"Love has been nothing short of spectacular in the second half of the season, playing at an All Pro level. We’re talking 20 total touchdowns and a single interception in the last eight weeks. By any measure he has been at minimum a top five quarterback in that span, and probably better than that."

"And probably better than that".... NO Tim, most DEFINITELY better than that. When you consider both of Loves Tackles are in year two. The RG position has been a in flux ever since they FINALLY decided to start working Sean Ryhan into games at RG and earning more and more snaps each week. And even though he's been playing better, Josh Meyers is still a liability IMO. I've watched him look like he was on roller skates too many times.

We also HAVE to consider who Love has been throwing the ball to. I mean common man, these guys are ROOKIES. This ISN'T supposed to happen. The two guys who were supposed to be the calming force in the WR room have either been hurt (Watson) or getting passed up (Doubs) by the promising rookies on this club. Then there's my boy Tucker...I love me some Tucker and I really like Luke Musgrave. I mean common...What a fucking draft HAUL by Gute.

Yes, it's all gravy from this point on. Maybe they pull out a victory or maybe the Cowboys play like they have all season at home and run Joe Barry's defense out of town. EITHER way it doesn't really matter because I've went from will the Packers have a top 5 pick in this upcoming draft, to hardly being able to wait for September 2024.

GO PACK GO!

Coincidentally, I had a delicious Raised Grain Imperial Belgian Stout, “Black Walnut,” last night.

A few things rattling around in my head:
Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker are both under 25, extremely athletic, and playing extremely well. Sean Rhyan is 23. Josh Myers is 26. Elgton Jenkins is the only one (28) who is older than Jordan Love.

Once we get past the injuries, this roster is loaded with young talent at every starting position except safety, and arguably maybe, Campbell at ILB and RB.

I want to highlight that Love is doing great, but he is being helpful tremendously by a group of receivers who are holding on to the ball. During the bad stretch, there were a lot of dropped passes. That changed when they started aggressively catching, and the improvement of the offense happened.

"I’m fully willing to admit some homerism is probably causing bias here on my part, but that’s what I’m going to predict, and I’m going to stick with it."

Homerism is okay Tim...Especially when it's a pretty damn decent possibility of the Packers beating the Cowboys. The Cowboys defense hasn't been nearly as good as it was at the start of the year, and the Packers offense, WITH Aaron Jones involved like he has been has turned the Packers into one of the BEST offenses in the NFL these last 9 weeks or so.

WHY NOT GB???

Again, like some others have said, just enjoy the ride for the time being.

I did not figure the Packers would get into the playoffs. It was enough for me if the Packers simply improved from week to week. And, mainly, it was seeing if Love would get better.

I pretty much liked Love the first year he was drafted. I liked his quietness, mostly, the silent steady way he went about learning his craft. He kept his mouth shut. Whether or not Love is the franchise quarterback for the future, I do not know.

The game against Dallas should be a great test for the Packers and Love. Will they get their asses whipped? Or will it be a close game?

Any given Sunday.

Control the LOS on O and run the ball at will.

Survive on D and make all the Kicks and we can do this.

Tim, that sounded like an incredible experience in the box. I would probably want to be in the bowl too, because I'd probably get kicked out before the 2nd quarter for spilling beer and swearing.

What a season, so far. Man, I love this current roster of players on the field. So nice to see teamwork and accountability without the arrogance.

Thank you front office for putting down the shovel and letting this season play out...

Like a couple have stated, I am proud of these guys and fortunate to be a fan of the GREEN BAY PACKERS. (Hell, owner too :). I did a great job 😁

GPG,

Pantz in the Dance

Hard to picture the Packers blowing them out, but any other outcome seems quite possible.

Our defense is near the bottom of the league in DVOA but 10th in points allowed, which is the most important statistic. Are they that good? No. They've allowed a lot of yards and have not gotten many turnovers. But they are not terrible, and they are capable of turning in a good performance in this game.

It is sweet to exceed expectations and see the promise that this QB and team has. Spent a lot of years were Dallas owned us and outside our division they were the team to beat. When we finally turned the tables on them there was no better victory than beating the Cowboy especially when Jerry World went up. They have a good team with enough horsepower and experience to be favourites but we keep showing a grit that is beyond our years. If we survive the initial attack we should be able to go toe-to-toe. Either way, I will be happy with a hard fought game where it goes to the wire.

Go Packers

"The Packers finished the year ranked sixth (!) by DVOA on offense (near the bottom of the league on defense and special teams), and that’s INCLUDING that rough October stretch. This became one of the most efficient offenses in football."

This is exactly why I don't see Barry coming back no matter what happens. The Defense was supposed to carry the team until the offense learned. That didn't happen. And not only that, but then they lose to the Giants and make Divito the offensive player of the week. And then they go against Tampa and Mayfield has his best game of his career. And the next week they give up 30 points and have to come back to win the game up by 2 TD's. The really sad part is the Packers gave up almost as many points to the Panthers as the Panthers scored in weeks 13, 14, 15, 17 & 18 combined. They scored 33 total points in all those games, where the Packers gave up 30 to them.
And while we did look better against the VIkings and Bears, lets not forget that we played against Jaran Hall and Justin FIelds. The style of play was way better, but that part of it can't be overlooked.

"If the Packers can get Christian Watson and Luke Musgrave back on the field, that will only add to the bevy of pass catching options the team has available.
Then you’ve got outstanding offensive line performances by Zach Tom (6th rated offensive tackle in football this season) and Rasheed Walker (who came on TREMENDOUSLY in the second half of the season) that give the team something to build on moving forward.
But by far the two most important people for the team’s offensive performance in the second half of the season: running back Aaron Jones, and quarterback Jordan Love."

The part that I like the most is that we are not relying on 1-2 people. The offense is different with Jones. No question. But in the passing game whoever is open gets the ball. That is one of the best things I have seen this year, especially down the stretch. And for the most part those players are making the plays. I can't wait to see how these players develop. Watson, Doubs and Melton all will be entering year 3. Reed, Wicks, Heath, DuBose, Musgrave, Kraft, Sims will be entering year 2. They say the biggest differences players make are between years 1-2 and 2-3. Also Love having a year of experience under his belt should make him better.

We have to give a lot of credit to the OL though. They have really settled in. Walker has honestly made it possibly that we don't take an OT in the first round. Most of the year, we said they had to get one. Now its more. take the best player available. And I believe our OL play has really made the passing game better because Love has felt very comfortable.

If Dallas' Hankins is out or ineffective, that will help the GB offense tremendously. The Dallas D is way less effective against the run when he is not playing. Get a running game going and protect Love from the pass rush long enough to throw down field and the Packers have a punchers chance to pull off the upset. Dallas' run game isn't what it used to be, but GB cannot let Pollard find a groove or it'll be a long day for the Pack.

This game may come down to turnovers, and who makes the fewest mistakes. Just going to watch this game knowing the future is bright, much like the 2010 playoffs.

Beaches over the Mountains? SMH

Thanks for another good article Tim. Like our team currently, it's upbeat and emphasizes that the glass is half full - no matter how you look at it.

I think your take on Love- and his willingness to throw to whoever the player might be - is such a refreshing change from the antics we endured with AR12. Rodgers became all about Rodgers first. And IMHO, team second. It's so nice not to see Rodgers' eye rolling after a bad play. Love seems to never get too low or too high regardless of the circumstance. I am sure the team likes that as well.

I also agree that the Oline is coming together. Playing more of Tom and Rhyan has certainly helped. A draft with a mean, stud center certain couldn't hurt either.

Lastly, LaFleur has convinced me that he has not lost his offensive touch. While some will argue it has a lot to do with Love, I also believe it has to do with him evaluating the strengths of his young players far better than in the past. But, as strong as his offensive coaching is, his overall command of both the defense and STs needs far more growth on his part. It's likely why he isn't in the COTY discussions? Right now, he's still a one trick pony. I want to believe he can be more.

So, with a 9-8 record and in the playoffs, yes, the glass is certainly half full. What a nice change fom last season! GPG

It took a little longer for the Black Monday theme to develop this season, but there are a lot of credible coaches out there who could be targets as the Packers' next DC. I've said for awhile that LaF will need to let Barry walk as his contract expires no matter how the defense performs on Sunday (or beyond). Ejiro Evero--my personal favorite--has been blocked by Carolina for parallel moves and he'll be on the HC radar for several teams. The Packers would have to offer him a promotion to interview him (DC and Asst. HC?). Right now, Rich Bisaccia is in that Asst. HC spot. To be frank, an early (WC or Div round) playoff exit would get the Packers access to many of those top guys before other teams hire an HC and start assembling staffs...so there might well be benefits either way for this team.

Around the NFCN
I think the Lions drew a bad matchup in this WC round game. Even though they get to play at home, they've drawn a team well-suited to attack their weak secondary all day. The Rams have been a hot football team since Stafford came back. Statistically these two teams are pretty even. I think the loss of LaPorta will take the wind out of Detroit's O--they'll have to rely on the run game more. I think the Lions lose.

The Bears are a mess. When an HC dismisses all his assistants on one side of the ball, it tells you he's likely on the knife edge himself. The Bears will have to make a decision on whether to keep Fields before he's ever played a game with the next OC. They'll have to decide how to invest that draft capital fully knowing that they might clean house and many of their players might be lousy fits for the next staff and scheme. They also might hit the jackpot. Still, the Bears have been mostly bad for the last 30 years for a reason: they make bad decisions.

The Vikings have been punting their rebuild down the line for a couple years, trying to hold that defense together just a little longer, trying to put just a couple more pieces around Cousins, hoping that OL will play just a little above their pay grade. O'Connell's body language the last couple games told you all you needed to know--without a quality QB, he's out of tricks.

Maybe I'm grasping at straws looking for reasons to pick the Packers, but this still feels like a bad matchup for GB and I'm worried it will get out of hand early if the Packers don't start quickly and Dallas can get up by a score or two. Playoff games often come down to mistakes. Both teams are among the most penalized in the league, so I see that as a wash, but this Packers defense doesn't force a lot of TOs (Dallas is +10 overall)...that's gotta change if they want to win and it doesn't play in GB's favor.

Doughboys' record against the 2023 playoff field: 3-4
...strength of schedule: 0.446 (29th)
...strength of victory: 0.392 (25th tie)
...record in one possession (<8 pt) games: 3-2
Packers' record against the 2023 playoff field: 4-3
...strength of schedule: 0.474 (26th tie)
...strength of victory: 0.458 (17th)
...record in one possession games: 6-5
Yes, teams with good records can't play or beat themselves, so they naturally tend to lose ground in SOS and SOV in divisional games, but I'm starting to think that maybe this matchup is much closer than it looked originally. Yes, Dallas has scored a crap-ton more points than the Packers this season (and has surrendered fewer), but that was mostly in burying the bad teams on their schedule. They play well at home, but haven't played a lot of one-possession games.

In all, Packers need to control the ball, force a couple TOs, and turn possessions in to 7s (not 3s or punts). The realist in me still sees a 2-score loss:
Dallas 37, GB 23
I'll enjoy this game on Sunday, no matter the outcome, as a victory lap for a team that's come a long way.

Other games...
Texans over Browns
Chiefs over 'phins
Bills over Steelers
Rams over Lions
Eagles over Bucs

Tim:
I'm glad the Packers are in the playoffs for several reasons, not the least of which is I get read your informative/entertaining piece for another week (any good nut brown ales back there?). What I was hoping to see this season was the "real" MLF offensive, not the "hold-the-ball-until-my-favorite-receiver-is-open offense served up last year by Rodgers. It took awhile, but the offense delivered. Packers beat the Vikings and Bears in "must win" games; my season is complete!

The better Jordan Love plays.
The better for the Defense.
It's been 1 game at a time for this team.
The biggest mistake was expecting
the Defense to stay on the field.
They can't. No defense can.

Of Course it's LOVE.
For him to continue to play better.
It took everyone to help him.
And in turn; he's helped everyone.
To stop now would be a dagger in to many hearts.

What has gotten the Cowboys to the playoffs the last two seasons has been their hire of Dan Quinn to run the Defense.

McCarthy has his best DC in his head coaching career. Ironically, Quinn could be the top candidate for Jerry Jones to replace MM if the Dallas Offense falters again in the playoffs. Quinn will be highly sought as HC after the season...and Quinn will be able to be selective.

Not only is Jones looking over McCarthy's shoulder...Quinn may be look over the other one.

Hasn't Pollard been banged up alot again this year? Did he do much in the Washington win? Either way, Jones has been playing much better the last 3 weeks. I hope we can resign him to a lower dollar contract this offseason. He is a real weapon and an even better human being.

Having a healthy A. Jones playing against Dallas is such a plus. Jones just dominates that team! His "wave" going past the defender for the touchdown is still one of my favorite Packer moments (even though he was lucky to not get draw a penalty for it. At least I don't think he was penalized.) I hate Dallas more than any other team and would love to have Jerry crying up in his booth. Probably going to be way to close a game for that, but, then again, why not? Hey, Tim, I think you need to correct this sentence, "Sweat, relatively light, low alcohol, easy to drink, goes down smooth." I assume you meant to say the beer was "Sweet" unless some of that "mare's sweat" from the movie 'A funny thing happened on the way to the forum' was in the beer formula, lol.

An important positive the team in making the playoffs is simply gaining the experience of making the playoffs and playing a playoff game. They now know what it takes to finish the season strong, and they know they can do it. This week they'll learn how to prepare, how to face to hype, and how to ignore the hype and focus on the win-or-go-home stakes.

It's all positive for the team now. They should play loose and really give them a game. With a good showing they return next season with the "we're nobody's underdog" mentality.

And THIS or THAT... how about Adam Schefter or a kick in the shin?

For me, a bruise heals.

We went from The Gunslinger, to The Bad Man and now we are on the verge of the era of The Ice Man.

Many years ago, an old coach said that the team that does the best job of protecting their QB usually wins and I think that’s going to be the case Sunday. A turnover or two could really swing the balance. Love, if he’s protected, is going to protect the ball

Both teams can really pressure the passer. Lots of potential for takeaway. Is our starting secondary going to be Savage, Owens, Alexander, Stokes, and Nixon.? That would be 4 guys who’ve been here for years, and a pretty good 6 man front. Bottom line is we’re going to need points because they’re likely to get to 30.

Protect Love and score points and maybe the 4th quarter will be interesting,

Nice opening Tim as a recap of the season, but to say it is all "gravy" from here is to not get "it."
Put the "it" in the "gravy" so as not to miss the "grav-it-y" of the situation.
In other words, if the Packers take it easy on Sunday against the Cowboys, it would be a tragedy in terms of sports.
If they don't play hard and smart from the kickoff to the last second, it will be something they regret as individuals and as a team all of their lives.
Let's win this game, guys, or at least give it your all trying.
***
The Jaguars finished last season with a 5-1 surge, and then upset the Chargers in the first round of the playoffs with a monumental comeback.
This season, they started out 8-3, but then inexplicably collapsed to finish at 9-8 and out of the playoffs.
That's how fast things can go south for a team (or a player) if the edge is lost.
There are no guarantees for tomorrow. Football careers are sadly short and go by fast. Playoff opportunities don't come around automatically every year.
Max out every game, and every season.
***
A milk stout sounds great for sipping during a winter football game -- dark and substantial and creamy -- a little like hot chocolate but of course slightly cooled, with a little kick from the alcohol to put a little heat back in it.
A little can add up to make a lot.
I'm not confident of finding one in Georgia north of Atlanta, but it still sounds good. Maybe I'll check out the local liquor store that opened up fairly recently, which my wife says has a good selection of craft beers.

This will be a big test for Love. Dallas has a really good DC and we don't. Alexander was a big key to us beating Chicago and I would feel much better if he was healthy to take away Lamb. We can't waste scoring opportunities if we want to beat Dallas. That means scoring TDs when we have the chance. We also need our kicker to step up by not missing any kicks. That means no SHORT kickoffs that give the Cowboys better field position, and obviously no missed extra points or makeable FGs.

What a boost for next year it would be for this young Packer team to beat or even scare the Cowboys Sunday. Young players in pro sports tend to not be scared of playing against perceived better players. I hope thats us. GO PACK GO!!!!!!!!!!!