Can we make it back?

ivo610

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For the past 12 years, win or lose, only 1 NFC team has come back to the Superbowl reguardless of win or lose. Can the Packers return to the big game? Well I figured we could go over the teams that went for the past 10 years. What got them there and what prevented them from going back. Lets get started.

2000-01 New York Giants

What got them there? Well they had a pretty balanced team. Stars included Tiki Barber and Michael Strahan. Kerry Collins was the QB that year. He threw 22 TDs to 13 INTs.

What happened in the SB? The Ravens, one of the best defenses of all time, destroyed them. Both defenses played well in the 1st half but the Ravens played better and won 34-7. Ray Lewis was MVP.

What prevented them from getting back?
A couple things really. Kerry Collins wasnt the franchise type QB. His QB rating dropped 6 points the next year and this team wasnt really built to last long term. Strahan was a staple on defense but was really the only star player that was on the team in 07 when they went back to the SB.
 

PackisBack

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It's hard to say. The NFL is such a day-to-day organization now, with FA more active than ever and rookies getting paid 50 million dollars before playing 1 snap in the pros.

From what I have seen, yeah we have the talent to make it back. We have some issues that need to be addressed, but if everyone plays at the same level they did this year, we can only get better.

Also, Dom Capers is the next **** Lebeau, and you see what he's done with the Steelers D.
 
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ivo610

ivo610

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2001-02 St Louis Rams

What got them there? The Offense. Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Orlando Pace, Tory Holt, and Issace Bruce. Defense wasnt bad either. Dry Bly and london fletcher are that names that jump out.

What happened in the SB? The Pats cheated. Well thats debatable on how spygate affected this game but watev. As most remember in another great rams superbowl it came down to the win and the pats won by 3 at the end.

Why didnt they return? They didnt qualify for the playoffs largely due to injuries. They started off the 2002 season 0-5. Marshall Faulk only started 10 games and when he was on the field he wasnt the same player as his averages dropped. Same with Kurt Warner, he only started 6 games that season and struggled when he did play throwing 3 TDs and 11 INTs. Kurt played only one more season (starting 1 game) before he was cut.
 
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ivo610

ivo610

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2002-03 Tampa Bay Bucs

What got them there - Defense Defense Defense. Several all pro level players in Warren Sapp, Ronde Barber, and Derrick Brooks were the stars of the team. The team also mortgaged their future with this team by trading multiple picks for a new coach.

What happened in the SB? They straight up dominated. Defense ran circles around the Raiders. Not a whole lot else to say.

Why didnt they return? They struggled to finish games the next season and finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs. Lack of QB and trading away the future for the coach led to a dim future. Also the losses caused problems in the locker room and they never recovered. The General Manager left also due to problems with Gruden.
 

Zeck180

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What would be nice for us to win Sb 45, then go to SB 46 and win that one too, then the NFL will stop comparing Rodgers to Favre.
 

Wood Chipper

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rams did go back. the patriots super bowl was them coming back. they played the titans 2 years before
 
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ivo610

ivo610

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rams did go back. the patriots super bowl was them coming back. they played the titans 2 years before

Your right but I was starting with the Giants in 2000. Giants went back too but it was a different team really.
 

cheesehurdler

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2007-2008 New York Giants.

What got them there? It didn't look like that from the start, starting 0-2 (one of those losses being a 35-14 Packers thrashing at home), but their tough defense and great pass rush, along with a brute rushing attack in Brandon Jacobs, did just enough to get into the playoffs, winning their next 6 games and going 10-6. Then, they developed an "us against the world" road-warrior mentality to get them into the SB.

What happened in the SB? They upset the Patriots by dominating their offensive line and sacking the "invincible" Tom Brady 5 times, and rallying in the 4th quarter to ruin their perfect season, winning 17-14.

Why didn't they return? Actually, they did well in the next season, going 12-4 and winning the NFC East division, but the pressure of a repeat of a Super Bowl season got to them and they lost to the Eagles 23-11. They had a forgettable 8-8 season in 2009, and suffered a meltdown after a good start in 2010. During that time Plaxico Burress was suspended and Michael Strahan retired.
 

BlackNGold

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I hope the Packers do go back! Win or lose, I would love to see the next couple Super Bowl's be Steelers vs Packers! Would be a very good, respectable, rivalry.
 

GoSlash27

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I don't see why you can't pull it off. This is what happens when you grow a team from the draft as a family instead of trying to make a team out of free agents.

Relax. You're doing it right.
 

Powarun

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Reason why Packers may have a chance to make it back. This year is our injury proned year, and if we can get at least half of our players healthy and add to the talent through free - agentcy, I don't see why we couldn't repeat this year.
 

packerfan4ever

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The reason we can make it back,is because we have a very good q.b and talent on the o-line,it isn't one player it is multiple players that carry the load.The d-line stepped up with big time injuries the s.t think we finally have a good punter,most players will be back,and if you don't lose coaches like Dom capers M.M I see us going back.Oh and since we are there now pack wins go pack I feel it in my heart this is a big win for packer fans.:happy0005:
 

GoSlash27

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Reason why Packers may have a chance to make it back. This year is our injury proned year, and if we can get at least half of our players healthy and add to the talent through free - agentcy, I don't see why we couldn't repeat this year.

I recommend not going to free agency. That's what the rest of the league does. Free agency is just there to fill the gaps. The key to maintaining a winning franchise is to do exactly what you're doing.
Trust me on this.
 

Powarun

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I recommend not going to free agency. That's what the rest of the league does. Free agency is just there to fill the gaps. The key to maintaining a winning franchise is to do exactly what you're doing.
Trust me on this.

With TT at the helm of gaining free agents and drafting, I can trust him to make good picks. Free agents are a good way to find established players and make them better, look at Charles Woodson.
 

Claymaker

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Very difficult, and less than likely, but if any team is built to do so I think the Packers are. The difference between the Packers and the Saints, Cardinals, etc is that they not only have the dynamic offense but they also have a dynamic defense as well. A defense that can be relied upon when the offense is struggling. Saints last year relied on the big plays and they got a ton of them last year. Even the Giants, once they lost Strahan just weren't the same defense. Bears in 2006 were a flukey team and had Rex Grossman as their QB. Seahawks in 2005 were an aging team.

There are tons of teams over the years that thought they would be back multiple times and they never made it back (cough ahem, 85 Bears, cough). That's why GB needs to win it right now when they have that shot, and I believe they will do just that.
 

GoSlash27

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Very difficult, and less than likely, but if any team is built to do so I think the Packers are. The difference between the Packers and the Saints, Cardinals, etc is that they not only have the dynamic offense but they also have a dynamic defense as well. A defense that can be relied upon when the offense is struggling. Saints last year relied on the big plays and they got a ton of them last year. Even the Giants, once they lost Strahan just weren't the same defense. Bears in 2006 were a flukey team and had Rex Grossman as their QB. Seahawks in 2005 were an aging team.

There are tons of teams over the years that thought they would be back multiple times and they never made it back (cough ahem, 85 Bears, cough). That's why GB needs to win it right now when they have that shot, and I believe they will do just that.

Claymaker,
Where's your confidence? We've been here 3 times in the last 6 years and confident that we'll return next year. You guys are doing it the same way we are, so what makes you think you can't?
 

JJP41

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I say most definitely they can.

The guys on IR heal up and they should be tough.

But luck has to be with them when it comes to injuires. They overcame them this year but doing it 2 years in a row would be hard.


:chisux:
 

skibum55

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I see this team as similar to The Buffalo Bills of the early '90s. They went to four straight. I don't see why we can't do that with the core we have today.

The only difference - We will win all four!!
 

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