The Green Bay Packers have wasted no time sending a clear message that 2025 is not a “wait and see” year. If Week 2 is anything to go on, then it’s Super Bowl or bust. With a star quarterback playing mistake-free football and a roster that looks deeper and meaner than it has in years, Green Bay’s 2-0 start has ignited serious championship talk. Thursday night’s prime-time domination of the Washington Commanders didn’t just secure another win. It elevated expectations to the highest possible level.
Packers back up Week 1 statement with TNF demolition
The Packers look every bit like a Super Bowl contender if they keep playing the way they did on Thursday night against the Commanders. After dismantling the Detroit Lions in Week 1, Green Bay backed it up just five days later. They took down a Washington squad that reached the NFC Championship Game earlier this year. The 27-18 victory was a resounding confirmation that the Packers’ early dominance is no fluke. They showed an explosive offense and a defense that operated at a completely different speed than its opponent.
Jordan Love led the charge with 292 passing yards and two touchdowns. He repeatedly found tight end Tucker Kraft, who hauled in six catches for 124 yards and a score. On defense, Micah Parsons’ stat line showed only a half-sack. However, his influence went far beyond the numbers. His relentless disruption helped fuel a four-sack night for Green Bay. Meanwhile, the secondary locked down Washington’s receivers and stifled Jayden Daniels’ ability to extend plays. The result was a performance that looked every bit like the blueprint of a championship team.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss why the Green Bay Packers are in Super Bowl or bust mode after bullying Commanders on TNF.
Parsons leads overwhelming pass rush
Parsons’ arrival has reshaped this Packers defense. Thursday night was the latest evidence. Washington has seen plenty of Parsons from his days in Dallas. The nightmare continued this week. Parsons now has 11 sacks in nine career games against them.
That said, limiting Parsons’ dominance to sack numbers misses the bigger picture. Even on a snap count, he generated holding penalties, disrupted blocking schemes, and created constant havoc in the backfield. The Commanders tried everything. The result? Rashan Gary and Devonte Wyatt picked up a sack apiece, while Edgerrin Cooper, Karl Brooks, and Barryn Sorrell each split sacks.
The pass rush didn’t just produce highlight plays. It erased Washington’s offense. Daniels, known for his mobility, managed only 17 rushing yards. Washington finished with just 51 yards on the ground, making their offense one-dimensional. Daniels’ 4.8 yards per attempt marked the lowest in a full game of his young career.
Love, Kraft spearhead big-play offense
On the other side of the ball, Jordan Love looked every bit the quarterback capable of leading a Super Bowl contender. He connected on eight passes of 15 or more yards, spreading them across five different receivers. Kraft was his favorite target. He made three explosive plays and reminding the league why he’s one of the most versatile tight ends in football. His blend of yards-after-catch ability and downfield separation kept drives alive and demoralized Washington defenders.
Love’s poise and efficiency stood out. He has now gone nine straight starts without throwing an interception. That tied Aaron Rodgers for the second-longest streak by a Packers quarterback since 1950. That stat isn’t just trivia. It's an indicator of winning football. Green Bay is 13-4 in Love’s starts when he avoids interceptions. His ability to protect the football while still pushing it downfield has made this Packers offense both dangerous and dependable.
What makes this even scarier is that Green Bay hasn’t fully clicked yet. The running game has been sluggish, and the passing attack still has stretches of inconsistency. That said, they’ve put up 27 points in each of their first two games against defenses that ranked among the NFL’s best last season.
Beating elite teams, leaving no excuses
Green Bay’s 2-0 record isn’t inflated by soft opponents as well. Recall that the Lions went 15-2 in 2024. The Commanders reached the NFC title game. Combined, those teams went 27-7 last season. The Packers not only beat them—they manhandled them.
Green Bay’s cornerbacks, often considered the weak link, were nearly flawless also. According to Pro Football Focus, Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine combined to allow one catch on 10 targets for a measly seven yards. That’s suffocating coverage, enabled by the relentless pass rush up front.
Parsons summed it up best: “Defense wins championships. J-Love, I think you give us 20 points, we should be able to win that game.”
He may not be wrong.
The only team that can beat the Packers might be the Packers
Matt LaFleur has to be thrilled but also maybe a little wary. His team is not just beating top competition. They are doing so with room to grow. That’s a blessing, but also a challenge. If the Packers can clean up their offensive inefficiencies and stay healthy, there’s no ceiling on this roster.
The danger is complacency. When you dominate two of the NFC’s best to start the season, it’s easy to assume the road to the Super Bowl will be straightforward. However, in the NFL, adversity always comes. Injuries, off nights, and playoff pressure will test Green Bay’s resilience.
Still, the first two weeks have been a thunderous announcement: the Packers are back, and they’re here to conquer. After Thursday night, there’s no way around it: this is a Super Bowl-or-bust season in Green Bay.
