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The Green Bay Packers are entering 2024 with a brand new window of contention that is wide open in their second season post-Aaron Rodgers, thanks to quarterback Jordan Love and an offense that set NFL single-season records for most catches (302), receiving yards (3,642) and receiving touchdowns (31) by first- or second-year players in 2023.
The 2023 Packers became the youngest team to win a playoff game since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger (average age of 25 years and 214 days) after pummeling the second-seeded Dallas Cowboys 48-32 in the NFC wild card round, a game in which they led 27-0. Love dominated as he threw for 272 yards through the air and three touchdowns on 16 of 21 passing, which led to him registering a Green Bay playoff game record 157.2 passer rating and 13 yards per pass attempt in his NFL postseason debut.
The Packers nearly knocked off the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional round, but a late missed field goal by Anders Carlson plus a Love interception on their final drive led them to coming up three points short, 24-21. Green Bay wasn’t complacent this offseason following its playoff run, signing two-time Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs (four years, $48 million) and safety Xavier McKinney (four years, $67 million), who registered Pro Football Focus’ best coverage grade by a safety in 2023 (91.2 coverage grade), in free agency.
Head coach Matt LaFleur also fired defensive coordinator Joe Barry and replaced him with Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley, who has seven seasons of NFL coaching experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (secondary/safeties coach from 2012-2013), Cleveland Browns (2014-2015) and San Francisco 49ers (defensive backs coach from 2016-2018). Hafley has vowed to play a more aggressive, press man coverage style defensive, a significant contrast to Barry’s zone-based scheme.
General manager Brian Gutekunst reinforced Love’s…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/packers-2024-nfl-schedule-opponent-breakdowns-five-must-see-games-and-predictions-for-all-17-matchups/
Author : Garrett Podell
Publish date : 2024-05-17 13:21:22
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