Don Shula was the coach of the Miami Dolphins when they went 17-0 in 1972. They remain the only team to go unbeaten in NFL history. The Patriots came close in 2007, but they lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl and finished 18-1. Now the NFL has the Packers who are 11-0, and expected to be favored by at least six points in each of their remaining games. Shula believes they have a good chance at going undefeated.
“If they do it, I’m going to be the first to call their coach (Mike McCarthy) and congratulate them,” Shula told FOX Sports Florida. “They’ve got a real shot at running the table.”
“They’re just so strong,” Shula said. “Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback and they’ve got a great coaching staff. Aaron Rodgers is at the top of his game, and you’ve got to have a great quarterback playing great (to go undefeated).”
This is certainly a different tone from Mercury Morris, who said two weeks ago that the undefeated Packers wouldn’t be better than his ’72 Dolphins.
The Packers have a good shot at going 16-0, but going 19-0 is the truly difficult part. The NFL hasn’t had a team reach (not win) back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots did in 2003 and 2004 (they won both). The Packers have a good shot of doing it, and really it all comes down to Aaron Rodgers. He’s having the best season ever by an NFL quarterback. If he can finish the season without having one less-than-excellent game, they’ll win it all. But that’s a lot to ask of him.
