If you're expecting me to spend this space talking about Brett Favre, I politely refuse. The last thing that is worth talking about after the Packers rout of the Colts is their former quarterback's phone friends. The Packers made the Colts look like a bad team. Tony Dungy called it the sloppiest effort of his team since he took over in Indianapolis. The Packers relished seeing Peyton Manning get frustrated as the game went on. If you had told me before the season that the Packers would be 4-3 at the bye, I certainly would have taken it. They didn't get there the way I would have expected, but that doesn't matter. I wouldn't have predicted a loss to Atlanta. But I also wouldn't have thought the Seahawks would get so bad and that the Packers would beat the Colts. Convincingly, at that.

Aaron Rodgers has exceeded my expectations. He has been smart, poised and tough enough to play through a painful shoulder injury. Greg Jennings has become a star. The offensive line and Ryan Grant are just starting to mesh. The defense is not perfect, but you have to salute what they've done in the secondary despite significant injuries to Al Harris and Atari Bigby. If Charles Woodson isn't in the Pro Bowl, why even play the fgame? Special teams have been up-and-down but should benefit from a healthier roster.

Certainly, the Packers have flaws. In case you haven't noticed, so does everyone else in the NFC--and the NFL. The schedule is challenging the rest of the way. But the Packers are tied for the division lead and show flashes of being a very good team. That's more important to me than who Brett Favre is talking to on the phone.