Just like that, the NFL regular season is over. Scott Hanson signed off for the final time on RedZone. The glorious hot ham and rolls on Sundays begin to fade away. And yes, spending more time with the family will soon begin.
The Green Bay Packers are heading to the playoffs for a third straight season as the No. 7 seed with Jordan Love, starting things off with Green Bay vs. Chicago — for the third time this season — and only the third time ever in postseason play.
Saturday’s the ultimate rubber match, with the teams splitting both the regular-season series and all-time playoff history.
Contrary to the title, few things matter more than the Packers beating the Bears. After Chicago’s endless offseason hype, nothing would taste sweeter for Green Bay than storming Soldier Field and winning, whether by 100 or by 1.
But if they can’t come through, does that mean it’s time for Green Bay to look themselves in the mirror a little harder than a normal first-round exit playoff team otherwise would?
The Game
The Packers last win? Week 14 versus the Bears. The Bears last win? Week 16 versus the Packers.
With the rivalry renewed, this Wild Card game will be a bloodbath, but how much blood will the Green and Gold be able to endure?
After the injuries ravaging the Packers’ depth chart on both sides of the ball this season, it’s hard to see a clear path to victory. Who is going to be available to stop Kyle Monangai? Who will be able to put pressure on Caleb Williams? Zach Tom will be back, but will the O-line be able to keep Love alive? Which player is going to screw up on special teams to cost the game? The injury report looks better going into postseason play, but there are way too many hard-hitting questions that are unanswerable.
For the Bears? Lady Luck or someone else…
Luck (and the Pope) has been on the Bears’ side throughout the entirety of the season. Behind only the 8-9 Carolina Panthers, the Bears have the NFC’s second worst point differential at +26 — third worst among all playoff teams.
“Quality wins” against the Raiders, Saints, Commanders, Giants, Bengals, and Vikings that were decided by a combined 25 points. This game is still very winnable for the Packers.
The Future
Recent reports from Adam Schefter suggest a shifted narrative: Matt LaFleur remains Green Bay’s guy win or lose Saturday.
That’s the safe play. Sticking with a coach who’s missed the playoffs just once, resurrecting a 2023 roster to make a playoff run, was unbelievable. But its been over 5000 days since Titletown was Titletown.
Just this summer, reports were that Ed Policy wasn’t going to extend LaFleur or GM Brian Gutekunst. If Policy skipped extensions in June, it’s hard to imagine a 9-7-1 finish dramatically shifting that view.
That being said, with the playoff matchup against the Bears looming, Packers fans are in a somewhat win-win scenario.
A Packers win would be magnificent because it’s the Bears, but this team isn’t built for a title. Advancing would offer only slim odds in the Divisional Round against what would be the No. 1 seed Seahawks, let alone the NFC Championship or Super Bowl.
A win almost guarantees LaFleur being extended and perhaps the charity No. 7 seed next season?
Nothing will sting more than losing to the Bears, especially in the playoffs. But a loss should force the end of the LaFleur era and Titletown’s future would shine a lot brighter than the pain of defeat.
Time and time again, LaFleur has proved he isn’t made for the big stage — let alone VERY winnable regular-season games…OR 4th-and-1’s!
He will be a waste to Love’s future, to the Micah Parsons signing, and presumably the rest of Josh Jacobs‘ career.
If Policy held off on an extension last summer, a playoff loss to the enemy and three straight years of doing nothing more than just getting in the postseason needs to be the final nail — an undeniable justification to move on.
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