Today’s word of the day: aberration.

It means a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected. Usually, its connotation is negative.

In a sentence, it might be sound like this: For the first time since 2008, the Packers didn’t make the playoffs, an aberration under Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers.

Speaking of which, Rodgers, talking to Packers.com’s Mike Spofford at the NFL Honors ceremony last night, said Packers fans shouldn’t hamper expectations next year.

“Don’t get used to not watching the team in January because it’s not going to be like that after this little aberration,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers spoke – as he always does – in a calculated, measured tone, but he ultimately sounded confident and optimistic about the next season.

The last time Rodgers missed significant time with a collarbone injury, he won the MVP the following season. He stopped short of guaranteeing an MVP in 2018, but it’s still entirely within his agenda.

“I plan on (winning the MVP again),” Rodgers said, saying there is no need to make guarantees. “I’m just telling you, I plan on doing that again.”

To get the team over the hump and into January, or February for that matter, Rodgers said the team will need to improve on both offense and defense.

“I think what it’s going to take is get more consistent in all the phases, we obviously got to play championship defense.”

Rodgers pointed to the final four teams left playing last weekend. Three of the four are ranked in the top-four defensively. Defense is an area where the Packers will need to improve if they want to get back to the Super Bowl.

As a goal, it probably feels more far-reaching than it actually is. Rodgers is worth, alone, at least 10 wins on this team. Getting him back and healthy, which he says he is, will go along way.

The year-over-year turnover over can always cloud expectations, but it’s something Rodgers feels can be good.

“Change is part of our business,” Rodgers said. “The only constant you can count on in this game is that it’s going to change every single year. As we’ve seen in the past, change is good for us, a new influx of energy with the defensive staff changes.”

The offense and defense will see new coordination, to which Rodgers believes will inject new life into this team.

“Offensively,” Rodgers said, “we gotta get back to what we’re doing in (2011). Thankfully, the guy who was the offensive coordinator in ’11 is back.”

Under offensive coordinator Joe Philbin in 2011, the Packers offense moved the ball with unbelievable ease, finishing the regular season ranked first in points and third in yards. They could have easily finished first in yards that season, but so many of their games were blow-outs where Rodgers would exit early or the play calling would lean heavily on killing the clock.

Rodgers also squashed any worries on if he’ll be ready for next year, saying he’ll be ready to go when the team meets again in April.

“If I can (play golf), I’m feeling pretty good,” Rodgers said of his time participating in a recent Pro-Am.

Yes, let 2017 be an aberration, not an apparition, forever haunting – or taunting – this team from making another Super Bowl run.