If the goal for 2025 was to compete for a Super Bowl, the season is indeed over.

If the goal was to make the playoffs and possibly win a game before bowing out, then sure the season is not over.

Spin it any way you want, but Packer fans as a group are not all blind homers and they see what the pass rush looks like without Micah (looking at you Gary & LVN) and what the CBs look like even when he is terrorizing the QB.

There is a reason MLF looked like he wanted to cry on Sunday, he knows .

My central point is that the "next man up" philosophy is a valid mantra, rooted in the fact that anyone skilled enough to make an NFL roster is a very good player. I was making this argument in this forum yesterday and getting continuously downvoted, which I expected, as I wanted to offer a different perspective from the masses.

My primary example was using Kinnard:
Some fans were slamming his game as bad.
PFF subsequently rated him as the team's third-best offensive player.
Another player I’ve highlighted is Musgrave, I’ve been impressed with him so far.

This highlights the crucial disconnect: some fans react emotionally to what seems like visible mistakes, while objective analysis, like PFF's play-by-play grading, captures overall consistency. History proves the mantra works; often, the "next man up" performs so well that the injured starter never gets their job back.

Who might be the next man up?….LVN, one of the 700lbs of beef we brought in two weeks ago, Musgrave, Kinnard, Gary, Hobbs, etc…it could be any or all of them. Let’s Go, beat da bears!

There is no way our Super Bowl opportunity is gone! Nobody in the NFL today is hands down dominant and in the NFC nobody scares me. The Rams? No way and now Devonte is out. The Seahawks? No way they still have Sam. The Eagles? Maybe but we almost beat them once and can win if things are cleaner. Even if we become underdogs now because of injuries (remember, we were favorites this week, on the road!). If we can just play a bit cleaner of a game we can beat anybody. It's on the Packers themselves and I suspect this team likes the undog position better than the favorite. The key will be Watson. If he can get back and play, we can win.

I'm with you, Cory.

I'll keep grasping at straws and cheering my team till the end. Sometimes the best thing you can hope is to come out of a game healthy and that's something to cheer for going forward.

Always know we can beat the Bears regardless of the people we put on the field. Still can sweep the division, and that will help them limping into the playoffs.

The goal is to be 1-0 every week. If you're pretty good at that, you've got a shot at winning the whole thing. You're limited every week to doing that with the players and coaches in your locker room. We'll have to see how this team responds to these personnel losses, but if they try to just plug-and-play the next guy, I don't think it goes very well. They need to play a little more on the edge, be aggressive, and force the issue on both sides of the ball.

Again, this defense is now mostly the 2024 defense minus a couple DL. This is where Hafley shows if he's the leader and strategist people seem to think he is...because if he wants to just rush 4 and play coverage, they're going to have to score 30+ every week to make that go. If LaF goes into a cocoon and decides to lean even further into the run game, I don't think that's a winning strategy.

Everything is still in front of the the team. I know that with 3 games left in 2010, no one was touting GB as Super Bowl material, but that team ramped it up, and kicked some serious butt, at the end of the season.

Every game is winnable. You just have to be the better team on game day. No previous performance matters.

Back in August LVN was the going to be the x-factor. If he along with Gary could have a good year the pass rush might have been fixed. We are basically back to that now. LVN was having a great camp and he started the year out looking pretty good as well. The guys left will have to pick up the slack and the group is capable of that.

There's anecdotal evidence available on incidence of people turning into chopped liver in an instant. It's frightening. No one really talks about it, much like the drummers in Spinal Tap. Count your blessings, I guess.

I'm not giving up on the hope of winning the Super Bowl this season.
For players, coaches, and fans, there's only 17 regular season games out of the entire year, and then we hope for a few playoff games.
As those of us who are old-timers know all too well, the seasons pass by quickly -- and suddenly we're too old to play the games we once enjoyed.
In other words, may all of the Packers who are left standing go all in on maxing out this season, and let's see if we can add another trophy to Titletown.
It's a tough challenge, but we still have a lot of talent on this team ready to take the field and enter the fray. At the very least, let's go down fighting. At most, let's get the rings.
With so few opportunities in this fleeting existence of ours, may our Packers seize the day and play it through until the last second of the final game. Enjoy the game of football to the fullest.
It might sound "cheesy" -- but isn't this the key to life for us all?
Even those of us who tend toward the melancholy can try to eke out as much as we can from each day, even if it's in little efforts, humble and hidden.
With the coming of Christmas, all that we do has meaning, all that we strive for matters, nothing that we do goes for naught.
P.S. Kudos to Cory for rallying the troops to give battle at their highest level. The resting can begin on February 9th.

Anything can happen but losing Kraft (one of the best TE) Wyatt (just started making noise) & Parson's(one of the best is gonna be really hard.Watson is dangerous but hurt again.Those are BIG HOLES.Plus 34 pts to a so so offense in Denver?????

The season is far from over. I still have faith in the players, hopefully, they will rally together and play lights out, , Go Pack Go!!!

Did we quit when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??? HELL NO!!!!!!!

The Packers will not make the SB-there are too many pre-Parsons holes in important position groups but they have a good chance in the Division and I want to see them fight.
Parsons was likely signed to camouflage the weak d-backs/dline
The problem is much deeper and will keep the Packers in an 'just good enough' range moving forward.
The O-Line construction was made much worse this season with poor, expensive choices (Banks, Belton, Kinnard) and the transition of likely disgruntled Jenkins to Center and a possible bust in Morgan)
Jordan and Jacobs have to perform with little protection/blocking every game and they are amazingly gracious about it. There are no real solutions due to lack of Cap space and no first round picks. There are so many other needs as well and those players (CB, DL, OL) are expensive.
The DL was anchored by two first round picks who have never lived up to their Draft positions/contract. The GM stubbornly refused to admit his mistake and decided it was the fault of coaching (coach was likely not good but left in place too long)-so, after a new coach was installed, Gary and LVN remain underwhelming. Slaton was let go, so was Clark and their replacements are not performing. Wyatt, is great when he is present but will have been injured more than 50% of this season.

What exhausts me as a fan is the deceitfulness and lack of accountability from the Front Office/"President". There is no real interest in holding Gutekunst accountable for Gary, LVN, Belton, Banks, Morgan, Kinnard, Hobbs. He is the primary reason the DL and OL and CB-room do not function. But I will guarantee you he will be inaugurated GM with full power by Policy after this season because there are more important concerns to these men than the team. Their concerns are keeping their power, their jobs, Titletown. Policy is a protege of Murphy. (who is likely still alive and well in Titletown). 'just make certain GB wins enough games to keep fans in seats and forever hopeful"

Prove me wrong.

If (When) Gutekunst is re-instated, expect more of the same-he loves to 'build rosters'-
The Packers will not change for the better until a person who puts the team first and is more capable is installed and that won't happen till 2030 at the earliest.

Last, but not least, expect the usual hired guns to attack this post and deny, attack, deflect, etc. 'C****d", 'L***n" and 'L***d"

The season isn't over.
But the thoughts of a super-Bowl are.
This clearly is Star - Power vs Depth.
And since Hafley doesn't have enough
stars on his defense.
It's up to MLf to win the division
with whats left of a offense.

And with that.
What really stands out is
the why?
We begged for years to get Clark help.
And we watched defense after defense
fail with Arron Rodgers as the QB.

Regardless the division is the strongest
it's been since 2011.
And we now have to put it on Love's shoulders.
Cory- The RELAX is is Gone.
And are opponents know it.
Losing to the Bears will start the blame game.

Next man up, vs star power.
Is why Gute will never be a super-bowl winner.
And that was never so obvious with
the loss of Parsons.

The season isn't over, neither is the hope, but the probability of this team reaching the SB is because even the wins for this team hasn't and won't scream that they are. They'll end up with a winning record, but SB quality play being seen this season is, and has been, more in the eyes of the blind.

Some of the top contenders have lost games that could allow a Packer fan to believe they're as good, they are not, and the difference is how the other teams play after a loss, and how the Packers continue to be a half-to-half team after a loss or win. They lack sustainability in every game, and no killer instinct to put games to bed, either by lack of talent, or coaching.

This season will end as usual, with over-hyped gusto for where they got to, while ignoring the issues that lead them no further each year.

I hope they can pull it off, but I haven't seen enough to alter my outlook of their ending.

GO PACK GO, regardless of where they get to.

I will agree that the season is still alive, however, I also agree that the Parson's injury (along w Wyatt, even Williams) may be stretching this D to its' breakpoint. Interestingly, this article doesn't mention Gary's name at all....and for good reason. Gary's sack/pressure production over the past 6 weeks has taken a nosedive...even with Parsons was taking on 2-3 blockers at a time. I cannot wrap my head around how he has 0 sacks and 3 QB hits over the past 6 games...YIKES! Sure, he's been a solid run defender but we will need way more than that moving forward. And without Parsons, we'll need more from everyone on the D.....a lot more.

IMO, the savior is Hafley and how he can create pressure. He did his "disguised pressure" magic last year without #1 on our roster, and, unfortunately, he will have to recreate it once again. Walker, Coop, Enagbare, Bullard, Nixon, LVN, McKinney, Williams (even Gary!) all have solid/elite playmaking ability... but nobody can do what #1 can do... so it has to come from Hafley's design. This type of scheme comes with risk, like exposing our CBs...but without the Parsons TNT blowing up every down......we don't really have another option....we'll see how this D can roll without Parsons on Saturday night....but it's gonna take Hafley's creative mind and the entire D firing on every cylinder to keep this team competitive....I'm gonna remain hopeful that they can.....

Week to week

Week to week

Is the NFL

Let’s see what Cooper and the men can do the rest of the way.

Let’s see what Hafley comes up with.

24-23 Packers win Saturday night

One play at a time. One quarter at a time.

Comes down to how bad you want it

We won games without Watson. Then won games without Kraft and will win games without Parsons.

It’s just time to get your juices flowing for play off football.

In order to win, the Packers need to control the LOS. I don’t think they can.

I think it's fair to state that the Packers SB chances has now shifted from a viable belief to a tenuous hope. Once again - the race to the SB has proven to be a demolition derby. While the Packers remain in the competition - they have been critically weakened. So not the necessary physical and emotional state to run the gauntlet of top tier teams. It is still possible that they can ultimately prevail. But not probable.

But what I really like is, despite all that, they have gotten off the mat. They keep responding.
Losing Kraft meant the offense needed to adjust to other good receivers. Losing Wyatt meant other players needed to step up and that really hasn't happened. Losing Parsons is a knockout punch and the defense won't get up and respond. The underachieving Gary and Van Ness will not prove to be defensive saviors. I'll be pleasantly surprised if the Packers win another game this season. The Packers are in a horse race with donkeys.

Winning teams have a minimum number of household-name stars—or at least players instantly recognizable to NFL fans. The 2010 Packers had Rodgers, Jordy, Clay, Woodson, Collins, Driver, Jenkins. You can do this for every Super Bowl winner. Great teams have great players. This isn’t complicated.

Now do the same exercise with the current Packers. Parsons, Kraft, Tom, Watson, Wyatt… except they’re not on the field. So who’s left? Who are the stars who are supposed to carry this team to a Super Bowl?

Love? Maybe. Fine. Cooper? Yes—he’s a real star and a potential Pro Bowler. McKinney? Absolutely. Jacobs? Yes, a great player, though he’s clearly grinding through injury.

After that? Reed, Doubs, Wicks, Golden—four maybes. Talented, promising, useful. But not one of them is scaring defensive coordinators or getting drafted early in fantasy leagues.

And that’s it. I’m out of names. No corners. No dominant defensive linemen. No offensive linemen who look remotely close to elite.

Sure, someone could break out. Cox, LVN—hope springs eternal. Maybe one of the receivers takes off the way Wicks briefly did. But as of today, this team has three stars: Cooper, Jacobs, and McKinney.

Great coaching could still make it work.
Never mind.

IMO, Hafley has to find a way to bring pressure the rest of the way. Use Cooper and Quay on disguised and/or delayed blitzes up the middle while the DB's look to jump the shortest routes because of the pressure. Can't wait on an opposing QB to make an errant throw. Without Parsons, Cooper is probably the next biggest playmaker. That means not playing CBs more than 5 yds off. Maybe exploited if the opposing QB recognizes it, but I have my doubts the next three teams will with regularity. Also, he needs to bring at least one or two disguised corner blitzes. If he, or by directive from MLF, continues to bring only the front 4, then we will know the fear factor rules this team. Fear, again IMO, wrecks a team's attitude and aggressiveness. It's a big part of what gets teams beat come playoffs. These coaches have got to play outside of their comfort zones and push these players to do the same. This is what builds a winning character.

On offense, MLF needs to focus on moving the chains. Not by unproductive WR Jet Sweeps at inopportune times that even fans can smell out. Not by heaving down field on 3rd and mid to short. Flip the script. Everyone is expecting the Packers to run, run, so don't. Trust Love. Trust the receivers. Run them on crossers and slants. Use their above average quickness and speed. I've yet to see this with regularity. What in the holy heck did you draft Golden for? Use two TE sets that looks like an obvious run and leak Musgrave out. He's improving. Use him. Long developing plays have got to be canned until the OL can prove their protection. Right now, this OL is not up to the task.

Can they do this? Yes, the talent is there. The coaches just have to give them opportunity and trust they deserve.

First we have to get to the dance - and that is NOT going to be easy. Chicago - Baltimore and at Minnie . We might need to get at least one win unless Carolina loses one of the next 3 and Detroit loses 2 of the next 3 and then we are automatically in. So it might all come down to the Minnie game in all likelihood - I am not really happy with our offense since we lost Kraft. Our tightends just do not break any tackles at first contact. I think that even if Watson plays - he will not be as effective with him being banged up. And while our defence might hold up somewhat - without pressure our Dbacks will be exposed. My hopes is that we make it to the dance so that we can get our new guys to experience it once again. And if things dont work out well - I believe when we get Kraft and Parsons back that we will have a strong team next season even without a first rounder. Now that all can change if Love plays out of his mind - but I dont think that that will happen because he is in Love with the bomb. We will probably lose Hafley to the Jets.

When Hafley leaves-this team will struggle

They are going to have to weaponize Cooper. Move him around , shoot gaps , whatever.
Activate Cox and Oliver if they are ready to go. Fresh legs can count for a lot at this point in the season.
Oliver may only be a situational pass rusher at this point in time, but he brings something they currently don't have. Watch some film from his time in college. May be exactly what's needed.

Letz find Peanut Tillman before the game and force him to teach us how to punch the football out (when other teammates have stopped the opposition).

WWLD? He would have his team ready no matter the record. Pride goes along way and hopefully lasts longer than a paycheck.

WWPBD? Be in the moment. Stare at my Farrah Fawcett poster and pray. These are the moments we got. Letz enjoy them unfold. No angst, just pride and gratitude.

PB and J

***Holy shat!!! I had a THC drink and started staring at Farrah. I think it was around the 45 minute mark when she mouthed, "come here you sexy mofo"!!! I aint kidding...I've been waiting for this for a looooong time. I mean, I kinda thought she had eyes for me, but I wasn't completely sold. Hell yeah!

Look.
Beat da Bears Saturday.
The rest is just palaver.
The Szotman

What happened to Cow? this seems like a perfect time for cow to chime in.