Can 3-2 Packers replicate memorable 2010 season?
By JERRY TAPP
No doubt the Packers’ loss to the New York Giants in London was a tough pill to swallow for the green and gold faithful … especially in a game where they held a 10-point lead at halftime (in the 61 games prior where the Pack had a 10-point or larger lead at halftime they were 57-3-1).
But as they say … on to next week.
The Packers stand at 3-2 on the season and a game behind the Vikings in the NFC North. They are currently one of eight teams with a 3-2 record.
Since 2008, the year that Aaron Rodgers took over as starting QB for the Packers, the team has now been 3-2 after five games in six of those seasons. In fact, many all-knowing Packers fans will quickly point out that when the Packers won the Super Bowl in 2011 (2010 season), they started that 2010 campaign with a 3-2 record, and in fact saw their record drop to .500 at 3-3 that season with a 23-20 overtime loss the following week to Miami.
Here’s a look at some numbers from the first five games of the season from 2008-2021 (14 seasons):
Started season, Made playoffs, Season record
0-5, None
1-4, None
2-3, 2 times (2008, 2012)
made playoffs once, finished 6-10 and 11-5
2-2-1, Once (2018)
did not make playoffs, finished 6-9-1
3-2, 5 times (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016)
made playoffs five times, finished 11-5, 10-6, 8-7-1, 12-4 and 10-6
won Super Bowl after 2010 season
4-1, 4 times (2017, 2019, 2020, 2021)
made playoffs three times, finished 8-7-1, 13-3, 13-3, 13-4
5-0, 2 times (2011, 2015)
made playoffs twice, finished 15-1, 10-6
Based on research on pro-football-reference.com, there were 131 teams that started the season 3-2 from 2008-2021. Of those 131, 46.6% made the playoffs that year. Included in those 131 teams are five 3-2 teams that went on to win the Super Bowl (2010-Green Bay, 2011-New York Giants, 2014-New England, 2018-New England, and 2020-Tampa Bay, and four 3-2 teams that lost in the Super Bowl.
Note: Had the Packers won the game this past weekend versus the Giants, they would have been 4-1 for the fourth straight year.