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The Green Bay Packers entered last season as the team to beat in the NFC North. Adding Micah Parsons to the mix elevated them from a playoff-caliber team into legitimate Super Bowl contender status.
As fans know by now, injuries took a big toll on the team's ability to compete at the highest level. And now, with Parsons set to miss the start of the season and a new defensive coordinator, the Packers might not be the No. 1 threat in the NFC, at least early on in the campaign.
However, Isaiah McDuffie couldn't care less about that. When asked about the team's aspirations for next season, the veteran linebacker didn't hesitate to raise the bar and talk about finally making another Super Bowl run:
“I think we’ve got everything we need,” McDuffie said on The Insiders. “At the end of the day, it’s just finishing. Getting late in the season, just finishing those games when we are up on guys, just putting the nail in the coffin.”
Isaiah McDuffies set a high bar for the Green Bay Packers to clear.
While that's everything you'd want to hear from one of your veterans, the Packers must be wary not to fall victim to their own expectations. First, they must prove that they're the best team in their own division.
Losing defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was a big blow. Of course, Jonathan Gannon comes with extensive experience, but he has some big shoes to fill, and he won't have his most important piece to do so for at least one month.
It's nice to see and know that the veterans firmly believe in this team's ability to go the distance. McDuffie is right, and on paper, this team should have everything they need to be the last squad standing in February.
But after so many years of knocking on the door, and with some fans still on the fence about Matt LaFleur and whether he's the right guy to lead the Packers back to the mountaintop, echoing that type of message will inevitably lead to the team being judged by that bar.
Essentially, they're making this a Super Bowl-or-bust season. That's the way every year should be for a team as historic as the Green Bay Packers, but winning at the highest level is extremely hard, and they won't be the only squad chasing the ultimate glory in 2026.
The Packers talked about Super Bowl parades after starting last season 2-0, only to fall flat for the next month. They can't make the same mistake this season, and they must take it one day and one game at a time before writing checks they may not be able to cash.
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This article was originally published on dairylandexpress.com as Packers veteran may have set the bar too high for Green Bay's defense.
