After playing mediocre football for the majority of the season, the Green Bay Packers were able to capitalize on a late-season surge to qualify for the postseason.
When the Packers fell to the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in back-to-back games in Weeks 14 and 15, they were only 6-8. Even though the Packers performed horribly in both games, the defeat to the Giants was especially bad because Tommy DeVito looked amazing and New York was starting its third quarterback.
At that time, few would have predicted the Packers would have a shot to make the playoffs, but they defeated the Panthers, Vikings, and Bears to end the regular season. They were not only superior to the Bears and outclassed the Vikings, but they also triumphed 33-30 over the NFL’s weakest club after struggling against the lowly Panthers.
Head coach Matt LaFleur’s squad was feeling pretty good after those two victories going into their Wild Card game against the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys. Despite being huge underdogs in that match, the Green Bay locker room exuded a great deal of confidence.
Jordan Love emerges as a key asset for the Packers
It was absurd to think that the Packers could defeat the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys were the only club in the league with a perfect home record, and they had won almost all of their games by a wide margin.
But in that Wild Card game, the Packers were a different club than they had been all season. With Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott starting for them on defense and Jordan Love completing 16 of 21 throws for 272 yards and three scores, they dominated on offense. The Packers won 48–32 with ease. The final score was only this close because of a couple of late scores by Dallas.
The Packers defeated the Cowboys, and they carried that energy into their divisional playoff matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. Once again, Love and the offense were excellent, while the defense held off San Francisco’s potent onslaught, which featured Christian McCaffrey. Nevertheless, the 49ers persevered and beat the Packers 24–21 after a valiant effort.
The Packers’ shortcomings throughout the season long
The Packers performed well enough in the postseason to suggest that they could be a strong contender in 2024, despite their inability to advance to the NFC Championship game.
With Love’s confidence and growth, a strong rushing game, and a group of dangerous receivers, the offense appears capable of competing with many of the league’s top teams; yet, the defense still needs to improve.
Days after their defeat by the Niners, the Packers began to fix their defensive shortcomings. Due in significant part to the Packers’ inconsistent play when their opponents had the ball, defensive coordinator Joe Barry was fired.
Regarding yards allowed during the regular season, Green Bay came in 17th place, behind NFC North rivals Chicago and Minnesota. The Packers, rated 28th in that metric, struggled most against the run.
The Packers are severely lacking in personnel in the secondary. With Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary, they believe they have enough strength to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Gary had the most sacks on the squad (9.0), followed by Clark (7.5).
