Packers feel self-motivated heading into must-win
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Even if you weren’t a member of the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 8, 2023, you might remember how the Detroit Lions came into Lambeau Field and made the Packers spit up their playoff hopes in front of a national television audience in the NFL’s regular-season finale.
Rookie receiver Jayden Reed remembers.
“I mean, people have talked about it,” Reed said Wednesday. “I actually watched the game, myself. I saw it was a pretty devastating loss. It’s never good being in that position and getting knocked out of the playoffs like that.”
All the Packers had to do was beat the Lions and they were in the playoffs. Detroit already was eliminated, but it came in like it was playing the Super Bowl and refused to succumb to even a last-ditch effort from Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense to save the day.
After Rodgers threw an interception, the Lions finished the Packers off with a 3 1⁄2-minute drive in which they picked up three first downs on the way to running out the clock. The Packers walked off the field defeated in every possible way.
Fast-forward to this year and the Packers are in the same win-or-gohome position heading into the final week of the season. Once again, they are facing a division rival with no chance of going to the playoffs but a great desire to send the Packers home for the offseason.
The 7-9 Chicago Bears will try to beat coach Matt LaFleur for the first time (9-0) and do what the Lions did, which is finish strong and declare to the division it will be heard from next season. No coach with at least 10 games under his belt has a better NFC North winning percentage than LaFleur (.724) and a loss would put former Bears coach Mike Ditka within .001 of him for the lead.
In other words, there’s some pride involved for the Bears.
LaFleur would like the focus to remain on the Bears and not on the 20-16 loss to the Lions that marked Rodgers’ final game as a Packer.
“It’s a totally different situation,” LaFleur said. “Totally different team. I know the circumstances around the game are the same, but we’ve been in
this mode the last couple of weeks. This is about this year’s group. I think as a coach you might take a few nuggets here and there in terms of what you learned from past experiences.
“But our sole focus is on the Chicago Bears.”
LaFleur was asked whether it might be a good idea to tap into some of those emotions the Packers felt walking off the field last year, knowing they had blown a playoff opportunity. A total of 21 players on the 53-man roster were in college or playing for another team a year ago and may not know how precious – and expected – a playoff berth can be around here.
“I think there’s a different vibe around here,” LaFleur said. “There’s a different mindset. We’ve got to go attack, that’s the bottom line. We’ve got to go and play like we have been the last few weeks, just with the mindset and mentality: whatever it takes.
“We know we have a great challenge in front of us. This Chicago Bears team is as improved as any team in the league.”
LaFleur has lost his past two regularseason finales – both against the Lions. Just like last year, the Packers had to get hot late in the year to make the playoffs. They had won four straight going into the Lions game, but Rodgers had thrown for only four touchdowns with two interceptions during that span.
This year, they’re riding the growth spurt quarterback Jordan Love has enjoyed the second half of the season, throwing 16 touchdowns and one interception in his past seven games. They are far from a finished product, but they have played through a plethora of injuries at their skill positions and could have a full complement of their receivers and tight ends on the field Sunday.
Love remembers what it was like to blow a shot at the playoffs in the final home game and wants things to be different for this team.
“It was tough,” he said. “Anytime the season ends, it’s heartbreaking. But to have a situation where you win, you get in the playoffs, you lose you’re done, those are the tough ones.
“I don’t think we need to use that. This team is motivated enough, the situation that we have to get into the playoffs and how bad we want that, just with the season we’ve had, the bumps in the road. But to put ourselves in position, I think everyone is very motivated.”