Could any AFL team have beaten GB in Super Bowl 1 or 2?

[Jay Z]

If it was the 1967 Packers against the 1968 Jets, I do not give the 1968 Jets much of a chance.

Despite their excellent record, none of the Colts' defenders would make the HOF. Six of the Packers are now in.

The Jets had good receivers, but Adderley and Jeter were great athletes. That pass defense was one of the best ever. You've got the linebackers taking their deep drops, it was very tough. The weak link was Tom Brown, but Lammons was not explosive and not well equipped to be that sort of threat.

It was possible to beat Lombardi, but his teams were not going to beat themselves. Shula and the Colts helped the Jets in that regard. I do blame Shula for setting the tone of his teams in the playoffs at the time. To beat Lombardi you had to play a 4 quarter game.

Plus you have Bart Starr. What do you throw at Bart Starr? He was excellent in every playoff game 1966-67. He is not going to make mistakes. He is not going to care if you sack him, and the Jets didn't pressure the Colts much anyway. He didn't have HOFers at the "skill positions", but he is going to find a way to get points on you. Namath would have to go bombs away for the whole game and hope he isn't intercepted a half dozen times.

As for the Colts, they should have been able to score on the Jets of course. Jets had a good defense only. They had no answer for Tom Matte, that was a clear weakness.

[Rupert Patrick]

Does anybody think Lombardi might have stuck around another year as Packers coach after Super Bowl II if Green Bay had lost to the Raiders?

[BD Sullivan]

I've always wondered if Matt Snell (who scored the only Jets TD) would have been named SB III MVP if Namath had entered that game having kept his mouth shut.

[lastcat3]

Does anybody think Lombardi might have stuck around another year as Packers coach after Super Bowl II if Green Bay had lost to the Raiders?

Kind of doubt it. I think he was starting to have symptoms from the cancer that would kill him a few years later at that point and was just physically drained and needed some time off. Probably a good thing he didn't end up coaching the Packers in '68 because I'm not sure they would have done a whole lot better than they did. THe Pack was really starting to get some age on them by the late '60's. If they did manage to win the division in '68 (which would have been manageable since the division winner was only 8-6) I think they would have gotten crushed by the Colts in the playoffs and would have ended Lombardi's tenure on a down note.

[Rupert Patrick]

I've always wondered if Matt Snell (who scored the only Jets TD) would have been named SB III MVP if Namath had entered that game having kept his mouth shut.

I for one always thought Matt Snell should have been the MVP of Super Bowl III.

[74_75_78_79_]

In response to Jay/Rupert/BD...

Great analysis on GB-vs-Jets! Would have to agree on your winner along with reasons given but would like to think Jets actually give them a game. Now how about ’67 Packers vs ’68 Colts? In a regular season game, the Colts. Post-season? The Pack! JMHO.

First off, for the sake of Lombardi’s legacy that we’ve all come to know and appreciate, and no slight on Raider Nation, thank God the Pack didn’t actually lose SBII. However, if they did, I’d imagine it be very tough for Vince to put his ego aside and not return in ’68. And even if he would go on to win SBIII in such a hypothetical, would it fully rinse away that very stink of being the first NFL team to lose to the AFL? Any chance the Trophy’s not named after him in such an event (again, thank God it didn’t actually happen)?

Snell MVP if Namath is modest pre-game? Perhaps, but despite Joe throwing no TDs he did call a hell of a game! And against a super-heavy favorite!

[sheajets]

I've always wondered if Matt Snell (who scored the only Jets TD) would have been named SB III MVP if Namath had entered that game having kept his mouth shut.

I for one always thought Matt Snell should have been the MVP of Super Bowl III.

161 total yards on 34 touches. Certainly

[JohnH19]

-Green Bay routed what were by far the AFL's best teams in the first two SBs so how could any other team have stood a chance?

-I think Lombardi would have taken his time and given serious consideration to coming back had the Pack lost SB 2. I think his competitive nature would have won out.

-Matt Snell should have won MVP in SB 3 but Namath was an understandable choice and George Sauer would have also been a good one.

-I don't care how the '68 Jets would have done against the '67 Packers (different teams, different years) but I'm certain that the Jets wouldn't beat the '68 Colts in a rematch or even multiple rematches. The Colts were clearly a better team than the Jets but on any given Sunday...

[lastcat3]

Here is another question. How much better do you think Lombardi could have made the '68 Packers? THe Pack was clearly past its prime by the late '60's. Even the '67 team had their struggles but the experience seemed to pay off in the playoffs that year. It would have only continued to get worse if Lombardi coached them past that point. I think the '68 Packers still would have had a decent chance to win the division as the Vikings, Bears, and Packers were all right around the .500 mark but I think a playoff game against the Colts could have gotten ugly for them.

By the '69 season they don't win the division regardless if Lombardi is coaching or not.

[Saban1]

Here is another question. How much better do you think Lombardi could have made the '68 Packers? THe Pack was clearly past its prime by the late '60's. Even the '67 team had their struggles but the experience seemed to pay off in the playoffs that year. It would have only continued to get worse if Lombardi coached them past that point. I think the '68 Packers still would have had a decent chance to win the division as the Vikings, Bears, and Packers were all right around the .500 mark but I think a playoff game against the Colts could have gotten ugly for them.

By the '69 season they don't win the division regardless if Lombardi is coaching or not.

I think that the Packers win the NFL Central Division if Lombardi was still coaching them. In 1968, Coach Bengsten had a much easier training camp than in previous years. Vince put the team through tough training camps, and I think that made the team better. Anyway, Lombardi was doing something right. I agree that they probably would not beat the Colts in the 1968 playoffs, and the game would have been in Baltimore.

In 1969, the Vikings were about as good as the Colts were in 1968, as thus would likely have won their division and gone to the Super Bowl.