Week 12 kicked off with a Thursday night matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. However, for Green Bay Packers fans, all eyes are on Sunday's game against one of the team's most dreaded foes, the San Francisco 49ers.
Much like the team and coaching staff, I rewatched the Packers-Bears game from last Sunday to see what Green Bay can take into Sunday's huge showdown.
So, in this week's "After Further Review," we look at the biggest lessons the Packers can learn and carry into this week's game.
What can the Packers learn from their Week 11 win over the Chicago Bears?
1. Get the tight ends involved early and often
Green Bay came up just short against the 49ers in the playoffs, a painful reality that has happened too often for Packers fans. In that game, Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft each had three catches, including a touchdown for Kraft. Ben Sims also hauled in a catch for four yards.
READ MORE: Aaron Rodgers' next team has become painfully obvious for Packers fans
Last Sunday, Kraft was the only tight end with a target, which went over his head and was intercepted by Terell Smith. This was Kraft's only target in the game, although targets were hard to come by, as Jordan Love only threw 17 times. Getting Kraft and Sims involved early will only help open the field up for the offense.
2. Take the points
One of the biggest gripes of the Packers' performance last Sunday was Matt LaFleur's decision to go for a 4th-and-goal from the 6-yard line. Love scrambled on the play, making it to the 1-yard line, ultimately falling short and giving Chicago the ball. Those three points did not come back to hurt the Packers, thanks to Karl Brooks' blocked kick.
Matt LaFleur defended the decision, citing that possessions were a premium throughout the game, and he was confident that if the offense came up short, the defense would get the job done. In a way, he was right. The Packers had six real possessions (technically seven with the kneel-down before halftime) and reached the red zone in five of those six. They had the turnover on downs and the Love red-zone interception.
Sunday will be a different story. Green Bay cannot waste opportunities and have too many empty possessions. They need to get ahead early. Brandon McManus will need to be ready, and luckily for him, it does not appear that weather should be a drastic factor.
3. Defense needs purpose
The Jeff Hafley defense has had a turbulent first season. Takeaways, specifically interceptions, have been up, thanks in large part to Xavier McKinney. However, the pass rush, aside from the games against Tennessee and Houston, has struggled to make a consistent impact. They have also faced several rushing quarterbacks, such as Jalen Hurts, Anthony Richardson, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams. This changes how you can scheme games.
While Brock Purdy won't necessarily win games with his legs, he is capable. More importantly, Green Bay needs good discipline and gap integrity to have success against San Francisco. Packers fans will remember Saquon Barkley's huge game in Week 1 against this defense. Christian McCaffrey is still finding his footing after missing the first nine games, but Green Bay cannot let this be the breakout game.
As a whole, Hafley's defense has been impressive, as it has stifled teams nearly all season. San Francisco has plenty of offensive firepower and is nearing desperation mode after a slow start due to numerous injuries. The Packers won't need a perfect game to win, but they need a sound, purposeful effort.
4. Let Jordan Love ride momentum
Love is due a clean game. He has gotten close a couple of times, first against Arizona, which included an interception as a result of his receiver falling down. Last week, he made the right decision and just sailed the ball. That said, Love is finally healthy, looking darn near 100 percent against Chicago, which makes him more mobile and able to rely on his full skillset.
It was around this time last year that Love found his footing and limited the interceptions, and last week seemed to be the biggest step in the right direction. If Love can avoid a turnover this week, the Packers should be in a good position to get a big NFC win.