The best-ever Packers squad to not win-it-all?

[74_75_78_79_]

A few to pick from...

You got Curly's 1941 installment who finished 10-1. They and the Bears, who also finished 10-1, split with each other during the regular season. Like a true rivalry, each win vs each other was on the road. But in the Western tie-breaker, the Bears beat them lopsided at Wrigley.

'63 who, without Hornung mind you, finished just a mere half-game beneath the Bears at 11-2-1.

The first to come to modern-mind, by all means, are the defending-Champs of '97 who were 11-point favorites in that Super Bowl which they lost.

I'm sure no one will consider '38 & '60 though each came close to winning their LCG - nor '32 & '35 though having a nice argument in that each should have had the opportunity to play for the LC..And I also can't imagine the 'video game' 15-1 (13-0 start) defending-Champ of 2011 getting any real support..

One worth a solid mention, at least, could be Favre's last year in GB - 2007 - who did finish with the same regular season record as '97. A great team, but IMO they wouldn't have beaten the Patriots in the SB; nor Dallas on the road in the NFCC had G-men not knocked them out.


Who would you all choose? I guess I'm torn between '41 & '97. Who, of the two, were better for their time, I ask myself?

[rhickok1109]

How about the 1932 team, which went 10-3-1 but finished THIRD, behind the 6-1-6 Bears and the 6-1-4 Spartans? Under today's method of counting ties, they would have won the championship.

They had 5 Hall-of-Famers--Herber, Blood, Hinkle, Michalske, and Hubbard, plus two players, Lewellen and Dilweg, who many of us think should be in the Hall.

[Brian wolf]

I still think its 1997, though the 2019 and 2020 teams had talent as well for this era. Holmgren got outcoached in the SB and the defensive front four was manhandled and sitting on the sidelines trying to take in oxygen in the final minutes. Ron Wolf wanted that back-to-back champion badly and had no problem letting Holmgren walk in 1999 ...

The 2014 team could have won it all as well but let the Seahawks off the ropes. Packers fans are still upset with Mike McCarthy's coaching from that game ... Question for Russell Wilson fans -- was it better to have came back and won that game but lose the SB on an interception from the two yard line or simply have lost this game and the NFC Championship, to GB ?

[74_75_78_79_]

How about the 1932 team, which went 10-3-1 but finished THIRD, behind the 6-1-6 Bears and the 6-1-4 Spartans? Under today's method of counting ties, they would have won the championship.

They had 5 Hall-of-Famers--Herber, Blood, Hinkle, Michalske, and Hubbard, plus two players, Lewellen and Dilweg, who many of us think should be in the Hall.

'41 & '97 are the actual top-two strongest teams with me. It's just that the former ran into an even-better Bears team with the latter running into a team that wasn't really a 12-4 team, but to me the 6-0, 9-1, 11-2 team they started out as before backing in,

And though they likely-enough still get topped by Chicago in the event of Paul not being absent, the '63 team ought to round out the top-3. Just barely beneath the surrounding champion teams in caliber; they also convincingly beat the Giants in an important '63 contest with or without Paul IMO (as well as bash SD in a 'Super Bowl').

However, yes, if we're talking the Packer team who shouldn't be on this list in the first place - indeed 1932! Two teams who each basically won half their games getting the nod instead is a travesty!

And the '35 Packers though not juggernaut-lookin', with their 8 wins to Detroit's 7 (and going 2-1 vs them as well), clearly should have played for the LCG instead and, I think, would have beaten the winner of that soft other division whom they also beat that year; and by more than a TD. If there were 'Power Rankings' in '35...

I still think its 1997, though the 2019 and 2020 teams had talent as well for this era. Holmgren got outcoached in the SB and the defensive front four was manhandled and sitting on the sidelines trying to take in oxygen in the final minutes. Ron Wolf wanted that back-to-back champion badly and had no problem letting Holmgren walk in 1999 ...

The 2014 team could have won it all as well but let the Seahawks off the ropes. Packers fans are still upset with Mike McCarthy's coaching from that game ... Question for Russell Wilson fans -- was it better to have came back and won that game but lose the SB on an interception from the two yard line or simply have lost this game and the NFC Championship, to GB ?

My mistake for not thinking of 2019 & 2020! Not sure to place them even over 2007 (maybe, maybe not), but I still should have mentioned them.

I was thinking of 2014 upon writing OP, but just cut them off. I should have mentioned them as well. Their chances of possibly beating NE would have been good enough.

The Russell Wilson question? Well, of course, it's better to go to a Super Bowl and lose than to not go at all. But with his recent struggles, man is that INT ever looming some more these days - knocking more wind out of any legacy he has left. Or so it seems.

[Brian wolf]

I still think Lockette should have at least knocked the damn ball down ... he didnt do his job and Wilson didnt get bailed out for the high pass ... could this interception keep him out of the HOF?

[Jay Z]

I still think Lockette should have at least knocked the damn ball down ... he didnt do his job and Wilson didnt get bailed out for the high pass ... could this interception keep him out of the HOF?

Wilson should still make the HOF. One championship, another SB loss, 9 playoff wins, typically that should be enough.

[Brian wolf]

I think he will too Jay Z, with impressive running yardage as well but he has to start winning games again. His winning percentage as a starter has really taken a hit these last two years as the Broncos still try to put talent around him. I think Payton will give him more players but needs to keep staying on him like yesterday.
The Broncos could have still won that game till the fumble. Can Wilson elevate the play of his teammates, or is this season already gone?

Getting back to the Packers, that 2007 team was strong as well but wouldnt have beaten the Patriots unless Favre could play error-free in the SB. The 2019-20 teams werent as good but with Rodgers playing so well those years, they would have challenged KC with Mahomes but State Farm didnt get their matchup. I still believe Rodgers hasnt gotten over that loss to TB and Brady in the 2020/21 NFC Champ game.

The Packers had another tough contender in 1964 but lost some games due to Hornung's kicking. It would have been interesting had they played Baltimore in a divisional playoff ...

I also believe the Packers were hot in 1995 had they gotten by Dallas in the NFC Championship. They were toe-to-toe with the Champs until Favre threw that late interception. Would have been a great matchup with the Steelers, who ironically, allowed them to beat them and win their division, with Thigpen dropping a TD pass at the end of the game ...

[Saban1]

1963 for me.