For the first time in 16 years, the Packers don’t have Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback. For the first time in a long time, the Packers aren’t favored to win the NFC North.
The Lions and Vikings have better odds to win the division, with the Bears even ahead of the Packers on some sports books.
The Packers are embracing the underdog role.
“I’m used to it, being an underdog or being slept on, personally, so it’s a position I love to be in,” Packers running back Aaron Jones said, via Wes Hodkiewicz of the team website. “Nobody sees you coming at all. Everybody’s relaxed when they’re thinking about you, or they don’t think you’re capable of it.”
Jordan Love is replacing Rodgers as the team’s starting quarterback. The Packers went 6-10 in Rodgers’ first season as the starter after he replaced Hall of Famer Brett Favre.
And Packers head coach Matt LaFleur already warned that the team and its fans “all kind of have to temper our expectations for [Love].”
Love and the Packers, of course, hope to prove everyone wrong.
“When you prove people wrong, it’s one of the best feelings in the world,” Jones said. “I think that’s what we’re going to do this year — prove a lot of people wrong. We’re not worried about anybody’s opinions. We know what’s going to be written out there or where they’re going to have us selected to finish.”
The Packers believe in themselves, not what others believe about them. Time will tell.