100% agree, you could see Love's poise even during the losses. They weren't losing because he was playing bad (not that he's been perfect).

The o-line has been a huge factor. Getting the run game going while also keeping love in clean passing pockets has been the key to allowing Love to thrive.

Totally agree. During this losing streak and when criticizing Love was starting I was trying to persuade that we can't judge QB who is running for his life and that we will be able to judge him when our O-line will be at least avg.

It's been impressive over the last couple of games how well the offensive line has protected Love with a clean pocket. More please.
At the same time, it's been impressive how well Love has been decisive in getting the ball out of his hands quickly and effectively, and how well he has improvised when he has been under pressure to make plays or limit the damage.
***
It's a good point that Love has been admirably composed and competent throughout this season in all of its ups and downs; while it also seems true, that with a little help from his friends, he has taken his play up a couple of notches or more.
What we have ahead of us is five games of exciting anticipation but also some real apprehension -- which makes for great drama.
Let's hope and pray our players and coaches rise to the occasion -- perhaps motivated by the perspective that such evident opportunities for individual accomplishment and group achievement don't come around all that often in a football career, even during the course of one's life.
To avoid regret in the future, it's an especially apt time to seize the moment with a dedication to excellence each day.

Murf, I agree with your disagreement to this:

"Love looks completely different from the beginning of the season and it’s because he’s taking chances and throwing the ball down the field.”

There's MUCH more going on than that! And especially against KC, that was a complete team win. I think that counts as 60 minutes of effort, from EVERYBODY. MLF schemed it up well, and called some PLAYS. I've never doubted his ability in that regard.

Hopefully he puts in just as much effort this week, preparing for the Giants. If everything goes well including getting #33 back 100% this team should be able to hang 70 points on somebody this season :)

I have to agree with your take of Love’s season. There was far too many mental mistakes and missed assignments and poor route running and when the receiver was in the right spot he was dropping the pass. I will also add that I think the coaching staff was not doing a good job with these players. I think they have taken a huge leap forward and Matt LF is now running the offense and team the way he has wanted to from day one but he was handcuffed by Aaron Rodgers.

I still think Joe Barry needs to be replaced though. With the players he has to put on the field this defense should be a top 5 defense. For some reason he doesn’t play a very aggressive style of defense and I think that he is giving up too much real estate to the other team and making our defense have to stay on the field way too long. Get some more bodies up on the line and take a few chances. Get aggressive and attack.

Sorry, I could go on for a while but I will leave it at that.
Thanks for listening.

Idk about best unit, but maybe most valuable? Meaning... For the $ spent, no team is getting more production than GB out of their receivers

Yeah, I predicted that we lose the last two games but hoped we looked good and kept improving. Now these last 5 games are winnable but I am sure as heck not going to pick them to win any of these games. Why would I want to jinx that??

It would be an interesting deep dive to compare the best WR rooms from this season. In the off-season!

I'm a big fan of all 8 WRs in GB, including on the PS. I'm thinking playing the hot hand might be a good idea and let JL10 improve his connection with individual WRS, but he made completions to what, 5 against KC?

I agree with your comment but 11 wins should be their target. One game at a time and win each one. I am also concerned about the defense. Overall they have done good but when the defense takes the field I have no faith they will stop them.

After nearly 7 seasons of Barry coaching unsuccessful defenses, he is not going to change. MLF will not require him to change. MLF does not get involved much in D or STs.

After the D collapse vs the Falcons when MLF complained "You guys (reporters) saw it! We got gashed (on the ground)! It has to change!"

It hasn't. Over 6 yards per run again on Sunday evening...

I agree Packer_fan. We should play to win and not play not to lose. This is a big difference. If we play more aggressive and then lose, I can accept that but to rush three and their TE is that open. Not acceptable.

Packer Fan,

some people are saying JB deserves flowers. I don't think so. He's a one trick pony. This defense works when you have a lead. It's designed to play with a lead.

That's ONE tool, not even close to what a complete team needs.

"they are 18th in offense, but the offense is improving,"

This is 100% true. In fact in the last 3 games they are 9th in scoring.
And the Packers just put more points on the Chiefs then anyone else this season (see my post for more stats and rankings). The Chiefs defense ranks 3rd in points per game.

"Correction: It's not the final two games that will be the toughest..."

I'd go further to say that the NEXT game on the schedule is always the toughest. Can't be looking past it.

It's one thing to bring your A-game against the Lions or Kansas City. Can these guys bring their A-game against a really bad Giants team? ...you know, the one that pushed them around and stole a win last year from the Packers?

Greg,

top 10 defense, finally! But that's what, only by one metric?

"Or will it lead to exhaustion and detriment
of the team?"

I don't usually respond to your comments but, WHAT????

What are you looking for out of the Packers that would satisfy your every need a desire? Bringing #8 back, not being an option!

If his #one picks, Jaire and Stokes, currently working the sick bay, show up for the last five games they may be able to slow down a passing team, but any hard core running offense will push Barry all over the field and score points. I'm not worried about Love, but the empty stable of RBs and no ILBs with brass to plug the gaps.

Even the really, really, bad AI articles make more sense than SH. But I'll answer his question. After 10 wins ANYTHING may be possible. If the Packers manage to get into the playoffs, it's essentially a new season. A lot of their injured dudes may be healed up. Who knows? These youngsters may not know that they are "not" supposed to win a SB and go ahead and do it (unlikely, but as a Packers fan I'll take that optimistic outlook over whatever the hell "Or will it lead to exhaustion and detriment of the team?" means.

Sorry Stock but I gave you a down vote. Not really sure what your comment even means except it is negative. Why not be positive for a change?

Translation: going one and done in the playoffs was way cooler with Rodgers

Injuries are what decides more at the end of seasons than coaches or play (at least they limit your play). Teams that luck out or get healthy towards the end of seasons, can outplay those that are hurting.

I hope we can get healthy and what seems to be not getting talked about lately, is more of these starters wanting to and playing on special teams again to help complete this team.

Injuries suck.
But what GB has done especially these last few games has been very impressive.

They just beat the Lions and the Chiefs. According to teamrankings.com The Chiefs are the 4th ranked team and the Lions are the 10th. That was without Jones, Alexander, and Musgrave. That is what has been very impressive about these last couple of games. They have been able to win without some of their star players. And not just win. Win big!

Biggest question for the Giants is our run D vs their run O. We know the Giants are going to want to run the ball and stopping the run isn't in Barry's playbook. Hopefully he learned from the last time he played a team that was run heavy and lost. This time it is easier as the Giants QB sucks. Load the box and run blitz every play. Force the bad QB to beat you.

I just want to see GB keep improving each game and continue with the confidence that they are showing and the wins will take care of themselves!

RCPF,

another tidbit about season:

some have called LVN "the hockey player." He's also a skier. We have not seen him play a cold weather game yet. I think he might do really well in the cold ...

I am sold on Love and have been for quite some time, now. I feel he will be the third Packer QB, in a row, that goes into the NFL HOF, at the end of his career. We are sitting at 6-6, right now. Many here, and elsewhere, said we would be lucky to win 2 games, this season. I want us to get 9 wins, this year, if not more. 9 wins would be 1 more win than Rodgers had, in his last year with this team. Looking at our remaining schedule, we could win out! Love is our QB and I am glad that he is!

Well, the "no running game" stuff might be connected to one of the best backs in the game being injured.

"The defense still has lots of holes". Well, we're 9th in scoring defense. 9th. In the NFC, only SF and Dallas have been better at keeping points off the board.

"And the run defense is still not good".

Best defense against the run is NE. Somebody needs to show me the correlation between run defense and making the playoffs. The Bills and the Chiefs are at the bottom of the league in yards/attempt, and they're both playoff teams. The 49ers are the 8th best. Philadelphia is average at 14th, Dallas at 12th.

I don't think there's a real strong correlation,frankly. Points correlate. The teams that make the playoffs don't give up as many points as the ones that don't.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2023/opp.htm

"I'm still not sold on Love. He's better, yes. But I'm still not sold on the entire team. No running game worth a shit"

Having no running game, and beating 2 playoff teams back to back, should make you feel a little better about Love. Look at what the offense has done the last 3 games. These last 3 games he is one of the highest rated QB's.

"Joe Barry still has to go."
I'm not a Barry fan. I will give him credit for what the defense has done these last few games. But I think its more based on the players then Barry.

"So, yeah, the Packers are still trying to become a team."
This was always supposed to be a growing year. They have the youngest roster in the league. They have a first time starting QB. Not many thought this year was a super bowl year. This was a year to start building the foundation and improve the roster for a run in the future.

Lets be happy with where we currently are. We are a team improving. We are getting better each week. We actually have a shot at the playoffs. After that we have 5 draft picks in the first 3 rounds. Our young roster that is improving, will have a lot of high picks to add more talent to this team.

I am sold on Jordan Love as the QB of the very young Packers. He is going to grow up as an NFL pro with these guys. I believe they are sold on their QB too. I believe the O players are also sold on MLF's O philosophy.

I do not believe the D players are sold on Barry. So much talent, so much under-achieving. Every fan, sports guy and OC in the NFL can see you can run and get first downs on the Packer Defense. They are very soft. The D players know this too and it has to be very frustrating for them.

If Barry Ball does not break during the opponents frequent RZ trips and/or get TO's, they have a good shot at 10 wins. ... maybe 11 as the Bears will be likely playing their last game for the current coaching staff. I am expecting the O to continue to move the ball and score. The D plays dangerously and I have no confidence they will suddenly begin to dominate.

The Giants only win in Green Bay or over seas.

We'll get this one if we play tough in the trenches.

Agree: take it one game at a time.

No, you're underestimating the Packers. This team hasnt even peaked yet.

Plus, every team will be gunning for GB now. Take NOTHING for granted. Gotta add some nasty - did you see how many players went out of the game because they were stupid enough to try to tackle Quadzilla?

Im waiting for a full season get too excited...these last two games were great, fun, football, but ill pump the brakes bit on saying Love is the next great QB in Green Bay...heck, even Baker Mayfield has a few good games here and there Derek Carr too...let the rest of the season play out...drop a game or two to any of the remaining teams and there will still be much work to be done...but its heading in the right direction...surprise me and win out...but I wont be surprised if they dont...

Also, GB needs to limit penalties as well as turnovers. These are the keys to victory!

I hope JL is studying Bart Starr ...

There's always someone that has to be real. Whaaa!

Have a Chiefs fan who works for me, and he asked: "Why do they move on from what's working to something else?" complaining about the Chiefs' coaching. Same thing we always complained about when we couldn't get A. Jones enough touches.

What would have happened Sunday if the Chiefs would have just kept running the ball in the red zone instead of trying to pass? What happened against Atlanta and Pittsburg? The Packers D did get a nice goal line stop against the run on the 2-point conversion, I'll give them that.

It helps if you don't get your line pushed 2 yards into the endzone. For that matter it's been helpful that the O-line hasn't been pushed back to where the handoff is taking place during a running play.

Are we playing more aggressive? Mean and nasty?

Canada,
GB can go 11-6 even if #9 is out for the season. At first I was hoping it was just a cramp. As he lay there it did not look like a cramping hamstring to me. Hopefully he's ok but I expect it's a recurrence of his previous hamstring injuries. His contribution is noteworthy even if he's done for the season.

There are 7 other VERY competent WRs in the room, Jayden Reed has almost identical speed and is open more often than anybody else, and Bo Melton is (on paper) even faster than #9.

Hopefully Kraft gets targeted at least as much as Musgrave ever was, and JL10 becomes consistent at making the easy layups. #28 has been catching everything thrown to him, and very effective YAC too. He knocked at least 2 KC players out of the game for being stupid enough to try to tackle him. We need some nasty, especially late season. Which is NOW.

LVN is a hockey player and a skier, I think he might do well in cold weather games.

MLF needs to give just as much attention to creating a winning scheme against the Giants as he did for KC.

GPG!

Running the table is almost infinitely more probable than winning the division. Coming in #2 means a harder schedule next season ...