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Packers' playoff status illuminates troubling Matt LaFleur reality 3 Jan 22, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) and offensive tackle Billy Turner (77) in action against the San Francisco 49ers during a NFC Divisional playoff football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Packers’ playoff status illuminates troubling Matt LaFleur reality

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Dec 30, 2025 1:08 PM ET

For a third straight season, the Green Bay Packers are in the playoffs. For a third straight season, they will take part as a 7-seed, sneaking in with the final playoff spot. Five postseasons ago, the 7-seed did not even exist in the NFL’s 6-deep format for each conference.

That’s a lot of “negative Nelly-ing.” The Packers are still a solid squad with decent potential if everyone can finally get somewhat healthy. The regular season decline of this year’s team is due in large part to devasting injuries. Tucker Kraft. Devonte Wyatt. Micah Parsons. Those are just the season-ending incidents involving big-ticket names.

Every week, half the roster is hurt. Jordan Love missed Week 17’s loss to Baltimore with a concussion. All teams deal with injuries, but for the Packers, it has been an undeniable obstacle.

Injuries or not – being a “Debbie downer-ing” or not – the Packers’ playoff status presents something of an indictment on either the Love era or head coach Matt LaFleur. Most fans would probably say the latter. It’s an oversimplification, but the facts are also the facts: he hasn’t finished higher than the 7-seed since Aaron Rodgers’ second of back-to-back MVP seasons in 2021.

Packers, LaFleur still chasing Rodgers-era peak

Locked into the 7-seed, Green Bay has no reason to play starters in Week 18 versus Minnesota. The Vikings are 6.5-point favorites as of Tuesday. Depending on what happens, the Packers are likely looking at under 10 wins for the third time in four seasons. They haven’t won the division since 2021.

That time frame includes Rodgers’ last and Love’s three years as a starter. For a franchise like Green Bay, the results are simply not good enough.

LaFleur took over in 2019. Led by prime A-Rod, he kicked off his Packers tenure with three straight 13-win seasons, three straight NFC North crowns, and two conference championship berths. Stacked as they were, at least one of those rosters should have made the Super Bowl.

As good as Love has been in 2025, obviously, going from MVP Rodgers to either washed up Rodgers or Love is a downgrade. LaFleur hasn’t had the same weapons to work with. After the Parsons trade and Kraft’s emergence that statement might appear dubious, but now both are gone. No one would compare this roster to even the 2021 team upset in the Division Round by San Francisco.

With the current compromised state of the team, winning one playoff game would be a palatable finish to the season. Maybe not compared to the height of the Parsons hype and Green Bay’s Super Bowl hopes. Compared to the roster as it stands, bowing out in the second round would be a win. As far as playoff wins go, it would also be their best season since 2020.

It might not be fair, but if that doesn’t happen, it’s reasonable to wonder: can LaFleur win, even in the regular season, without MVP Rodgers? Relative to Green Bay’s past success, the answer right now is no.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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