The Odd Stat of the Week, Super Bowl Edition

Issue: Who is better, the Steelers or the Packers?

Short Answer: The Green Bay Packers.

Reasoning: Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to make an outlandish assertion: the Green Bay Packers were THIS close [pan out to a shot of me holding my thumb and index finger extremely close together.  No, like, really, really close] to being considered one of the greatest teams ever.  That's right, I said "ever."  When people think about the greatest teams ever, usually, overall record is the only stat that is considered.  A Super Bowl victory no longer matters.  I say this, because the 2007 New England Patriots, who went 18-0 before losing to the New York Football Giants in the Super Bowl, usually crack the list at #2 of "Greatest NFL Teams of All Time."  The #1 team is obviously the 1972 Miami Dolphins who went 17-0 and actually won that all-important game at the end of the season.  So, how, at 10-6, can the 2010 Green Bay Packers almost (I know, horseshoes and hand grenades) be considered one of the best teams ever?

As Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk reports (via the Wall Street Journal) the Packers are the first team in NFL history to lose six games in a season, all of them by four points or fewer.  In fact, they are the first team to even lose five games in a season, all by four points or fewer.  The only team in history to lose four games by four points or fewer was the 1987 Washington Redskins, who went on to win the Super Bowl.  So, it seems the Packers were THIS close [the thumb and index finger again] to possibly being undefeated.  Let us review their losses:

1. Week 3 @ Chicago - The Packers were flagged a season high 18 times for a season high 152 yards (their next highest total was 66 yards).  The Packers had a touchdown wiped out by a holding call, an interception erased with a roughing the passer penalty, and another interception wiped out by a pass interference call.  Devin Hester broke the record for most return TD's in the history of the NFL, and he did it in the 4th quarter.  And still, it took a Robbie Gould field goal with 4 seconds left, for the Bears to pull the game out, 20-17.
2. Week 5 @ Washington - After a sloppy game for both teams, and a mostly sloppy overtime period, Aaron Rodgers threw an interception to LaRon Landry at the Green Bay 39-yard line.  After two costly Green Bay penalties, Graham Gano hit a 33-yard field goal to give the Redskins a 16-13 victory.
3. Week 6 vs. Miami - Really?  They lost to Miami at home?  This is why betting on the NFL is impossible.  Or so my buddy told me.  Aaron Rodgers tied the game with 13 seconds left to go on a 1-yard scamper (first time I have ever used the word "scamper" - not as cool as I thought it would be).  After a Packer punt in overtime, the Dolphins took over on the Green Bay 48, ran 7 plays, kicked a field goal, and escaped with a 23-20 victory.
4. Week 12 @ Atlanta - Aaron Rodgers fumbled on the Atlanta 1-yard line in the 2nd quarter (oops), and the Falcons turned that into a touchdown just before the half (even though Tony Gonzalez may not have actually made the catch on a 4th down conversion to keep the drive alive).  Fast forward to 4th and goal with a minute left in the 4th quarter, when Aaron Rodgers scrambles out of the pocket and finds a streaking Jordy Nelson in the end zone to tie the game (I'm sure you have seen this highlight on ESPN ad nauseum).  However, a 15-yard facemask penalty on the ensuing kickoff meant doom for the unlucky Packers.  Matt Bryant hit a 47-yard field goal with 13 seconds left to give the Falcons a 20-17 win.
5. Week 14 @ Detroit - This had to knock some people out of their survivor pools.  Remember, don't bet on the NFL.  Oh, and this was tied for the biggest blowout suffered by the Packers in 2010.  Four points.  Aaron Rodgers got hurt, Matt Flynn came into the game, the Packers scored 3 points, and lost 7-3.  Let's move on.
6. Week 15 @ New England - The Packers suffer another 4-point loss.  It's a wonder how they could get their psyche back in tact, and make a successful playoff run, after suffering back-to-back blowouts like this (I hope you are sensing my sarcasm by this point).  Did I mention Matt Flynn again played instead of Aaron Rodgers?  And he threw 3 touchdowns.  Maybe people who were riding the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl should have realized how bad their defense was (myself included - I picked the Patriots over the Jets to knock me out of my survivor pool.  No worries, I still got a little piece of the pie).  Still, the Packers lost 31-27.

The moral to the story?  Since the Packers lost 6 games this year, they will never be considered one of the best teams ever - even if (when?) they win the Super Bowl.  But, one could make an argument that the Packers didn't really play a bad game all year.  Why would the Super Bowl be their first one?  Packers 27, Steelers 17.  Or so I hope.  I can't stand to see the Steelers win another Super Bowl.