According to Aaron Rodgers -- The NFC is Wide Open

[Exittium]

well, the 4, 5, and 6 seed have won the superbowl or have at least been there. I still don't think they can win here, though. Carolina has the best chance because they have a stingy defense and lead the league in sacks. They can give Russ trouble.

Well essentially I believe all the NFC teams.. Have had at a minimum a Superbowl appearance. The Eagles losing to Oakland back in the 80's and then to NE in 04 .. ahem Spygate.. Then Carolina has their SB appearance in like 03 or something against once again NE just before the spygate. And since the spygate controversy NE has only had 1 sb appearance that they lost.. (Not like NE matters anyways we'll murder any AFC opponent we face in the Superb owl!

 

[rsm650]

"I think the NFC is wide open," Rodgers said. "I think from 1 to 6 there are a lot of talented teams. There are some teams that haven't been up as the lead dog before but wanted to, and some teams with championship experience sitting down at the bottom half."

It's true Seattle and Carolina haven't been to the Super Bowl for some time, while SF, GB, and NO have in recent years. Also, the Hawks are beatable at home. I know that the 12th man is extra crazy in the post-season, but the players themselves have to play extra hard (I'm confident they will). I don't think Rodgers has an ego problem or anything; besides that one incident last year I always thought he was a chill guy like Wilson. I rooted for him against the Steelers in XLV.

I mean he looks TOTALLY huggable!

 

[Polaris]

It's true Seattle and Carolina haven't been to the Super Bowl for some time, while SF, GB, and NO have in recent years. Also, the Hawks are beatable at home. I know that the 12th man is extra crazy in the post-season, but the players themselves have to play extra hard (I'm confident they will). I don't think Rodgers has an ego problem or anything; besides that one incident last year I always thought he was a chill guy like Wilson. I rooted for him against the Steelers in XLV.

I mean he looks TOTALLY huggable!

I lost all respect for him last year. McCarthy I like. You know he was upset and could appreciate it (even if I didn't agree with it), but he acted with professionalism and class. Rodgers did not and unfortumately too many Cheeseheads to this day have taken after Rodges and not the head coach.

 

[scutterhawk]

I pointed this quote out in Aros's post about wanting to play the 9ers first. I took it as the slam against the Panthers and Seahawks as it was meant to be. I am sure in his mind, if he doesn't get hurt, the Packers would have been the #1 seed.

It's all good. No need to be a shrinking violet if that is how he feels. Just shows you have to earn it. But if you look at the 6 NFC playoff teams, the 3 bottom seeds all have been to the Superbowl recently and 2 have won it. So in that light, the experience factor does sit in the bottom half of the bracket. Strange things do happen in the playoffs. Just have to prove the doubters wrong.

Rodgers didn't have ANY experience that he could draw from to make that claim when he won his first SB game, and he didn't win it all by himself.
Every team that reaches the top, is just as likely to win it all, and just because they've won a SB, there's no guarantee that they will repeat.
Ravens are a good example.......Tampa Bay Buc's are another, AND, if Rodgers were truly all that, he'd be in the hunt for every Year after his first win......That's why they all have to play the games, as reputation doesn't always wash....Just ask the Manning Bros.

 

[Wartooth]

Wartooth Check your PM's

 

[wannabe]

It comes down to " NO RESPECT" to get it we have to win the superbowl and maybe even then still wont get the Respect we deserve. Its only fuel for the Seahawks so let those who talk smack about the Hawks keep talking all its going to do is piss off the Hawks and they will punish those when they get to the House Of NOISE!! GO HAWKS!!!

 

[LickMyNuts]

Hawk nuts, you stole my avatar!

OOps...I will look for another.

 

[loafoftatupu]

That is what he should be saying. He is the QB of a playoff team. He has no business ranking one team over another, especially his own. He can't take any other view. SF is going to Lambeau and Rodgers has no business giving them "respect" which for some reason is connected to being humble or modest.

If these guys don't believe that they are going to win, they might as well not play.

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

I agree with DrDiags that his comment was partly directed at Seattle and Carolina. But, it's the playoffs, a whole new season. So, he's not really saying anything other than being his competitive self. But, teams do have established advantages at this stage, home field, a first round bye, etc. I think Rodgers realizes that if they can somehow get past the 49ers... that his comments are an attempt to get in the heads of certain teams. Otherwise, he's being intellectually dishonest to suggest that the Seahawks and Panthers are not the most formidable teams.

I'll say this (and I'm not saying I hope anyone gets re-injured)... but, as my son has been recovering from a broken collarbone (during a football game), I've been talking with my sons' orthopedist who spent time working with the Cincinnati Bengals. He brought it up that he thought it was crazy for any talk of Rodgers returning this season (without seeing his X-Rays.) Too, kids heal quicker than adults (in general), so his timeline for Rodgers was longer than my sons. My son was injured before Rodgers and is still a month away from contact sports (and has healed quite fast and looking great.) But, there's 1-2 months of vulnerability AFTER a collarbone has "healed". Rodgers and the Packers are likely taking a huge risk for him getting re-injured and taking longer to recover. Maybe it's worth it now having made the playoffs... that is until the moment should he get hurt again. Then, they'll regret it. Not predicting anything there... just saying that he's probably cleared to play having been warned of the risks of a re-break at this point in the healing process.

Too, I predict nothing as I think it's a fools errand. But, I sort of disagree that it's as wide open as Rodgers would like to believe. Sounds more like wishful thinking to me even with experience and all that. The defenses of Seattle, Carolina and SF seem to separate those teams from the rest. So, any scenario of those teams losing to any of the other 3 would be an upset, even in such a new season as the playoffs and even with a player the caliber of Rodgers. If I was pressed to take a guess... I would say that SF and Carolina will get to battle it out and that the NFCCG will likely be Carolina @ Seattle. I just see those two top NFC seeds as being a cut above the rest. I think the AFC is where we might see a lower seed defeat one of the top two.

All this talk. Glad it will be settled on the field... @ CenturyLink Field!!!
Go Seahawks... Team of the Century!

 

[truehawksfan]

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to sit and say, "oh yeah, he has every right to say this", or "Anything can happen".

Blah, blah, blah.

This is the fourth time this year someone has disrespected this team and I do believe this is bulletin board material.

First disrespect: A Niner's player said it's different when your a preseason favorite. Everyone will play their "A" game and The Hawks haven't proven anything. Division champs Niners!

Second disrespect: The Hawks home field winning streak is at risk as the Niner's dismantled the Green Bay Packers in the first week of the year and they wanted to show everyone, as Frank Gore said, who the big dogs are in the division. How you them apples Gore?

Third Disrespect: Dumba$$ Dilfer said the team has already peaked and Kam Bam would be exposed -- of course -- this was prior to the New Orleans game. Kam Bam is a Pro Bowler.

Fourth Disrespect: The Hawks home field win streak is at risk -- again -- as News Orleans comes to Seattle. They also wanted to remove the notion they cannot win on the road.

Now this from Rodgers.

Make no mistake, the team took every single sign of disrespect and used it as bulletin board material.

 

[kearly]

The NFC playoffs is so wide open that the #6 seed was one timely win away from being the #1 seed. The NFC hasn't been this loaded since the mid-90s.

And the Packers draw the 49ers right off the bat, too. The only thing wide open about this playoffs for the Packers is the can of whoop ass that is coming for them.

 

[evergreen]

What's wide open is the Packers D. Can you imagine how Russell Wilson will slice them up?

 

[drdiags]

Rodgers didn't have ANY experience that he could draw from to make that claim when he won his first SB game, and he didn't win it all by himself.
Every team that reaches the top, is just as likely to win it all, and just because they've won a SB, there's no guarantee that they will repeat.
Ravens are a good example.......Tampa Bay Buc's are another, AND, if Rodgers were truly all that, he'd be in the hunt for every Year after his first win......That's why they all have to play the games, as reputation doesn't always wash....Just ask the Manning Bros.

You know how it goes though. Once a team/person wins the title, they forget they once didn't have one. You have to start somewhere but people trying to build up their case will try to poke holes at those lacking championship experience.

 

[Lords of Scythia]

The NFC is wide open before they git into the Clink--then that arpeture closes off like a dose of urethritis.

 

[DrDix]

The 4 divisions were decided on the last Sunday of the season for the first time ever, I think it's safe to say its wide open.

 

[Hasselbeck]

If our offense keeps sputtering, Aaron isn't wrong. The NFC is wide open.

 

[Polaris]

The 4 divisions were decided on the last Sunday of the season for the first time ever, I think it's safe to say its wide open.

I disagree. There's a lot less to that fact than meets the eye. Really the late decision was due to scheduling jujitsu more than anything else. Also the playoff contenders and divisions at least in the NFC were pretty much decided for about a month....it was the specific details that had to be nailed down.

For the entire month (for example), it was a forgone conclusion that the NFC South winner would be the #2 seed. It was just a question of Carolina or New Orleans. Seattle was the overwhelming favorite for the NFC West and HFA since Dec 2 as well....it's just that San Fran and Arizona kept winning and kept it from becoming quite a mathematic cinch.

It's been known since the first week in December that the wildcards would come from either the NFC West or NFC South with San Fran and New Orleans/Carolina being the overwhelming favorites for them.

What happened in the NFC North and East was mediocrity, pure and simple.

 

[onanygivensunday]

Yes, its hypothetically wide open before any playoff game has been played... but come the opening kickoff in the GB-SF game, it will be obvious which team is from the NFCW with a 12-4 record and which team is from the NFCN division with a 8-7-1 record.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

He really should worry about winning against the 49ers. Which I don't see given they have no clue on how to stop Keapernick and their defense is even worse then the last game, if that's even possible.

 

[Uncle Si]

well, the 4, 5, and 6 seed have won the superbowl or have at least been there. I still don't think they can win here, though. Carolina has the best chance because they have a stingy defense and lead the league in sacks. They can give Russ trouble.

Well essentially I believe all the NFC teams.. Have had at a minimum a Superbowl appearance. The Eagles losing to Oakland back in the 80's and then to NE in 04 .. ahem Spygate.. Then Carolina has their SB appearance in like 03 or something against once again NE just before the spygate. And since the spygate controversy NE has only had 1 sb appearance that they lost.. (Not like NE matters anyways we'll murder any AFC opponent we face in the Superb owl!

I think the comment is more respective to the fact San Francisco, new Orleans and green bay have been the last three NFC representatives in the super bowl