During the midseason, it appeared as if the Green Bay Packers' playoff contention was slipping away after suffering consecutive losses. But, though the games during the past couple of weeks, it seems the Packers are now poised to take the NFC North title.
The Green Bay squad entered the season with a relatively decent performance but experienced a major setback at Week 8 after losing to the Atlanta Falcons. Following that match, the Packers got into a slump that sent them spinning into a four-game losing streak.
But, by the time Week 12 rolled in, the Packers were able to regain its momentum by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles. This then led to back-to-back wins against the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks.
With a current record of 7-6, the Green Bay organization certainly isn't one of the strongest teams in the league, but if the Packers can prolong their winning streak, they could emerge as a substantial threat to the NFC North title.
As noted by CBS Sports, the team's three-game winning streak was part of quarterback Aaron Rodgers' promise to lead the team to the postseason. Last month, he said that the Packers would win their final six games. They were already able to accomplish half of that promise.
If the Packers manage to finish the regular season with a record of 10-6, that would mean they have defeated the Detroit Lions, which is very likely to happen especially since Matthew Stafford is playing with an injured finger.
A loss to the Packers, the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys would then send the Lions spiraling out of the playoffs, paving the way for the Green Bay squad to take the NFC North division.
As for the Packers, they're about to go up against the Chicago Bears. Despite the Bears' losing record, the upcoming match will probably not be an easy game for the Packers especially since Rodgers is coming from a strained right calf muscle that he suffered in the team's win over the Seahawks.
But, as noted by the quarterback, he is still prepared to step on the field to lead the team.
"It'll be about pain management on Sunday, but the good thing is I'll be out there," he said according to ESPN. I'll be out there and ready."
"I've dealt with a lot of injuries over the years, and you just learn about pain management and how to keep yourself in the best shape to play on Sunday, and then playing with pain," he added.