Are the Packers of recent memory underachievers?

[CSKreager]

Only 2 SB's despite damn near 30 years of Favre and Rodgers feels like major underachievment

If anything Green Bay's recent playoff flops make it seem more and more that 2010 was the outlier.

Since 1992, this team has had insane QB play but insanely dissapointating playoff results.

This team basically just finds ways to lose when it matters most yet their feet aren't held to the fire like the Cowboys/Ravens/Bills/49ers

[Ten Minute Ticker]

Speaking as a Packer fan, it’s a fair reputation.

Favre years? Could easily have won another in ‘97 in a 50/50 Super Bowl.

By ‘01-‘04-ish, those Packers teams compiled good records, but were flawed, and Favre was most flawed of all. I still get the willies when I think of that lame duck throw in OT against the Eagles in ‘03. Truth be told, Favre didn’t perform well at all in the playoffs in that period.

A bit of an Indian summer season in 2007, and once again, a horrid Favre throw in OT cost the Packers.

The Rodgers years are even weirder. Won in a year they probably shouldn’t have in 2010. Underachieved in several other seasons, and in some cases, the Packers found their level in some other defeats.

The 2014 loss to the Seahawks is justly infamous, but the Packers were probably only favored in one of their NFC title game defeats - the pandemic season loss to the Bucs. The nature of some of those losses was just deflating. The 2019 loss to the 49ers pissed me off so much, I shut it off in the second quarter. No need to watch them mail it in.

[Brian wolf]

Yeah, Favre had some bad interceptions that cost them chances at the SB but Rodgers had some bad postseason games as well, especially that 2019 NFC Championship, after winning MVP. I have never been sold on LaFleur in championship games. I still shake my head over the defense giving up a 4th and 26 pass against Philly, and losing a championship game after intercepting Tom Brady three times in the second half. Not to mention four interceptions against Russell Wilson. Crazy stuff.

Favre never won a SB without Reggie White and Rodgers never won without Charles Woodson. The defense had some good players but never enough great ones. Both QBs probably should have led their teams to consecutive SB wins but were upset.

[SeahawkFever]

Yeah, Favre had some bad interceptions that cost them chances at the SB but Rodgers had some bad postseason games as well, especially that 2019 NFC Championship, after winning MVP. I have never been sold on LaFleur in championship games. I still shake my head over the defense giving up a 4th and 26 pass against Philly, and losing a championship game after intercepting Tom Brady three times in the second half. Not to mention four interceptions against Russell Wilson. Crazy stuff.

Favre never won a SB without Reggie White and Rodgers never won without Charles Woodson. The defense had some good players but never enough great ones. Both QBs probably should have led their teams to consecutive SB wins but were upset.

Favre is a quarterback where nowadays, all I ever typically hear about is either the welfare fraud stuff more recently, or the bad playoff interceptions in the 2000's, or the fact that he'll always hold the interception record.

He won a Super Bowl obviously, and three MVP's that I don't see anyone typically debate, but the way he's talked about, if you didn't know you wouldn't think he ever did any of that.

Also, as for the early 2000's teams mentioned above, I think 03 was the best. Favre led the league in passing touchdowns despite not finishing top ten in pass attempts, and Ahman Green had a great year. It seems like they leaned on him more in those years.

If the 4th and 26 play isn't converted, then Favre's pick to Brian Dawkins never happens, and they are in the NFC Championship Game. Probably losing to Carolina, but still.

[Ten Minute Ticker]

He won a Super Bowl obviously, and three MVP's that I don't see anyone typically debate, but the way he's talked about, if you didn't know you wouldn't think he ever did any of that.

In my mind, there’s two distinct Favre eras. One with and without Mike Holmgren. Under Holmgren and his staff, he was refined and turned into the best QB in the NFL by 1996. Holmgren also had a bully pulpit Favre seemed to respect that he didn’t from any of his other HCs.

Without Holmgren (and also with a lot of ego-inflating adoration by the late 90s), he was still good, but his flaws began to re-emerge. Forcing the issue on and off the field. He had a 29-interception season mixed in there. He wasn’t the same in the 2000s, even if he was still better than most and occasionally conjured up some magic.

(Also, side note to the 2003 loss to Philly, but the Packers were one 4th down conversion TD by the Cardinals away from not making the playoffs at all that season. It wasn’t a team that blew a sure-fire title shot.)

[Brian wolf]

Rodgers avoided the turnovers, but Favre is still the best pure passer I ever saw and a true Iron Man that played no matter what.
Losing Holmgren did hurt his career I feel, but he also had a better running game under Sherman and McCarthy.

[JuggernautJ]

Rodgers avoided the turnovers, but Favre is still the best pure passer I ever saw...

Better than Marino?
(I guess we'd have to define "pure passer" before we could decide but I'd still take Marino in that category)

I've never really been a fan of Favre, which is kind of strange considering he's the ultimate sandlot quarterback, so I'm probably not the most objective commentator. The interceptions and improvisation aren't what I value in a QB. I'll always prefer someone who sticks to the game plan and plays like he is a member of a team... but I realize not everyone agrees with that interpretation.

It is interesting to note that the two times (post Lombardi) the Pack won it all they had the number 1 (1996) and number 2 (2010) defenses in the NFL.
I know I'm "old skool" but my favorite (and, in my opinion, the best) Packer QB is still Bart Starr.

[Brian wolf]

Its subjective of course, and Marino had the faster release and could fling the ball, but I felt Favre could throw any type of pass well, where Marino didnt like to throw short. Marino didnt like the screen pass either, where Favre excelled at it. Both threw interceptions but Favre did it at the worst times, believing his receivers would go up and get the passes, which they also did often. Just too much confidence in his arm, where Rodgers was more judicious and willing to take a sack. Warren Moon and Dan Fouts had great releases and could throw as well. No shortage of great pure-passers.

What I think hurt the Packers during the Favre and Rodger's eras, was the defense not sustaining a great pass rush. People forget how good a rush Clay Matthews Jr, had for the team with Rodgers and even Julius Peppers helped them but the defenses werent the same after these guys left. Of course, Favre had White and later Gbaja-Biamila, who was explosive but under-sized. Biamila reminded me of a smaller Charles Haley but only excelled for about six seasons. Without injuries, 80's pass rusher Ezra Johnson might have passed Willie Davis all-time in sacks.

[Jay Z]

Honestly I think it comes more down to defensive failures.

From 1992 to 2024 the Packers have the best overall winning percentage in the regular season, .630. Second is Steelers at .627, who have a similar post season record verging on mediocrity.

In the post-season since 1992, the Packers points scored average of 25.8 points per game is the best in the NFL. However, they've given up 24.6 points per game, which is below average.

In the regular season, the quarterback rating of 93.2 over those years is the best in football. That dips a bit in the post season to 92.0 which is fourth.

However, on the defensive side, during the regular season the opponents' QBs had a quarterback rating of 79.7 which is fourth best. But in the post season, that goes up to 82.2 which is only 12th best. That's twice the fall off of the offense.

Other that the two SB wins I think that's the tale. The defenses are often pretty good in the regular season, but don't take a step forward in the playoffs; in fact, some holes are exposed and mistakes are made.

[Brian wolf]

Good call Jay Z ... In terms of playoff ambushes, who would have thought that the Packers would have had dud games at Lambeau Field for the 2002 playoffs against Atlanta, 2004 against the Vikings, 2011 against the Giants--at 15-1--and even the 2020 championship game against the Bucs, until the defense finally started intercepting Brady. They rallied, but I dont feel Rodgers was ever the same with HC LaFleur after they chose to kick a FG on 4th and goal at the Bucs eight yard line.