The NFL season is often a war of attrition. You have to survive injuries, mental mistakes, and rough stretches in the schedule.
The Packers have endured as much as any team in the season’s first nine games, and they will come out the other side at 6-3 and in first place in the NFC North. The defense has lost a lot of key players, but defensive coordinator Dom Capers has figured out how to use the guys he has left.
Green Bay’s win over the Cowboys was predictable, but the 45-7 final score was a good sign this Packers team can be dominant again on both sides of the ball.
This isn’t a perfect Packers team by any means. The offense has occasionally been erratic and the running game will be average at best. The defensive line remains thin. Teams like the Giants, Falcons, and even Saints have looked as good or better.
With all that said, the team is 2.5 games ahead of the Vikings in the division with a head-to-head win. The Bears are at 5-3, but they don’t look like a team that can hold up over 16 games.
The Packers have held up well over a difficult first nine games, and that’s why anything less than a NFC North title would be a big surprise and a massive disappointment for this group.
UPDATE: Enjoy, Packers fans: