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What the Packers can get out of the final three games of the regular season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wendell Ferreira | Last updated Dec 16, 2024 9:51 AM ET

The Green Bay Packers are virtually in the playoffs, so if you don't look carefully, it's easy to think that there's not much left for the team to do over these next three games. After all, the division title is out of reach, and the Packers would have a 94% chance of reaching the postseason even with three losses. But it goes beyond that for head coach Matt LaFleur.

"We're just gonna take it one game at a time, that's the mindset that we've always had here," LaFleur said after the win on Sunday night. "I still think there's a lot to improve upon, myself included, obviously. That's the mindset that we have. How can we get better? We gotta keep pushing that envelope, trying to reach your full potential."

Playoff seeding

The first and obvious point is a factual one. While the Packers won't get the NFC North title, it doesn't mean that everything else is the same. Being the seventh seed would negatively impact the Super Bowl chances, because the playoff path would almost certainly include both the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles just to reach the Championship Game.

In-game consistency

It's been frequent for the Packers to start fast, but lose some of the energy or the efficiency throughout games. The team has gotten progressively better avoiding self-inflicted mistakes, and the next step is clear now.

"It's something we have to clean up, having that consistency through four quarters and put together a four-quarter battle," quarterback Jordan Love mentioned. "These games somehow always come down to the last couple minutes. Teams find ways to put up points and do their things. So we just gotta be able to keep the foot on the gas and keep making those big-time plays we were making in the first half. But we gotta do better just playing a complete four-quarter game."

Young player development

The Packers have the youngest roster in the NFL. These players simply haven't had enough games and haven't experienced many different circumstances in the league.

Therefore, playing December and January games is a valuable opportunity for them to be ready for the playoffs.

"We just gotta keep stacking wins and try to take one day at a time, one game at a time," LaFleur added. "But I like our guys' confidence."

Maybe in Week 18, if the playoff seeding is determined, the Packers would consider benching starters a week before the wild card round. For now, though, regular season games still matter, and the Packers' young players have to take the most out of them.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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