Green Bay Packers: Can the Reigning Super Bowl Champions Repeat in 2011?

April 20, 2011   ·   Ryan Rudnansky   ·   Jump to comments

Green Bay Packers Looking to Replace Pittsburgh Steelers as NFL’s New Dynasty

When Aaron Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, throwing three touchdowns along the way, it didn’t just mark an emergence into the elite for the seventh-year quarterback, it marked a potential new dynasty in the NFL.

The Packers, no strangers to dynasties, were lucky enough to have a guy like Rodgers waiting in the wings when Brett Favre bounded up and down the field in his lengthy run with the team.

And just three years into being a starting quarterback, Rodgers proved that he was ready to lead the Packers for many years to come.

The Steelers were the big dog for years alongside the New England Patriots, winning two Super Bowls with Ben Roethlisberger and playing the type of defense that made it downright depressing for offenses.

But we could be seeing the changing of the guard.

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With the exception of the potential loss of defensive end Cullen Jenkins to free agency (which I don’t even see happening), the Packers are once again set up this year to make a return to the promised land.

Aside from Rodgers, they have 2010 Defensive Player of the Year candidate Clay Matthews manning the outside at linebacker, as well as cornerback Charles Woodson and overshadowed inside linebacker A.J. Hawk.

Greg Jennings also returns as Rodgers’ favorite target, and former feature back Ryan Grant, a player the Packers missed in 2010, is ready to return to the field (just check his sunny Twitter posts).

Oh yeah, and they also have that guy named B.J. Raji manning the nose tackle spot.

The way the Packers are set up, there’s no reason to think they can’t make a return trip to the Super Bowl.

The only thing that may stop them is an extended NFL lockout.