Green Bay Packers Must Avoid Last Year’s Big-Game No-Shows to Merit No. 10 Watchability Ranking

In his rankings, Solak cites their three-score deficits to the Vikings in both games and the first game against Detroit as sapping his engagement in the on-field product.

He writes, “These big deficits in the third quarter lose my attention, even if I eventually come back to see their failed comeback efforts.”

They fell behind the eight-ball again in the playoffs, giving Philadelphia a 10-0 first-half lead.

To the Packers’ credit, their comebacks are worth something and show resilience, but it would be much better to avoid trailing big in the first place. And, of course, they’ll need to close out close games against top competition in a way they did not do last year.

The good news is that, this season, the team will have an early chance to quiet critics with a Week 1 matchup hosting the Lions. Betting lines price the game as a tossup, favoring the Packers by a point as slight moneyline favorites.

As for what makes them watchable – more so than 22 other teams – Solak refers to their “explosive brand of football” and ability to “push the ball downfield,” led by quarterback Jordan Love. On defense, they have a high turnover rate, and everyone likes to see turnovers. One of the league’s must-see ballhawks, Xavier McKinney finished second in the NFL last season with eight interceptions.

Although it also reflects their frequent trailing state, for what it’s worth, the Packers led the league with 21 fourth-quarter scoring drives, Solak notes. That might not be in their best winning interests, but it does increase the excitement factor for an impartial fan just looking for a tight game to watch late on a Sunday afternoon.