1997-1998, Michael Jordan’s last season with the Chicago Bulls is one of the most prominent basketball seasons in history. The Chicago Bulls, coached by Phil Jackson, looked to win their sixth championship in eight years.
Those finals against the Jazz indeed showed Michael Jordan’s greatness as he carried the Bulls to beat the Jazz in six games after Scottie Pippen was limited due to back injuries. Jordan went out with a bang in his last season with the Bulls.
Possibly Aaron Rodgers Last Season
The only reason I bring this up, or it is of any relevance in this article, is because many know this may be Aaron Rodgers’ last season with the Green Bay Packers. Over this past off season, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers’ future was concerning. Disgruntled by flaws in the Packers front office, Rodgers had warned many individuals in the Packers organization that he was on his way out.
Rodgers was upset that the Packers had traded up to draft quarterback Jordan Love in 2020 without having any previous knowledge of these draft plans. Consequently, many trade rumors would send Rodgers to the Broncos and many other franchises.
After winning the Most-Valuable-Player award, Rodgers had all the leverage in this situation as the Packers were put in a very challenging position. After months of mending relations, the Packers and Rodgers agreed to one season, most likely their last.
Though this is potentially their last season together, do the Green Bay Packers have what it takes to get themselves and Rodgers another Super Bowl run and victory?
Betting Odds, Can They Do It?
The NFC is a much more challenging division in comparison to the AFC. The NFC is hard to win out, stacked with teams like the Buccaneers, Rams, Seahawks, and many other contenders.
The odds the Packers win the Super Bowl in 2022 are around +1400 with bookies like BetMGM, and new players interested in the game can sign up to find out more using the BetMGM promo code.
This makes them the 6th most likely team to win. And though these odds are very high, I believe Aaron Rodgers and the Packers can pull it off. Similar to the Bulls in ‘98, Rodgers will carry his team and win the Super Bowl.
A Look at the Offense & Defense
Starting on the offensive side of the field, we know Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers. Though he had his Week 1 slump where he threw for only 133 yards and 2 interceptions in a 38-3 loss against the Saints, he bounced back Week 2 after throwing for 255 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 35-17 victory against the Detroit Lions. Many were concerned about Aaron Rodgers’ attitude and desire to play for the Packers after week 1, but he quickly shut the haters up after his fantastic week 2 performance. He followed that up with an even greater performance in leading the Packers to victory over the 49ers in week 3.
Rodgers is aiming for one thing, and one thing only, the Super Bowl. Anything less is a disappointment for him. Furthermore, star running back Aaron Jones and star wide receiver Davante Adams looked nothing short of amazing through the first two weeks of this season. However, some questions surround the offensive line. Star tackle David Bakhtiari remains out with a knee injury, and rookie right guard Royce Newman played poorly against the Saints as he was beaten by their rushers many times.
And at the end of the Saints game, Newman suffered a concussion which forced a new lineman to end the swing of things. Their chemistry seems to be low, and they seem to lack the talent of a Super Bowl-winning offensive line. However, they did rise to the occasion against the 49ers.
On the other hand, the Packers’ defense seems to be another slow point. The new defensive scheme where the Packers only send four rushers to stop the run is both good and bad. Sending four rushers may be too little to put pressure on the quarterback.
And with the back injury of star linebacker Za’Darius Smith, the Packers will have a challenging time getting to the quarterback. Their secondary, though, has not looked as bad as it has the past few years.
After moving cornerback Kevin King into the slot, the Packers have seen more success defending the pass. There are downsides to this Packer defense, but there are also some bright spots.