These Green Bay Packers Aren't Ready To Win A Super Bowl

When I was typing the headline I realized that many of you in Packer Nation would be too angry with the topic of this post. I, myself, am a big positive Packers fan. Almost to a point to where it's a detriment to me writing fair perspective pieces on the team. But I just felt as I was watching the Packers going down 21-3 last week at home that there is something missing from this team. Something missing that the Seahawks, 49ers, Broncos, and Patriots all possess. That is supreme confidence and leadership on both sides of the ball.

Now that isn't a dig at QB Aaron Rodgers. As a matter of fact I think the only confidence and leadership the Packers really have comes from the offense. Rodgers is the teams unquestioned leader, but he can only be on the field when the offense has the ball. This team needs a defensive leader. Someone who can give a Lombardi-esqe speech that will spark a dominant performance. Clay Matthews would be the best candidate, but he just seems to only worry about himself out there, and doesn't ever really seem to be in anyones ear. DT Mike Daniels is the self appointed "madman" on defense, but he seems a tad to undisciplined at the moment. But that doesn't mean he won't turn into the leader. Some of his comments in the offseason about assaulting teammates who didn't care about winning. Although it seemed a bit harsh that is the type of thing this defense needs.

This defense is too soft. It hasn't been the same since Nick Collins left. To me, Collins was the unquestioned leader of the defense. He always had everyone ready to play, and always made sure everyone was in the right place. The Packers need a guy like that. Maybe it has to come from the secondary, but Tramon Williams and Sam Shields are both guys who are quiet forces. It's time for the Packers to get a villain on defense.

The Seahawks had a mean streak about them on defense last year, and they went in and bullied a more finesse team into submission during the Super Bowl. The Packers don't have the ability to do that yet. They are too nice. They would be the bullied instead of the bully. It happened to them in week 1 against Seattle. They let the Seahawks do whatever they wanted to. Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch was just running through defenders that looked like they were scared of him running toward them. The Packers need players who come up to make tackles. Not wait for them to come at them, and then hit them with a patented truck stick. This is why Adrian Peterson has ripped them to shreds. This is why Calvin Johnson has lit them on fire. The Packers have just been lucky to have the best QB in the game to bail them out of bad situations. With the amount of stuff Rodgers does to cover up this teams stench, he should get a Super Bowl ring every year. But maybe it has nothing to do with the players, maybe it's all on the coaches.

The Packers have never really had a fire starter at any coaching position. Mike McCarthy can get fired up, but he normally just pouts or makes odd faces on the sideline. I can't speak for his voice in the locker room, because no one has ever really touched on if McCarthy torched the team after a lackluster performance. The only real tidbit we got was when McCarthy said "if he wasn't Brett Favre I'd bench his a--." Dom Capers doesn't seem to care to much when his defense under performs, so I doubt he's in there lighting up his team. Kevin Greene was that fiery guy the team needed, but to me it seemed like someone told him to tone it down, before his eventual departure last year. If these defensive players don't have anyone challenging them to get better, then what do you expect from them? I don't expect any changes on that front, because the whole coaching staff is made up of "Packer people" which are essentially Ted Thompson guys. This doesn't mean the team can't grow into a Super Bowl contender though.

It's only week 3. The Packers can evolve into a Super Bowl contender. Like I said before if one of these defensive players steps up and starts holding his teammates accountable then they could be in busineess. They already have the offense in place to be great. In 2010 no one could've predicted the Packers would win the Super Bowl after what they looked like in the middle of the season. Maybe this will be the same situation. We will see Sunday vs the Lions. In the end I think the Lions will get the best of the Packers in Detroit.

AJ's Prediction:

Lions: 34

Packers: 24