The Packers continue to make strides, creeping back into the playoff picture

The Green Bay Packers’ 2023 season suddenly appears brighter. They improved to 5-6 with a Thanksgiving victory over the Detroit Lions, their first in over two years.

Green Bay, which has won two straight and three of their last four games, has emerged as one of the NFL’s hottest teams. They’re also making a comeback in the playoff race. Following the conclusion of the Thanksgiving Day games, the Seattle Seahawks are 6-5, one game ahead of the Packers in the final Wild Card spot. With a 6-4 record, the Minnesota Vikings are also in the hunt.

The Packers will have the easiest time catching the Seahawks because they still have a tough schedule ahead of them. They play the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers again, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Tennessee Titans, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Arizona Cardinals after losing to the 49ers on Thanksgiving night.

The Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, moving into the playoff picture.

Meanwhile, the Packers’ schedule is as follows: games against the Kansas City Chiefs, the New York Giants, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Chicago Bears. There are some difficult games in there, but they also have some winnable ones against the Giants, Panthers, and Bears to keep them on track for the postseason.

More important than a chance to make the playoffs, the Packers’ young core must continue to improve.

Jordan Love, fresh off his first career 300-yard passing game, had another standout performance against Detroit, finishing 22/32 (68.75 percent) for 268 yards and three touchdowns. His arrow is pointing up as he continues to make a strong case for being the Packers’ next long-term starting quarterback.

Not only Love is showing signs of improvement. The young Packers’ skill players are also finding their stride. Jordan Reed continues to impress as a rookie, Tucker Kraft had a strong day as a starter, and even Malik Heath saw action. Christian Watson, meanwhile, had his best game of the season, catching five passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers’ top priority heading into this season was player development, and we’re finally seeing signs of consistent growth after a rocky start. This season, it is more important than any draft pick or playoff positioning.