Happy Thanksgiving! Fans of the Green Bay Packers have a lot to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day in 2024.
Matt LaFleur’s team is 8-3 after winning back-to-back games coming out of the bye and six of the last seven games overall. The Packers might be in third place in the NFC North, but Green Bay has a stranglehold over a wildcard spot and can still make a run at the division title with another inspired stretch over the final six games. A second playoff appearance in as many years and a fifth appearance in six years under LaFleur looks well within reach.
The Packers can move to 9-3 and inch closer to a playoff spot with a Thanksgiving Night win over the visiting Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. CST, and the forecast calls for cold, wind and maybe even some flurries.
Here’s everything to be thankful for as a Packers fan in 2024:
Josh Jacobs’ tackle-breaking ability: The veteran running back ranks fourth in missed tackles forced (46) and third in yards after contact (723). He’s riding an NFL-high streak of seven straight games with 90 or more total yards. The Packers are entering the home stretch of the season ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards.
Jordan Love is healthy again: After dealing with knee and groin injuries this season, Love is finally injury free. He’s looked considerably more mobile and more comfortable in the pocket since coming out of the bye. Can he catch fire over the final six games?
Overall team health: While Love missed games, and Jaire Alexander has been in and out of the lineup, the Packers have been mostly healthy in 2024. Getting Alexander back at some point and returning Luke Musgrave from injured reserve will only make the Packers better down the stretch.
Takeaway-creating defense: Last season, Joe Barry’s Packers produced only 18 takeaways over 17 regular season games. This season, Jeff Hafley’s Packers have an NFL-high 22 in only 11 games. Xavier McKinney has seven picks, and the Packers have recovered 11 fumbles.
Quality kicker: The camp battle between Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph was a bust. The Brayden Narveson experiment went horribly wrong. But the Packers eventually found an answer in veteran Brandon McManus, who has connected on 7-of-8 field goals — including a 51-yarder — and all 13 extra points. Lining up for a kick isn’t so stressful anymore.
Offensive firepower: The Packers rank fifth in explosive plays as defined by a completion of at least 16 yards or a run of at least 12 yards. Defined a different way, the Packers rank first in runs of 10 or more yards and first in completions of 50 or more yards.
Offensive depth: The Packers have six players with 300 or more total yards and 10 with 100 or more. Ten different players have scored an offensive touchdown this season.
Backup quarterback situation: After scrambling to find a No. 2 behind Jordan Love, the Packers swung a late August trade for Malik Willis. Despite showing up in Green Bay after training camp, Willis has helped the Packers win three different games already this season. He has a 130.3 passer rating and 137 rushing yards.
Rashan Gary heating up?: The adjustment to the 4-3 took longer than expected, but Gary now has at least a half sack in three straight games, including a strip-sack on third down last week. If Gary gets on a roll, this Packers defense could become great in a hurry.
Tackle tandem: Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom are one of the best pass-blocking offensive tackle tandems in football, and Tom has emerged as one of the more dominant right tackles in the NFL. As was the case last season, Walker is starting to play his best football to start the second half of 2024.
49ers vanquished: The Packers took down the short-handed 49ers by a 38-10 final last week. The 49ers have been a thorn in the Packers’ side for years. The loss severely damaged San Francisco’s postseason hopes in 2024.
Rookie defenders: Evan Williams, Javon Bullard and Edgerrin Cooper have all played important snaps and created important plays during the first 11 games. The rookie trio looks like a foundational part of the Packers defense.
Robert Saleh’s help: Fired by the Jets, Saleh agreed to help Matt LaFleur in a part-time consultant role. His terrific defensive mind has helped the Packers offense create a few big plays already this season.
A championship chance: In a place called Titletown, only championships matter. And the 2024 Packers, while not perfect, are a legitimate contender in the NFC entering the final six weeks. What more could anyone ask for? With four straight primetime games and three more division games, the Packers have a chance to show the world they are title worthy entering the postseason. At 8-3, the Packers are well-positioned, but Super Bowl contenders play their best football in December and January. It is time.
