After being eliminated by the 49ers, the Packers laid the groundwork for their next great run.
Despite the disappointment of losing to San Francisco on Saturday night, the Green Bay Packers are still in a position to fight for the Super Bowl for many years to come.
In this narrative:
The Green Bay Packers have now missed out on a record 13 times in a row on winning a 14th NFL championship. Even though the 2023 season came to an end on Saturday night with a devastating divisional-round playoff loss against the San Francisco 49ers, the groundwork has been laid for another extended run as a consistent Super Bowl contender.
The Packers don’t display banners honoring their wild-card playoff victory in Titletown. Progress is not celebrated with parades. For overall records of 10–9, no flowers are thrown.
However, this season was never really about it. With the significant quarterback switch and massive salary-cap issues to work through, this season was always going to be about building the groundwork for next season.
Brian Gutekunst, general manager, has laid the groundwork. It’s also powerful. Before the 2020 NFL Draft, an NFC team official who wasn’t too fond of Love predicted the Packers would win more Super Bowls with Love.
This season’s youngest NFL club most likely wasn’t meant to become the youngest team to win a postseason game since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. However, they made it to the postseason, even managed to win a game, and gained a great deal of big-game experience along the way. Over time, those experiences ought to improve the team.
Determining whether Jordan Love could succeed Aaron Rodgers was the most crucial of those fundamental blocks. Furthermore, replacing meant more than just moving up to the starting lineup. It had nothing to do with competence. Being the focal point of the following generation was the goal.
Recall that every season, Aaron Rodgers, one of the greatest players in NFL history, gave the Packers a shot. Rodgers led the team to the brink with trips to the NFC Championship Game in 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2020, even if he was unable to return to the Super Bowl after winning it all in 2010.
After 83 passing attempts in his career and one unsuccessful start, would Love be excellent, mediocre, or in the middle?
Love finished worst in the NFL in completion percentage during the first half of the season, when the Packers lost four straight games to sink to 2-5.
“There are ten games remaining,” stated Gutekunst at the time. “I think he’s done a lot of pretty nice things, and these are going to be extremely critical 10 games.” I really admire how he led the team and handled the hardship. We need to improve as a team, and I think we will over the course of the next ten games.
“I believe that there are certain things we are going through that we anticipated. Though the outcomes haven’t been what we were hoping for, I do admire how the men are handling things.
Love’s late intercept helps the 49ers defeat the Packers.
The Packers were 3–6 when Love failed to produce a game-winning drive in a loss to Pittsburgh for the third time this season. By then, there was a significant chance the Packers would have a pick in the top ten or possibly in the top five in the draft. There was a chance that love would end there.
Rather, Love went hot, beginning with a thrilling comeback win over the Chargers. Finding out if Love was the right guy this season was the first goal, and he is. The second was to give Love hundreds of game reps with a youthful group of tight ends and receivers.
By not providing Love with any veteran assistance in the passing game during the offseason, Gutekunst took a huge risk. Smoothing out the road now was not as important as developing a route for the future.
Love performed admirably in the final stretch, in large part because of the quick development of rookie tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, as well as rookie receivers Jayden Reed and Donayvion Wicks. The four youngsters, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Bo Melton, seem to have an incredible amount of firepower. Perhaps the Packers don’t have a Davante Adams, but maybe they do.
Before Week 18, Love remarked, “I think nobody had a lot of expectations coming into it.” “Every week, we aim to perform to the best of our abilities, win every game, and position ourselves to advance to the playoffs.” As the season has progressed, we’ve seen highs and lows and have gained some insight into the team’s philosophy. Although the season has taught us many things, I’m pleased to report that, with a victory in this final game, we will qualify for the playoffs.
By 2024, the Love-led passing game ought to be prepared for takeoff with the construction of the launch pad.
Following the Week 17 triumph against the Vikings, LaFleur said, “I can’t say enough wonderful things about him.” “Just his perseverance in the face of some intense pressure, slipping away from the pressure, putting the ball in play, and letting his men go score plays.”He’s performing at a really good level, in my opinion.
I am extremely thrilled for him because he has worked very hard to reach this position. I genuinely believe that he has no limits. He is only displaying a small portion of his potential.
A few days later, LaFleur gave Love even more praise as the Packers prepared for their Week 18 matchup with the Bears.
He’s a sucker with a tough mind. His family did a hell of a job raising him, just in terms of what he’s all about. Those of you who know him would probably all agree that he’s about the right shit. He has the correct priorities in mind.
Over the course of four years, the guy has really developed; he just shows up to work every day, has a fantastic attitude, and is one of the guys. I’m merely thrilled for him. He deserves it.
The Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs after defeating Chicago in the regular season. In a postseason game, Love’s passer rating of 157.3 was the highest ever recorded by a visiting quarterback.
There will be very difficult obstacles to overcome. As the Packers demonstrated this year, it is far simpler for a club to go from outside the playoffs to within them the next year than it is to make the enormous leap to the Super Bowl.
How will Joe Barry, the defensive coordinator, be handled by the Packers? Can the defense stop the run with its current roster? Can Jaire Alexander get back to his former self, assuming he wants to stay in Green Bay? The Packers require a second cornerback, Alexander or not.
Is the attacking line up to par? Which running backs will they be? Is Watson able to overcome his hamstring strains? There will be another challenge with the salary cap.
But in order to get to San Francisco, a young team had to win four straight must-win games, and that experience in huge games should help them.
Nothing is impossible for a quarterback of his caliber. There’s a chance the Packers have another outstanding quarterback. A Super Bowl, or Super Bowls, ought to be in their future.
According to LaFleur, “you’re usually better for it anytime you go through a struggle and you can come out the other side.” “Our boys are still fighting despite the fact that we have had our fair share of hardship at every stage. They are still at war. They keep turning up every day with a positive attitude and a willingness to work, and positive things happen when you do that.
