Despite the fact that the Green Bay Packers are clinging to the final spot NFC playoffs after a bye week, most national writers doing NFL power rankings still consider the Packers among the top nine in the league.
What calms the nerves of Packers fans after an ugly loss to the Detroit Lions? The Chicago Bears, of course.
The Packers have won 10 straight against the Bears and, until that trend is broken, there was no logical reason to move the Packers down in the rankings this week:
The Athletic, seventh
On a 1-10 scale, Josh Kendall gives Jordan Love a 6 in quarterback confidence this week:
“Jordan Love’s problem, and problem may be a relative word in this context, is that he just signed a $220 million contract, and he has thrown an NFL-high 10 interceptions. He’s 19th in EPA per dropback (.02), and his season has to have Green Bay fans a little worried that he’s a good quarterback who had an elite finish to the 2023 season rather than an elite quarterback.”
CBS Sports, eighth
Despite the week off, Pete Prisco doesn’t move the Packers in his rankings:
“They come off their much-needed bye — injuries were piling up — with a division road game at Chicago. Jordan Love should be much healthier after the week off, which is a good thing for this team.”
ESPN, ninth
The Packers fall one spot after the bye week and Rob Demovsky focuses on the Packers’ most valuable player this season who isn’t a quarterback:
“Xavier McKinney, a free agent addition, has a shot at becoming the first defensive back to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year since Troy Polamalu in 2010. He leads the NFL with seven takeaways (6 interceptions, 1 forced fumble) and has helped transform the Packers into a turnover-centric team. They’ve already surpassed their takeaway total from last season (19).“
Pro Football Talk, ninth
Mike Florio also kept the Packers where he had them before the bye week:
“Is the bye week enough time to recover from what happened to them against the Lions?”
USA TODAY, ninth
Nate Davis dropped the Packers two spots and remains perplexed by the Preston Smith trade for a second straight week:
“Following the somewhat surprising trade of OLB Preston Smith, time for 2023 first-rounder Lukas Van Ness to deliver given he has yet to start in the NFL and has played fewer than 50% of the team’s snaps in both of his seasons.”
Yahoo Sports, eighth
Frank Schwab understands the cure for Packers fans after a loss:
“Seeing the Bears this week is probably good news for the Packers. Green Bay has won 10 in a row and 15 of 16 against Chicago. And the Bears’ offensive struggles come at the right time for the Packers’ defense.”