Author: Matt Lombardo

Matt Lombardo has covered the NFL for 15 years, including as a beat reporter covering the Green Bay Packers for Heavy Sports during the 2023 season. Additionally, Lombardo has covered the league nationally dating back to the 2020 season for various outlets including Heavy Sports, FanBuzz, and others. In addition to his work covering the Packers for Wisconsin Sports Heroics, Lombardo covers the NFL for Between The Hashmarks.

Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) reacts after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Green Bay Packers have a bright future thanks in large part to Jordan Love, but, without some course corrections from head coach Matt LaFleur it is beginning to be fair to wonder if either the quarterback or the franchise will reach their lofty potential. Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, LaFleur failed to make the adjustments such as putting Love under center against the Eaglesโ€™ relentless exotic blitz packages or finding a way to meld a previously dominant running game on the back of running back Josh Jacobs with the route concepts Love excels most at. That canโ€™t continue to happen.โ€ฆ

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Packers, Jordan Love

The Packersโ€™ disappointing finish to the 2024 NFL season, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card round was the culmination of a disappointing final few weeks of the regular season where flaws in quarterback Jordan Loveโ€™s game and the offense began to emerge. While there is little doubt that Love remains one of the more promising, and gifted, young quarterbacks across the NFL the Packers never quite adjusted to defenses exposing some of his biggest weaknesses. Nor did head coach Matt LaFleur help find effective ways for his young quarterback to overcome them. Similarly to how Minnesotaโ€ฆ

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur reacts after calling a time out during the third quarter of their game Sunday, November 17, 2024 at Solider Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 20-19.ยฉ Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In addition to suffering a humiliating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, several key Green Bay Packers suffered injuries during the NFC Wild Card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Fortunately for the Packers, and burgeoning center Josh Myers, his injury does not appear to be as serious as perhaps initially feared. According to Ryan Wood of PackersNews, Myers believes that he suffered a hairline fracture in his leg, but the hope is that he avoided any sort of ligament damage which would prolong his recovery. โ€œHeโ€™s better than what I thought, assessing the situation on the field,โ€ LaFleur told reporters duringโ€ฆ

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Green Bay Packers Jordan Love

From start to finish, the Green Bay Packersโ€™ season-ending loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Game was a humbling experience. Between losing a fumble on the opening kickoff, to several marquee players being knocked from the game due to injury to quarterback Jordan Love being absolutely stymied by Vic Fangioโ€™s Eagles defense, the Packers seemed lightyears away from being able to meaningfully compete for championships. Sunday afternoon, the Eaglesโ€™ secondary rendered the Packersโ€™ receiving corps largely irrelevant, in a lot of ways because Green Bay lacked a difference-maker for Love. As The 33rd Team points out,โ€ฆ

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Green Bay Packers, Josh Jacobs

Green Bay Packers star running back Josh Jacobs left little doubt that heโ€™s already dialed in on the 2025 NFL season. The book was barely closed on the Packersโ€™ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card round on Sunday afternoon, when Jacobs unloaded to reporters his mindset and goals for next season. โ€œAll those games, we were right there,โ€ Jacobs told reporters, of the Packersโ€™ five regular-season losses to the Lions, Vikings, and Eagles. โ€œMy biggest message this offseasonโ€”from the coaches to the playersโ€”is how do we take that step? We figure out how to take thatโ€ฆ

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Green Bay Packers, Matt LaFleur

The Packersโ€™ listless NFC Wild Card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon, that saw the receiving corps drop like flies due to injury, shined a light on Green Bayโ€™s glaring need to upgrade quarterback Jordan Loveโ€™s receiving corps. Green Bayโ€™s inconsistent receiver play throughout the 2024 campaign, coupled with the uncertainty surrounding Christian Watsonโ€™s availability for the 2025 season after tearing his ACL in Week 18 could spark general manager Brian Gutekunst and the organization to spend big at the position this offseason. According to ESPNโ€™s Benjamin Solak, the Packers are expected to go shopping at the topโ€ฆ

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Packers

The Green Bay Packersโ€™ offensive line has made major strides this season, and been a driving force behind running back Josh Jacobsโ€™ dominance in the ground game and done a solid job of protecting Jordan Love throughout this run to the postseason. One of those key offensive linemen is Zach Tom, who garnered the third-most All-Pro votes among right tackles, a fact that didnโ€™t go unnoticed by Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. โ€œHe means a ton to us,โ€ LaFleur said of Tom. โ€œNot to mention heโ€™s battled through some adversity battling through surgery this offseason. To be able to bounceโ€ฆ

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Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, BRA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni during the first half against the Green Bay Packers at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles were dealt some major uncertainty ahead of Sundayโ€™s NFC Wild Card clash against the Packers, during the teamโ€™s final practice on Friday afternoon. While Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts officially cleared the concussion protocol and is on track to make his first start since Week 16 on Sunday afternoon, and dynamic wide receiver A.J. Brown returned to practice, one of Hurtsโ€™ most prolific weapons seemed to suffer a setback. Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith didnโ€™t practice on Friday, due to back tightness, which calls his ability to play Sunday into question. Smith has been one of the Eaglesโ€™โ€ฆ

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Jan 5, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

If the Green Bay Packers are looking to add an electrifying playmaking wide receiver to quarterback Jordan Loveโ€™s supporting cast, general manager Brian Gutekunst may be able to turn to a familiar face to boost the offense. Former Packers All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams is coming offย and could be looking for a new home this offseason. Friday, in an appearance on the Up and Adams show, Adams didnโ€™t just crack open a possible Packers reunion, he practically kicked down the door. โ€œYou know, you canโ€™t rule anything out,โ€ the Jets wide receiver said when Kay Adams asked if he wouldโ€ฆ

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Green Bay Packers, Dontayvion Wicks,

The Green Bay Packersโ€™ offense, and the passing game in particular, was dealt a significant blow when playmaking wide receiver Christian Watson was lost for the season with a torn ACL during Sundayโ€™s 27-25 heartbreaking Week 18 loss to the Chicago Bears. While the Packersโ€™ wide receiving corps has adopted a next-man-up mentality for the better part of two seasons, with the likes of Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Romeo Doubs, each seemingly alternating as quarterback Jordan Loveโ€™s favorite target, the loss of Watson this postseasonโ€“and beyond, could prove significant. After all, Watson caught 29 passes for a career-high 620โ€ฆ

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