If We're Going To Sound That It's All About The Quarterback, Stephen A., Please Get Your Story Right...

I was wondering how I was going to address probably the most shocking major-game NFL regular-season result in a number of years.

As the beginning of the season, Packers-Saints, even without Drew Brees, was probably the circled game of Sunday on Week 1 of the calendar (an admittedly fairly WEAK Week 1, at that...).

So, what happens with Rapeis Winston at the helm?

New Orleans 38

Green Bay 3

Not only the worst defeat of Aaron Rodgers' career (even worse than the regular-season thumpings by the last two NFC champs???), but the worst-ever defeat by a defeated conference-championship game team in the following Week 1 in NFL history.

And Stephen A. Smith was all over Aaron Rodgers Monday morning on First Take.

Got news for you, Stephen:  If you want to claim "It's all about the quarterback" in that regard, then you best use the s-word:  SABOTAGE.

If you are going to be that interested in sandbagging Rodgers, then you have to go so far as to say that he has put the hole in the hull of the Packers' season, and 7-10 might be the ceiling at that point -- and that's only because I'm not sure there's a team of ANY QUALITY in the NFC North, if Week 1 is any indication.

But I think it's more than that, Stephen A.

You see, the Packers, almost certainly, at some point this year, said that they had no interest in losing their third NFC Championship Game in a row.

And, on surface, you'd be more than proper to say that, at their end.

Now, put on my tinfoil hat and you see the reality:  It's because they have no interest in getting there.

You see, that was a COMPREHENSIVE loss on the part of the Packers yesterday.  Here's some of the numbers:

• Winston threw for 5 touchdowns.
• Green Bay:  15 rushes for 43 yards.
• New Orleans:  39 for 171 yards.

That's about as far as you need to go.  Packer Nation, you are not making the Super Bowl as long as Tom Brady and that band of mercenaries in that Tampa Bay super-team is in your conference.

And I said this the day the Packers actually drafted Jordan Love:  They know that fact to be true.

What you saw last night was the same comprehensive EXPOSURE which ended the top-end time of Brett Favre and the like with the Packers.  And I remember it was a Monday night game, 1999 Week 8 against the Seahawks at home and they got schooled 27-7 after they started the year 4-2.  They finished 8-8.

I feel sorry for ESPN, because next Monday night's game?  Packers-Lions.  Two teams who will go abjectly NOWHERE this season....

But, Packer Nation, it's time to accept the same reality your franchise already did.

And Stephen A., not only are you disingenuous with your assumption, you're also wrong as to it's extent.