Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl LII - not a chance, says PFF

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:54 p.m. ET

Fansided, Raymond Rivard/FanSided via Lombardi Ave

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers needs a deeper, more experienced team if the Packers are to win a Super Bowl before he retires. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Packers = Super Bowl LII.

That’s the equation Packers fans expect in 2017 and the only expectation those who follow the team year-in and year-out will believe.

But don’t tell that to the experts over at Profootballfocus.com.

In a post published yesterday, the experts at the PFF have thrown their predictions to either the Oakland Raiders or, of course, the New England Patriots.

Of the seven experts weighing in on the site with their Super Bowl LII winner, only one of them picked a team different than the Raiders or Pats … and that “expert” predicted that the Houston Texans will be Super Bowl LII champion.

The Texans?

Really?

Before I stop laughing, I have to shed a tear.

That’s because there is nary a word about the Atlanta Falcons, the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants or the Green Bay Packers.

Jan 15, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) celebrates a touchdown with head coach Mike McCarthy against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional playoff game at AT&T Stadium. Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Forget that the Falcons were 25 points up on the Pats before the football gods cast their “forget to play the game” spell on Atlanta … followed by the biggest meltdown in Super Bowl history.

Forget that the Dallas Cowboys are still one of the scariest teams to enter the 2017 season with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott primed to repeat their rookie seasons.

And forget that the Green Bay Packers have the best quarterback in the game. Should team GM Ted Thompson get off his butt and show some creativity in rebooting his team, the Packers might actually field a competitive defense next season.

If that’s the case, we all know the offense will take care of itself and the Packers should once again win the NFC North and qualify for a spot in the playoffs.

How can the experts completely ignore the NFC, especially the prognosticator who picked, of all teams, the Texans?

As for the Packers, with the offseason moves that we expect will be made to improve the team, our hope is that these PFF folks eat their words.

We can see either the Raiders or the Pats making the big game, but we also know how things can change drastically in the months before the 2017 regular season gets going.

Injuries also play a huge role. Look at how Oakland wilted after they lost Derek Carr.

Jan 22, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

We can only imagine what would happen with the Packers if Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury. We know, at this point in time, that relying on a backup quarterback and a porous defense would be disastrous.

That all said, we’re not going all-in with the selections made by PFF.

We’re not totally convinced the Packers will win the Super Bowl next season, but there are plenty of other teams ignored by the PFF folks in their predictions. It’s easy to select the reigning champs or the team that’s everyone’s darling (Oakland) or even a team like the Texans.

But to ignore teams like the Cowboys, Falcons and Packers is simply not right.