Rodgers more likely to win Super Bowl than Rivers?

Daniel Jeremiah, the excellent former scout for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, offers a very informative Web site at http://www.movethesticks.com/.

Recently, he asked five NFL executives, scouts and coaches the following question: “Which QB will be the next to win his first Super Bowl, Rivers or Rodgers?”

The result may surprise you.

All five people picked Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers to win a Super Bowl before Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers.

Quite interesting, especially since the Chargers are picked second behind the Indianapolis Colts in (very early) odds to win next year’s Super Bowl.

Perhaps this is a sign of the times.

The Packers are seen as a team on the rise with such stars as Rodgers, RB Ryan Grant, WR Greg Jennings and WR Donald Driver leading a very potent offense.

Perhaps the Chargers are seen as a team on the demise because of the certain departure of RB LaDainian Tomlinson, maybe the departure of CB Antonio Cromartie, weak offensive and defensive lines and the stigma that coach Norv Turner can’t win a big game.

Jeremiah’s question opens up an interesting discussion of the future possibilities for the Packers and Chargers.

Yes, Jeremiah is a former QB at Appalachian State University and the son of David Jeremiah … the dynamic pastor at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, Calif., best-selling author and leader of Turning Point Ministry.

Here’s hoping and praying that Daniel Jeremiah soon gets another job that he so richly deserves in the NFL.

In Green Bay, is the Pack back?

The Pack is back!

Some 43 years after winning the first two Super Bowls, the Green Bay Packers may indeed be back.

Certainly, they are not mentioned among the consensus most-feared teams going into the playoffs. Lately, that distinction seems to belong to the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers.

The Packers?

They may be the wild card team nobody wants to play; the team capable of winning three straight road playoff games to reach the Super Bowl.

The Packers are the first team in history for two straight seasons to have the same quarterback who passed for 4,000 yards, the same running back surpass 1,200 yards and the same two receivers go beyond at least 1,000 yards.

Welcome to the worlds of QB Aaron Rodgers, running back Ryan Grant and receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver.

With apologies to the Arizona Cardinals, whom the Packers travel to meet this Sunday, Green Bay may well have the most potent offense in the wild card round of the playoffs.

The Packers come in with seven wins in eight games; their only loss being at Pittsburgh on a last-second miracle by Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Wallace and the Steelers.

But is the Pack all the way back? We’ll start finding out this weekend.

Predictions:
Cincinnati 24, New York Jets 13
Dallas 24, Philadelphia 20
New England 21, Baltimore 17
Green Bay 33, Arizona 31

Chargers will find out if the Pack is back

The Pack is back.

Or are they?

The Chargers will certainly find out Sunday when they make a rare regular-season appearance at Green Bay.

The good news for the Packers is that they have defeated the Philadelphia Eagles (16-13) and New York Giants (35-13).

But neither of those teams has won this season, so it’s hard to tell where the Pack stands right now.

Brett Favre may never retire. His quarterback rating of 84.0 is nothing to brag about thus far, but he does have those two wins to show for it.

Donald Driver is off to a solid start with 14 receptions and 1 touchdown, yet the Packers’ running game has looked like LaDainian Tomlinson in 2007.

And that’s where the issue comes in for the Chargers.

Has LT just had two off-games so far, or are other teams keying on him so much that he’s bound to take an individual step back in 2007?

This much is for sure: If Philip Rivers and the passing game don’t start stepping it up; opponents won’t have much more to concentrate on than LT.

The Chargers can only get away with it for so long if Antonio Gates is going to be their only legitimate receiver.

The good news for the Chargers is that nose tackle Jamal Williams is expected to play this week. Without him, San Diego loses its top defensive player.

We’ll see how Tim Dobbins does in place of the injured Matt Wilhelm at linebacker. (Yes, this is the spot that was formerly occupied by team leader Donnie Edwards.)

It’s a revenge game of sorts for the Chargers, as they try to prove that last week’s 38-14 loss at New England was an off day; not a trend.

It says here they bounce back this week.

Prediction: Chargers 24, Packers 16