have it. So we can’t even think about five––I mean five weeks down the road, five years. Who knows? Injuries happen. Everything happens. We just know that we have to take the opportunity that we have now and capitalize on it.”
With players Pickett providing savvy guidance now, and players like Raji set to supplant him down the road, the Packers are assembled to win for a long time.
The column appears in the Bliss Communications platform of publications including the Janesville Gazette, Janesville Messenger, Stateline News, Walworth County Today and Walworth County Sunday.
It also appears in the Reilly family of newspapers including the Dodgeville Chronicle, the Pecatonica Valley Leader and the Democrat Tribune of Mineral Point.
Follow the above link to read the column.
Filed Under: Packers News
Hi Brian, I am LIVING the DREAM!
Some of us thought we were also in a good position after ’07 as well, but with the circus surrounding the trade of that season’s starting QB to the Jets and the transition to the MVP of Super Bowl XLV the team was distracted.
It was a young team then, and it’s only a little older now. Still, they need help in a few spots. I think O-Line, WR, LB (need a pass rushing bookend for Matthews), and CB are areas that need to be addressed for depth and attrition from expected retirements/breakdowns from Driver, Clifton, etc.
If TT can get impact out of this year’s draft in those spots, there’s no reason to not favor the Packers to repeat in XLVI.
The work goes on!
This team is built for years to come. As you said Brian, “with a little luck in the injury department, which isn’t hard to imaine.”
GB has to have set some kind of record with most quarters missed by players this year – for a team to even MAKE the playoffs is remarkable, but to win it ALL? Wow. Just wow.
One for the thumb in ’12!
I agree with your point about the quality of the players, Ted Thompson (and by inference) the coaching staff. But the elephant in the room is free agency.
Now that we’ve won the Super Bowl, we should expect higher than average turnover in players and coaches.
I think Thompson and McCarthy (assuming their contracts are renewed) will have to choose to build the team around certain players because Thompson has shown that he manages within the budget very strictly which lends itself to always fielding a young team and relying mainly on the draft. I wouldn’t be surprised if Thompson traded some strong but not top – level players whose contracts are a couple years away from expiring to get more mid – round draft picks.
The key is retaining Thompson and McCarthy.
Looking good for next season with returning IR guys pushing for a spot. However, remember, the other teams are not sitting still. A challenge can come from unexpected quarters.
With #12 at the helm, we’ll be just fine for awhile. Anyone know when A-Rodge’s contract expires? We need to keep him in GB.
bg
He is signed through 2014
I think the term Dynasty in the NFL has gone away.
What I think the Packers, Patriots, Colts, and Steelers are. Are Professional Football Academies. Always in contention because they draft and develop their players.
“…Green Bay Packers are in great shape to become the first team to be a repeat dynasty.”
Ummm, the Packers have all ready repeated dynasties. 1930s they won 5 titles (counting ’29).
Sheesh, it’s bad enough so many ingore pre-SB titles Packer fans shouldn’t.
Lot of talk down in Dallas of the stairway to seven. My money is on the Pack getting number seven before the Steelers. In fact, I think we will ride CM3 to at least three more titles. I think I will call it “Hairway to Seven!” Do you think I should trademark that?
Remember, you heard it here first. Thank you very much, drive safely, remember to tip your waiters and waitresses.
Here’s the distinction to me: the Packers appear set up for a prolonged run of success. Whether or not they win multiple Super Bowls really depends on a lot of random things, notably luck.
As a fan, all you can really ask for is a team that has a shot on a yearly basis. The Steelers, Patriots, and to a lesser extent the Colts and Giants, are good examples of this. Draft well, make a smart signing here and there, and throw in an elite QB and there is no reason why your franchise shouldn’t be a “contender” every single year.
While it may seem like the Packers suffered from poor luck this season due to injuries, we witnessed a very opportunistic defense. How many times did our defense put 6 on the board? I know the trademark of this defense is that they are ballhawks and make plays, but you just cannot depend on a defense putting 6 on the board as consistently as Woodson, Tramon, and Raji (heh) did.
Additionally, Thompson has really hit a ton of home runs in the draft. What happens if he whiffs on a few picks? I don’t expect him to turn into Matt Millen, but even the Pats had an extended run of poor drafts (granted, they lost some key front office personnel to the Chiefs and Falcons along the way.)
However, I would like to end this on a positive note: one thing the Packers definitely have going for them is a great team culture. It starts from the top with Thompson, trickles down to McCarthy, and passes along to Rodgers and Woodson. These guys are unselfish and care about winning. Period. When your team leaders are unselfish and willing to put it all on the line the way Woodson did defending that pass to Wallace, who is anyone else to gripe? The whole team falls in line behind great leadership and when you have great leadership, that’s a way you can make your own luck.
Dynasty is in the making! However, there will be a price to pay as other teams will pick apart the Packers coaching and front office. I just hope it doesn’t start happening until we get at least 3 rings from under the Thompson/McCarthy era!!!
Oh sure Brian, now you’re on the bandwagon. You didn’t even pick them to win this weekend and now you are talking dynasty.
Just ribbing you big guy. It was great having the chance to finally meet you, Jayme, Jersey Al, Alex and Corey. I hope I get the chance to see you folks again someday.
I think the Packers have a good shot at winning multiple titles in the next few years. TT always seems to be able to find talent which will help as we lose people in free agency and retirement. And MM has really taken a big step forward in coaching. But most importantly the team really seems to believe in themselves now. When things get tough they don’t fold they keep fighting and I think that makes them scarier than a lot of teams.
Of course, I would be there were similar discussion going on after SB XXXI. A lot of things go into winning a championship and luck is part of it. But I think the Packers have as good a shot at winning consistently as any other team.
[...] Brian asks the question, Packers Dynasty On The Horizon? [...]
6 loses by 3,3,3,3,3, and 4 points. Any team that has a defense that keeps you in every game will have a chance to go far. Fix a few holes in the O line and ST’s and who knows haw far they can go.
Is it August yet?