5 Biggest Takeaways from Packers' Early-Season Dominance

The Green Bay Packers look like one of the top three teams in the NFL through two weeks. 

Aaron Rodgers has almost casually completed 67.6 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions while picking up two wins in the NFC North. One was a 43-34 thumping of the Minnesota Vikings on the road to start the year; the other was a dismissal of the Detroit Lions at home, 42-21. 

Rodgers and Co. continue to fire on all cylinders, whether it's a versatile offense or a strong pass rush that has already helped drum up a plus-30 point differential as the Packers head into a critical Week 3 date with the New Orleans Saints. 

It's early, but the lack of a preseason clearly hasn't hurt Rodgers—or really any aspect of Packers football.

Coming out of the opening two games, we have a number of top takeaways to paint a picture of the NFC North leaders, and they include season-long implications worth considering. 

Aaron Jones might just be the top running back in the NFL. 

Jones has rushed the ball all of 34 times over two games, yet he's put up 234 yards and three touchdowns on a 6.9 yards-per-carry average. As a result, the Packers lead the NFL in rushing with 417 yards, and they also sit at No. 1 in yards per attempt (6.2). 

It somehow gets more impressive, too. According to Pro Football Focus, 116 of Jones' 168 rushing yards in Week 2 came after contact. 

That performance against the Lions was a good example of how the short passing game can emulate the running game when necessary, too. Jones also happened to lead the Packers in receiving with four catches for 68 yards and a score. 

Is Jones as effective without Aaron Rodgers and the passing attack? Maybe not, but the symbiotic nature of the explosive approach has the Packers looking like a Super Bowl contender. 

Most everything looks good for the Packers defense right now. 

The unit only let up 382 total yards to Minnesota in Week 1. Without Kenny Clark, who was nursing a groin injury, it then gave up just 307 against Detroit while hitting home on Matthew Stafford for four sacks. 

Along the way, Jaire Alexander has looked transcendent at corner (one interception), and Rashan Gary has seemingly started to turn a corner on the defensive line (1.5 sacks). 

Then there's safety. 

The position seemed like it would stabilize in 2020 as Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage both entered Year 2 with the team. Instead, missed tackles and poor play helped both guys produce PFF grades below 50.

That doesn't mean the Packers should throw in the proverbial towel on one or both, but it's one of those weaknesses opponents will start to recognize and target if it doesn't get cleaned up in some fashion. 

"Aaron Rodgers is elite" shouldn't be a controversial statement, yet one would've thought it was before the season after the organization used a first-round pick on his potential successor, Jordan Love. 

Motivated by the move or not, Rodgers has been on an absolute tear. In Week 1, he diced up Mike Zimmer's Vikings defense to the tune of 364 yards and four touchdowns. Back in the comforts of home in Week 2, he put up another 240 yards and two touchdowns. 

There aren't many applicable words to describe what Rodgers has done to this point, though it's important to note PFF says he's one of just two passers yet to produce a turnover-worthy play. 

Oh, and we can also point out that head coach Matt LaFleur credited his offense's weapons with six drops on the 18-of-30 line Rodgers had against the Lions. 

It sure feels like the Rodgers show is just getting started. 

There's isn't much to debate in the NFC North these days. 

Simply put, the Packers run it. Or to be more specific, Matt LaFleur does. 

LaFleur, after all, is now 8-0 against the NFC North. He's 16-4 over his first 20 games as a head coach, including last year's 1-1 mark in the playoffs, but one could argue his record against his own division is even more important. 

Of course, LaFleur has yet to encounter the 2-0 Chicago Bears, and both Minnesota and Detroit will get another crack at him. But given the way his offense has come out firing and how everyone seems to have progressed under his approach early in Year 2, it isn't unreasonable to think his Packers could flirt with an undefeated mark in the division this year. 

Not to dampen the impact of what the Packers have accomplished so far, but Rodgers and Co. haven't seen much yet. 

Not that going to Minnesota and getting a win or silencing doubters who thought Stafford's return would make the Lions more competitive isn't impressive. But viewed through a different lens, the Packers have merely beaten up on a pair of 0-2 teams, with Minnesota notably also getting blown out by the 1-1 Indianapolis Colts. 

We'll know quite a bit more about these Packers before November.

Week 3 is a road trip to play the New Orleans Saints. After a Week 5 bye, Rodgers hits the road to duel Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Right after that is a trip to spar with Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. The rematch with Detroit happens on the road in Week 14, a playoff contender in the Tennessee Titans is the Week 16 opponent, and the regular season ends in Chicago. 

Granted, the first two games of the year functioning as pseudo-preseason games sure doesn't hurt, and neither does having a serious leg up on the NFC North. But fans will have to wait and see how LaFleur's game plans and Rodgers' revenge tour function under greater stress.