Packers No Longer a Top 4 Super Bowl Contender After Loss to Chargers

• The Packers were surprisingly dominated against the Chargers in Week 9
• Is it fair to remove them from the top 4 in terms of Super Bowl contention?
• See the odds for the top Super Bowl 54 contenders below

We live in such a “what have you done for me lately” kind of world don’t we?

That statement rings true as the Green Bay Packers were destroyed by the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9 by a score of 26-11. As a result of this one-sided beating, the Packers have seen their once top 4 Super Bowl odds take a hit.

Super Bowl 54 Odds

Odds taken Nov. 4. 

Everyone Was to Blame in Week 9 Blowout

This was supposed to be an easy game for the Packers. Coming into this contest, they were riding a four-game win streak. In addition to their hot hand, quarterback Aaron Rodgers in particular was playing lights out. He had thrown eight touchdown passes over a two-week span with no interceptions.

His name wasn’t just floating around for the league MVP, he was leading the charge for that year-end award.

To say that Rodgers just didn’t look like himself out there would be putting it mildly.

The league MVP candidate threw for just 161 yards and a single touchdown on the day. His 4.6 yards per play were putrid as well. But don’t just place this loss at the feet of Rodgers, no one had it going.

Updated version of good, bad and ugly from #Packers’ loss to the #Chargers at @ForbesSports includes several quotes from both teams. https://t.co/J8fShTxGjV

— Rob Reischel (@robreischel) November 4, 2019

Aaron Jones, who has gotten consistent praise for giving Rodgers a running game for the first time in a long time in his career, managed to gain just 30 yards on the ground.

Whenever the 24-year-old back has an off game on the ground, he usually makes up for it in the passing game, but he was a non-factor in that department as well. One catch for negative one yard, yes I said negative, is a horrific day no matter how you attempt to sugarcoat it.

That vaunted defense that has received tons of acclaim was nowhere to be found either.

In short, it was just a horrible day for everyone on both sides of the ball.

The Chargers Are Better Than You Think

The Los Angeles Chargers 4-5 record might look bad on the outside, but as they say, looks can be deceiving.

Did you know that all five losses that are currently plastered on the resume of the Chargers were just one possession ball games? At no point in this season have the Chargers been dominated. They have just been incredibly unlucky.

https://twitter.com/6Godtv/status/1191333180667826176

One aspect of their game that gets overlooked is their defense. They only allow opposing quarterbacks to throw for 208.7 yards per game, good for fifth. Their 18.7 points per game allowed is also good for seventh in the league.

Yes the Chargers are an underachieving football team, but they aren’t as bad as you think. The Packers deserve a pass on this one.

Should You Take a Chance?

The question is a straightforward one. Should you roll the dice on the Packers with the hope that Week 9 was an aberration.

Yes.

Listen, everybody has bad games. It happens.

The New England Patriots were being lauded for having possibly one of the best defenses ever. The Baltimore Ravens just hung 37 on their heads and now watch the Patriot doubters come out in droves.

The Packers had a bad game, but they are still a great team.

Winning the Super Bowl is a difficult prediction to make. However, are they one of the four best teams in the NFL right now? Absolutely.

They probably won’t win it all, but they are totally worth taking a shot on.