The Packers lost in the playoffs.
Naturally, everyone is looking for reasons.
Well, here’s the reason: they were outplayed by a better team.
It wasn’t bad coaching, it wasn’t bad calls, it wasn’t even not taking a receiver in the 1st round.
And it wasn’t because the Packers didn’t “get Rodgers enough help.”
First and foremost, the Packers franchise is trying to field the best Packers team they can – now and into the future. They are not trying to – nor should they be trying to – acquire players for one specific team member.
That would be stupid – football is the ultimate team sport.
Second of all: Rodgers had plenty of help. I’m not talking about the Jordy Neslon, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Randall Cobb, Jermichael Finley era help, either. I’m talking about this year. Let’s look at the help Rodgers had this year:
- Davante Adams – the best receiver in the league, who let the NFL in TDs
- Bobby Tonyan – Rodger’s hand-groomed TE1, who led NFL tight ends in TDs
- Aaron Jones – A Pro Bowl running back
- Jamaal Williams – A great complementary back
- Allen Lazard – Another guy Rodgers hand-groomed and lobbied for playing time
- MVS – A field-stretcher who led the NFL in yards per catch (by more than 2 full yards!)
- Tyler Ervin – A versatile gadget role player
- David Bakhtiari – All Pro Left Tackle
- Elgton Jenkins – Pro Bowl Guard with 5 position versatility
- Corey Linsely – All Pro Center
What the hell else do you want!?
How many quarterbacks in the league have more “help” than that!?
This offense is loaded with Pro Bowlers and All Pros and scored more points than anyone else in the league!
And people are complaining he didn’t get enough help!?
Oh, but what about this year’s draft?
What about it!?
They took AJ Dillon – a workhorse power runner who gives the offense another dimension and averaged over 5 yards per carry. They took Josiah Deguara – a versatile pass catcher that can also block in the backfield. Plus they took Jon Runyan – who had a great stint as a fill-in starter and may be full-time next year – plus a couple other depth blockers in Jake Hansen and Simon Stepaniak.
Oh but you wanted a receiver in the first round?
Well that would have been stupid (I already covered why in this article).
But you’re gonna complain because they took a quarterback?
You want the team to try to help a 38 year-old quarterback – who’s already directing an absolutely stacked offense – instead of looking out for the future of the franchise?
Hey, this is the NFL – when you see a QB that you think can be a winner on your team and you have a starter that’s pushing 40, you take him!
“Oh we don’t need him now” is how two dozen teams could have drafted Aaron Rodgers and didn’t! Stupid!
Every time the Packers lose, fans cry about getting Rodgers more help.
Rodgers had plenty of help.
You know what the problem was?
A better team beat them.
That’s life.
Another receiver wasn’t going to make a lick of difference against the Bucs this year or against the 49ers last year.
This silly notion that the Packers haven’t “helped” Aaron Rodgers enough has to stop.
In the end, the team lost. There’s no shame in that, they’re not a failure, its the nature of the game. Winning the Super Bowl is really hard.
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Don’t let the fact that the Packers didn’t make the Super Bowl dampen your fervor – there’s an exciting offseason to prepare for and we’ve got you covered!
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