Usurpers To The Throne! Can The Packers Be Unseated?

It's not even close to the time where we should begin talking about potential Super Bowl matchups, but unwritten rules are boring and they were meant to be broken. (Otherwise someone would've written them down.) It's been nearly nine months since Green Bay hoisted the Lombardi Trophy and from the way they are playing right now, it looks as if they have every intention of lifting it again. Which leaves us with the question:

Can anyone dethrone the Packers?

Green Bay has looked utterly dominant in their reign as the NFL Champs, smashing defenses with their prolific air attack, luring opponents into a shootout, and then outlasting them at their own game. They look almost unbeatable...

Fortunately, we NFL fans are blessed with the parity of the league and no matter how good these Packers are, someone has a chance to beat them. But who?

The San Francisco 49'ers

"Oh no you didn't!" Oh yes, I did!

Trust me, as a bay area native, I've lived through nine long years of hearing Niner fans swear on their lives that each year was the year that San Francisco would return to its former glory. Yet every year came, and every year was a miserable failure. But, this year is different. There is no more laughing.

The main reason for the turn around? Jim Harbaugh, plain and simple. Let's face it, this unit has been talented for a long time. And while Alex Smith has taken the brunt of the blame for San Francisco's woes, in reality, it was the 49'ers lack of a good head coach that left them a disappointment year after year. Now they have their leader.

What is it that the Niners do so well? Well, they play efficient football. With a staunch defense, Frank Gore, and a quarterback who (if you can believe it) doesn't make very many mistakes, San Francisco is not only a lock to win the frail NFC West and secure home field advantage for at least one one game in the playoffs, but they may also pose the biggest threat to the defending champions.

Right now, they rank 1st against the run, 1st in average points allowed per game, and 2nd in turnover ratio, at +10. Most surprisingly, however, is Smith. The former first round pick wasn't even sure of his future with the team before the season began, but now he is quietly putting together a solid season. His stats aren't monstrous, but the fact that he's completing 63% of his passes and has only thrown two interceptions shows that he's learned how to take good care of the football.

The most intriguing part about a San Francisco-Green Bay matchup in the NFC Championship game would be the showdown between Aaron Rodgers and Smith. It's been a long time since the 49'ers chose Smith ahead of Rodgers in the 2005 NFL draft and the criticism of San Francisco's decision has loomed large ever since. Should the two meet with the conference title on the line, you can be sure that the legacy of each player will take a new turn... for better or worse.

The New England Patriots

The only thing that could be better than a Smith-Rodgers matchup, would be Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers duking it out it. (Perhaps we'll get to see both.) Imagine the possibilities of two of the best pass offenses, who also happen to be the teams with the two worst secondary's in the league, ending up in the Super Bowl. It would be a shootout on center stage. And, while I like me some good defensive football, I can't imagine how much fun a game like this would be to watch.

Yes, it's true. The Patriots cannot stop the pass. That's no secret. In fact, they're so bad that Mark Sanchez is the only quarterback who hasn't thrown for over 300 yards against the Pats this season, and his game was still pretty productive. And, when the guys putting up 300+ are guys named Chad Henne and Jason Campbell, you know you've got issues.

However, with Brady under center and Bill Belicick leading the way, the Patriots still have a formidable squad. They rank second in passing yards per game, and they've done well against the run, thus far. Their two losses have come on the road and have been by slim margins.

While the Patriots are still contenders, there's something different about them these days. They're like watching an aging guard dog grow old. With an aging dog, you begin to doubt them, wondering if they should be replaced with a younger dog...

...but then the day comes, when you've counted the old dog out, that he shows you how dangerous he can be. ‘Cause every once in awhile, the old guard dog has got to get up and tear the shit out of the intruder entering into his yard.

The Pittsburgh Steelers

We could just have a rematch of last year's Super Bowl, but that's only happened once in the history of the NFL and the rematch didn't prove any better for Bills than the first time around against the Cowboys.

However, the Steelers are not the Buffalo Bills of the early 90's. Not even close. And with their number-one-rated pass defense, they have the best chance to take down the Packers, should they meet again.

There's nothing new in Pittsburgh. The Steelers play the way they've always played: old-fashioned hard-nose football. They smash you on defense, and they chew up the clock on offense. In their win against the Patriots on Sunday, Pittsburgh held Tom Brady to a season low 198 passing yard. It would be foolish to say that Brady had a bad game. He didn't. The Steelers just kept the ball out of his hands.

Pittsburgh had possession of the football for nearly 20 minutes longer than the Patriots did on Sunday and New England never even turned the ball over. Now that's clock management.

If the Steelers continue to shut down the pass like they did against the Patriots, and like they've been doing all year long, and if they can keep Rodgers off the field, then the Packers could have another tough title bout on their hands.

...that is, of course, assuming they make it.

The Honorable Mentions

1. Baltimore Ravens
2. New York Giants
3. Detroit Lions (Lioons?!?)
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Philadelphia Eagles

There's still a lot of season left to be played. Who knows what will happen. I made my picks and I'll lie in my bed. Yes, I could've chosen the Ravens over the Niners, and the Saints over the Patriots. But I didn't...

...now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Lord of the Rings marathon to tend to...