GREEN BAY, Wis. — Gaining momentum issues extra to the Inexperienced Bay Packers than enhancing their playoff seeding as they gear up for the postseason in opposition to their longtime punching bag, the slumping Chicago Bears.
Inexperienced Bay (11-5) is at the moment positioned because the No. 7 seed within the NFC, which might lead to a visit to Philadelphia for the wild-card spherical. The Packers might earn the sixth seed in the event that they beat the Bears (4-12) on Sunday and the Washington Commanders lose at Dallas.
"I believe for us the mindset actually is it doesn't matter," quarterback Jordan Love stated. "I believe we're going into this figuring out that we're clearly going to be on the street and go play some groups we've already performed earlier than. We're excited clearly for the playoffs to begin."
Packers coach Matt LaFleur stated he intends to deal with this recreation like every other and can play his starters.
Tight finish Tucker Kraft believes a powerful outing on Sunday might function a "springboard" into the playoffs. The Packers try to bounce again from a sloppy 27-25 loss at Minnesota final weekend.
"I wish to see juice," Kraft stated. "I wish to see us on the market straight away getting the ball to our again (Josh Jacobs), letting him simply be him. After which getting some taste going within the subsequent couple of drives and simply execute."
The Packers are 1-5 in opposition to NFC groups which have clinched playoff berths, however they're 10-0 in opposition to everybody else. That features a 20-19 victory at Chicago on Nov. 17 that gave the Packers 11 straight wins over the Bears, the longest lively successful streak by an NFL group over an opponent.
Chicago started the season 4-2 however has misplaced 10 straight since. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 total choose within the 2024 NFL draft, says he has taken notes all through his rookie season on areas the place he should enhance.
"Issues are going to take time," Williams stated. "I'm properly conscious of that and OK with that. However I’m undoubtedly going to attempt to push myself to exhaustion mentally and bodily this offseason to have the ability to stand up to the lengthy season."
Jacobs has run for a landing in seven straight video games to match Paul Hornung in 1960 for the longest such streak in Packers historical past.
Jacobs enters the weekend ranked fifth within the NFL with 1,285 yards speeding. He earned his third Professional Bowl choice this week.
Inexperienced Bay's 11 straight victories over Chicago symbolize the longest successful streak by both group within the historical past of this rivalry, which has been performed greater than every other NFL matchup.
The Packers' solely longer successful streak over an opponent was 15 straight over the Chicago Cardinals from 1937-46.
Inexperienced Bay saved the streak alive again in November when Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos' 46-yard subject aim try as time expired.
The Bears had massive hopes coming into the season. As an alternative, it fell aside.
They fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron after 9 video games and let a head coach go throughout a season for the primary time in franchise historical past after they gave Matt Eberflus the boot after a Thanksgiving Day loss at Detroit.
However the losses proceed to pile up. They're 0-4 underneath interim coach Thomas Brown. They've by no means misplaced greater than 10 straight in a single season.
"I believe simply total there needs to be extra accountability, I believe, up shut and private and extra so simply speaking to guys and pulling them apart," cornerback Jaylon Johnson stated. "I believe it's one factor to say one thing when everyone seems to be saying one thing. However I believe if you happen to can pull a man to the aspect, possibly, and have a private dialog and attempt to actually get them to grasp the magnitude of what's occurring and the way a lot we want him, I believe that may do one thing higher."
Love threw his eleventh interception of the season when Chicago's Terell Smith picked off a go on the aim line in that Nov. 17 recreation.
He hasn't thrown a choose since.
After getting picked off 11 instances in his first eight begins this season, Love has thrown 9 landing passes with out an interception over his final six video games.
Williams defended Chicago's offensive line, calling it a "silly concept" that his hovering sack complete is all on his blockers.
"The connotation behind my offensive line has been annoying and irritating as a result of they work their tail off to have the ability to go on the market," he stated.
Williams has been sacked 67 instances, the fourth-highest single-season complete in league historical past. David Carr has the file with 76 as a rookie with Houston in 2002. Philadelphia's Randall Cunningham took 72 sacks in 1986, and Carr was sacked 68 instances in 2005.
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AP Sports activities Author Andrew Seligman contributed to this report.
The video within the participant above is from a earlier report.
