The Green Bay Packers had one of the quietest off-seasons ever for a Super Bowl champion.
Because of the lockout, the Packers didn't even get a chance to visit President Obama at the White House until Friday, the day before their pre-season game against the Browns.
When the lockout initially ended and teams started signing players, the national media focused the bulk of their attention on the team's that made the biggest moves, namely the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots.
Meanwhile, the humble little Super Bowl champions from Green Bay quietly worked away to get the team ready for the regular season.
Saturday night in Cleveland, the Packers began a journey that they hope will end with a trip to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI.
After going three-and-out on their first offensive series, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers came to life and put on a display reminiscent of last year's offensive fireworks.
Doing a nice job of calling some running plays for James Starks, Rodgers easily marched the Packers down the field on a seven-play, 73-yard drive. Working out of a no huddle, Rodgers looked unstoppable as he hit Donald Driver on a 31-yard pass, then hit Greg Jennings with a 21-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown throw to Jennings was vintage Rodgers, a back shoulder laser beam that Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown had no chance of defending.
Although he only took part in two offensive series, Rodgers was generally pleased with the way the first-team Packers offence operated. "I played about 12 plays, it was about normal. I was disappointed in the first drive but the second drive felt good. Felt like we kind of picked up were we left off."
It's no secret that if you can't get consistent pressure on Rodgers, it will be next to impossible to stop this Packers offence.
Where teams like the Eagles making headlines after their off-season free agent signings and trades, the Packers are all too happy to go about their business in Northern Wisconsin.
The Packers' Super Bowl MVP quarterback has no problem with the all the media hype the Eagles are receiving. "I think we all enjoy it. We're coming off a Super Bowl season and a lot of people are talking about other teams, and that's fine with us. We just go about our work. It starts from the top down; you know we have very humble roots in this organization. So we don't desire a lot of attention and we are going to be ready to play once the season starts" said Rodgers.
Guard Josh Sitton added that there's a simple reason why the Packers don't care what the media is saying about the Eagles and other teams in the NFL. "I believe Aaron (Rodgers) is the best quarterback in the league. It is a nice commodity to have him as our quarterback."
The Packers are not scheduled to face the Eagles during the regular season. So if the Eagles are going to stop the Packers attempt at repeating as Super Bowl champions, it will have to wait until the post-season.
There's another reason why the Packers are quietly confident as they get ready for the regular season. Virtually the same group of players that beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV are back to take another run at the coveted "Championship Belt."
It goes without saying that Lambeau Field will be a madhouse Thursday, September 9th when the Packers officially kick off the 2011 regular season against one of the top teams in the NFC, the New Orleans Saints.
With the legions of Cheeseheads all across North America still basking in the glow of last year's Super Bowl win, the Packers players and coaches are only concerned about doing whatever it takes to get back there this year.
Considering the team they have this year and their starting quarterback, I like their chances.
