It's updated prediction time around the NFL, with the NFL playoff bracket set and the postseason kicking off on Saturday afternoon. But according to Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, the two NFC teams not playing this weekend (the Cowboys and Falcons) aren't even the favorites to reach the Super Bowl.
Favre believes his old team, the Packers, are the "team to beat" on that side of the playoffs, because of how well Aaron Rodgers is playing and because of how the defense has stepped up recently.
"Taking emotion out of it, I believe the Packers are the team to beat and they will be in the Super Bowl. Not taking anything away from the Giants and not taking anything away from Atlanta and the Cowboys or so forth," Favre said on Sirius XM Radio Wednesday. "I just feel like ... collectively speaking they're as close to hitting on all cylinders as possible. Not perfect and nobody is. They're super productive on offense. Aaron, obviously, is playing great. They have an opportunistic defense who is extremely well coached. Maybe they give up a few plays, but they're going to create a bunch too.
"I give the advantage, not just in this game, but this side of the NFL, to the Packers. I'm just thinking off the top of my head, no one's stopped the Packers yet, have they? Maybe they've stopped themselves. But I don't believe anyone has really shut down the Packers yet, and I don't believe they will."
.@Favre4Official: "I believe the @packers are the team to beat, and I believe that they will be in the Super Bowl" pic.twitter.com/7raQbZWMqX
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) January 3, 2017
Favre's not the only one who likes the Packers -- if you make me pick one team to make it out of the NFC, I'll take the Packers too.
Rodgers said they would run the table after Week 11 and they promptly did, winning the NFC North on the strength of a six-game win streak to close out the season. Rodgers is playing at an MVP level right now and the defense has gotten better as the season has moved along.
The Packers have a dangerous opponent in the Giants -- who Favre also mentioned as a contender -- this week before they can think about dealing with either the Cowboys (if the Seahawks win) or Falcons (if the Lions win).
But there's no doubt this Packers team is just like Favre and thinking about a Super Bowl run.