Going 1-5 in NFC North tilts was uncharted territory for the Green Bay Packers last year. They still made the playoffs, but posting only one win in six tries against your rivals is never acceptable. However, the Packers have flipped that script this year, starting 3-0 against their rivals.
One noticeable difference has been getting off to fast starts. Just look at how ugly it was early on in games against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings. The Packers trailed the Vikings 28-0 at home in 2024. When they traveled to Minneapolis later in the year, they couldn’t dig out of a 20-3 hole.
Against the Lions, Green Bay trailed 17-3 at halftime at Lambeau Field, and the lead swelled to 24-3 in the second half. You guessed it, the Packers lost that game too. In the matchup in Detroit, the Packers were again behind at halftime, this time 17-7. Green Bay crawled out of that deficit to take a lead in the fourth before ultimately losing by three.
Hell, even against the Bears, the Packers trailed at halftime and entering the fourth quarter during the win in Chicago.
This year has seen a complete 180 for Green Bay.
After going 0-2 against Detroit last year, the Packers won both bouts against the Motor City Kitties this year. Green Bay got off to fast starts against Detroit in both games, and they also never trailed for a single second in either. The Packers went from frantically trying to dig out of deficits to never playing from behind in two contests against the back-to-back NFC North champions.
It was much of the same against the Vikings. The Packers gave up an early field goal to Minnesota but scored a touchdown of their own three minutes and 38 seconds later. That’s how long the Packers have trailed in three combined divisional games: three minutes and 38 seconds.
There’s always an emphasis on division games, given that the crown comes with at least one home playoff game. It’s not as though the Packers forgot this in 2024. There’s just been an increased focus on getting that narrative back on track. Green Bay talked about it all offseason and in season — winning the NFC North games — and now it’s backing up that talk so far. Take it from Jordan Love:
Obviously we know what’s at stake with this game and with every division game we have. The NFC North is a tight race. A lot of good football teams in our division and you’ve got to come out and handle business. You’ve got to come in and win these games and try to control your own destiny.
Green Bay’s 1-5 record in the division last year was its biggest black eye since it also went 1-5 … back in 2005. That isn’t a misprint. It had been 20 years since the Packers had posted as poor a record in the NFC North head-to-head matchups as they did last year. This year, they’re already assured — at worst — of being 3-3. After starting 3-0, it isn’t a stretch to suggest there will be more wins to come with two against Chicago and one left against Minnesota.
Throwing the first punch twice against Detroit and posting the first touchdown against Minnesota has been as crucial as anything else the Packers have done well in those three games.
LaFleur hasn’t gone into hiding about the importance of these divisional games. He spoke at length about it just two weeks ago before Minnesota came to town.
Well, yeah, I mean, obviously, the divisional games are absolutely critical. And you (reporters) talk about this three-game stretch, but really all that matters is this one game for us right now. I mean, we’ve just got to focus on what’s right in front of us, and that’s to try to put together the best plan to go out and play a team that I think is an extremely tough football team. And shoot, they put it on us twice last year, so our guys will be motivated. They’ll be ready to roll.
With Chicago coming to town next, the Packers will have to emphasize getting off to another fast start. Chicago is No. 6 in the NFL in first-quarter points per game and No. 9 in first-half points per game. Meanwhile, the Packers rank No. 27 and No. 24 in both categories. It’s been a weird footnote on the season.
Green Bay’s offense has gotten off to extremely sluggish and slow starts against the likes of the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Carolina Panthers. In three of those four, the Packers have trailed at halftime. That hasn’t been the case in NFC North games.
The Packers have had a cement foot on the gas pedal in those games. To outduel Chicago for the NFC North crown, they’ll need to start fast again during this three-game stretch, all against divisional rivals.