Photo: Dave Anderson / Unsplash
By Chuck Collier
On Sunday, December 29th, the Packers lost another game to an upper echelon team. They lost to the Minnesota Vikings 27-25. “They continued to compete and battle, but you can’t do that against good teams. The margins in this league especially against a good football team, are razor thin,” coach Matt Lafleur said. I don’t think we are at our best, but that’s a credit to them in our slow start and that’s me as much as anybody.” If the Packers are to win a championship, they will have to do so as a Wild Card team. It would be difficult but not impossible for the Packers to accomplish that feat. As many fans remember, the Packers won the 2010 Superbowl out of the Wild Card spot.
On January 2, 2025, the Packer’s championship hopes became less likely with the news that Packers’ star cornerback Jaire Alexander had surgery on his right knee and will likely miss the remainder of the 2024 season. After the announcement, the Packers’ players were devastated. “It’s been tough,” said safety Xavier McKinney. “We know that he has been working to try to get back, but it’s like every time he was trying to, he would tweak it again. It’s a part of the game. We’re just trying to be with him as much as possible, try to make sure he is good mentally because I know how much it was hurting him not being out there with us.” If the Packers are to have a shot at a championship the secondary must play consistently, and their pass rush must be dominant.
In other news around the NFL, on Sunday, January 5, 2025, the Vikings will travel to Ford Field to face the Lions in a game with huge playoff implications. The winner wins the NFC North and the # 1 seed in the NFC. Oddsmakers have the Lions favored by a field goal. I opine, that whoever wins this game will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs will make history and win three consecutive Super Bowls, and Pat will go down history as the second best QB in NFL history at the early age of 29!