Let’s just say the Green Bay Packers are not streaking into the playoffs as the team nobody wants to face, like last year.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ coaching staff and players will watch the Packers-Bears game, see the special teams miscues, coaching gaffes, and the crowded infirmary ward, and probably say, Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday afternoon.
The Pack will start the week of preparation for the Eagles assuming their big-play wide receiver has suffered a season-ending knee injury and not knowing whether either of their quarterbacks will be 100% healthy for the game.
You couldn’t draw up a more negative, miserable afternoon at Lambeau, starting with the punt return shenanigans that caught the Packers napping, gifting the Chicago Bears the first seven points of the game. There was Jayden Reed‘s fumble, then injuries to Christian Watson and Jordan Love, knocking both out of the game.
Matt LaFleur’s indecision in the game’s final minute gave the Bears a chance to steal a win, and Jeff Hafley’s indefensible decision to play prevent on third-and-long allowed Caleb Williams to play catch with D.J. Moore, setting up Cairo Santos’ game-winning field goal.
Very little of what we saw on Sunday provides hope that this team is peaking as the playoffs begin. Might as well get the few positives out of the way. Josh Jacobs looked great in a limited role and then put on his parka and rested up for next week. The defense mostly played well, allowing only 224 yards and less than four yards per play.
Malik Willis was solid in relief before banging his thumb on a Bears defender’s helmet. Malik Heath’s remarkable catch in the closing moments on third-and-21 gave the Pack a chance to win it with a field goal. Brandon McManus calmly nailed a 55-yarder that should have cemented a 12th-straight win over the Bears.
But LaFleur panicked after Emanuel Wilson lost yardage on third down and didn’t know what to do. By calling timeout, he gave Chicago an extra 50 seconds or so to work with on its final drive. You can argue that Williams and the anemic Bears offense shouldn’t be able to move into field goal range no matter how much time is left, but the Pack’s defense couldn’t shut the door.
The loss didn’t affect Green Bay’s playoff seeding, but it will make for a turbulent week as the team searches for a way to play a clean game in all three phases — something we’ve rarely seen this season.
Now we wait and see how Love’s elbow feels this week. He said he believes he’ll be fine, but will he be able to practice? The passing offense is way out of sync right now, and they could use some time on the practice field this week. The Pack lost their big-play receiver for the playoffs, and the concern now is whether Watson’s 2025 season is in jeopardy. Ironically, he was going to sit out this game. However, they decided to suit him up when Romeo Doubs got sick.
The Packers face the very real possibility that the ‘24 season will begin and end with games against the Eagles, a team that rested its stars on Sunday and should have QB Jalen Hurts back after a concussion knocked him out of the last couple of games. He may be a bit rusty, but Saquon Barkley and that defense won’t be.
You don’t often see a team finish 1-5 in its division and reach the playoffs, but this Packer team went 10-1 against everyone else and will look to make another run as the seventh seed. This year’s squad lacks the late-season mojo of the ’23 team. They have a disjointed passing attack, a defense that needs some key pieces to get healthy quickly, and special teams play that always has us on the edge of our seats.
If the Packers want to go farther than they did last year, they’ll have to win at Philly and Detroit the next two weeks. Anybody taking that bet?
