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The Green Bay Packers head into their bye week hoping to repeat the strong finish they had last season

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The Green Bay Packers head into their bye week hoping to repeat the strong finish they had last season

The Green Bay Packers enter their bye week with a tougher path to winning the NFC North after losses to the Minnesota Vikings and the division-leading Detroit Lions.

However, they are in a better position than they were at the same point last season.

If the playoffs started today, the Packers (6-3) would be the NFC’s No. 7 seed, the same spot they were in last year. At this point last season, they were 3-6 but managed to win six of their final eight games.

That late-season push included a wild-card win over Dallas before they were eliminated with a 24-21 loss to San Francisco in the divisional playoffs. That stretch made Green Bay believe this year’s team could reach the Super Bowl for the first time since their 2010 championship season.

To achieve that goal, the Packers know they need to improve their performance in the second half of the season.

“One of the things we’re going to talk about as a staff is just some of the things we did the back half of the (2023) season to allow us to develop and continue to get better,” said coach Matt LaFleur on Monday.

“A lot of it just started with our approach to practice, how much competition we had in practice. I thought it made practices have more energy, and I thought it reflected in our play, quite frankly.”

The Packers are currently third in the NFC North behind the Lions (7-1) and Vikings (6-2). Green Bay will face Detroit on Dec. 5 and Minnesota on Dec. 29.

The Packers are 0-2 in divisional games, with five turnovers and three takeaways in their 31-29 loss to Minnesota and their defeat to Detroit on Sunday. In their other seven games, they have totaled 16 takeaways and just eight giveaways.

“Those are two games that we did not play our best at all,” quarterback Jordan Love said after the loss to the Lions. “So too many mistakes and, like I said, just didn’t play our best in these games.

We need to be able to go out there and execute at a high level and play our best ball. So, it’s definitely very disappointing, but (those are) two teams that we’ll see again this season.”

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love

Matt LaFleur

Minnesota Vikings

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Done Deal: Packers trade star DL with Steelers in a shocking deal

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Done Deal: Packers trade star DL with Steelers in a shocking deal

The Green Bay Packers have traded DL Preston Smith (pending a physical) to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Tuesday.

Smith has played in 91 games with 88 starts in the regular season since joining the Packers in 2019, posting a team-high 44.0 sacks over that span, which ranks No. 6 on Green Bay’s all-time list (since 1982). He started all nine games this season, recording 19 tackles (six solo), 2.5 sacks (tied for No. 2 on the team) and four QB hits (tied for No. 3 on the team), and is tied for No. 4 on the team with 11 NextGenStat QB pressures (TruMedia).

Smith was one of only two NFL players (T.J. Watt) to register 65-plus sacks (66), five-plus interceptions (five) and five-plus forced fumbles (nine) from 2015-23. He also appeared in seven postseason contests (all starts) for the Packers, registering 25 tackles (16 solo), 3.5 sacks, eight QB hits and three passes defensed.

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JUST IN: Chicago Bears sign a new head coach after….

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JUST IN: Chicago Bears sign a new head coach after….

Matt Eberflus’ job security as the Chicago Bears head coach is under serious scrutiny following another road loss to the Arizona Cardinals. With an 0-18 record in Sunday road games, a point differential of -181, and multiple fourth-quarter collapses in games where the Bears had a 91% win probability, his tenure has become hard to defend. It recently emerged that Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was interested in the Bears’ head coaching position last offseason, though the team chose to retain Eberflus. Now, with Eberflus likely departing after this season, Johnson seems like a logical choice as his successor.

Ben Johnson Makes Perfect Sense as the Next Bears Head Coach

Ben Johnson’s Credentials Make Him a Compelling Choice for the Bears

Ben Johnson has been the driving force behind the Detroit Lions’ offensive resurgence. Under his leadership, the Lions’ offense became one of the NFL’s top units last season, finishing second in passing, third in total offense, and fifth in both rushing offense and points per game. This season, their offensive dominance continues. According to Lions’ Senior Writer Tim Twentyman, the Lions excel at protecting the ball, with just five turnovers in seven games (tied for the fourth fewest in the league). They rank seventh in both third-down conversions (42.9%) and red-zone efficiency (65.5%), efficiently extending drives and capitalizing on scoring opportunities. Twentyman describes it as “good offensive football.”

Credit also goes to General Manager Brad Holmes, who has constructed a roster with Pro Bowl-caliber players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Frank Ragnow, and Penei Sewell. While the Bears have offensive talent, they need a strategic play-caller like Johnson to maximize their potential and take their offense to the next level.

Focusing on the Development of Caleb Williams

The Bears have been mired in mediocrity for far too long, and a change is overdue. The main priority should be to ensure Caleb Williams’ development by pairing him with a skilled play-caller at head coach. Though Ben Johnson lacks head coaching experience, his performance as the Lions’ offensive coordinator has been stellar. If the Bears are serious about winning, they should do what it takes to bring Johnson on as head coach next season.

For GM Ryan Poles, the focus needs to be on reinforcing both the offensive and defensive lines in free agency and the draft. The Lions’ success on offense is no accident, as they arguably have the best offensive line in the NFL. Building a strong line to protect Caleb will be crucial for him to thrive and take strides toward becoming the Bears’ franchise quarterback.

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Infamous Packer key man Released by NFC Rival just now

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Infamous Packer key man Released by NFC Rival just now

Following a disappointing preseason, the Green Bay Packers made a surprising move by releasing second-year kicker Anders Carlson. Carlson had been competing intensely with veteran Greg Joseph during training camp.

In the end, though, neither kicker secured the spot, as the Packers opted for a different option, choosing Brayden Narveson instead.

Carlson, now 26, soon found a new chance, signing with the San Francisco 49ers last month. The 49ers, facing a shortage of healthy kickers after Jake Moody and Matthew Wright sustained injuries, were in urgent need of reinforcements.

Carlson was elevated twice from the 49ers’ practice squad, playing in Weeks 7 and 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys. In these appearances, he performed impressively, hitting 5-for-5 on field goals and 3-for-4 on extra points—a significant improvement from his preseason struggles with the Packers.

However, with Moody nearing a return from injury, Carlson will need to seek another opportunity.

Packers News: Anders Carlson Kicked to Curb by 49ers

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the 49ers have released former Green Bay kicker Anders Carlson from their practice squad, filling his spot with veteran safety Tashaun Gibson.

Despite the release, Carlson should have a good chance of finding another team soon, as he performed well in his two games with the 49ers. While Carlson struggled with longer kicks as a rookie in Green Bay, making just 7 of 13 attempts from beyond 40 yards, he showed improvement in San Francisco, hitting 4-for-4 from that range. Although it didn’t work out with the Packers, Carlson’s potential remains promising.

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