We’ve all endured the gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands over opportunities missed, dropped passes, wasted red zone trips and would-be interceptions. Now, things are about to really get serious.

There are seven games left to be played in the Packers’ season, and five of those are NFC North Division games. Included in that are three of those division games in a row, starting Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern (noon Lambeau time) against the Minnesota Vikings. Shuffled in there are Week 15 and Week 17 non-division games against the surging Denver Broncos and the always-dangerous Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens, respectively.

One might call it a gauntlet. So, buckle up.

Moreover, the longtime doormats Chicago Bears are heading into this stretch at 7-3 and looking like a real challenge, even if their wins have often been fluky. They are no longer the pushovers of the past. The Packers have questions to be answered sooner rather than later, and there’s no more time for anticipation. The roller coaster is about to climb the final hill of the ride.

Fortunately for Packers fans, it appears that Jayden Reed may finally return from his shoulder injury soon, returning to the lineup a big weapon for the offense. And it’s been good to see that apparently running back Josh Jacobs’ knee injury is little more than a bad bruise. If the 2025 version of Jordan Love’s annual Toyotathon surge is taking off – it sure started to look that way on Sunday, never mind all the dropped passes – the Pack might be in a good spot to make a run. (Don’t talk to me about Tucker Kraft – I’m still in mourning.)

So, it all starts Sunday. J.J. McCarthy, Justin Jefferson and company come to town off a two-game losing streak to the Bears and Ravens, having previously beaten the much-revered (but beatable) Detroit Lions. This is a game the Packers should win.

The following Sunday, the Packers travel to Detroit to take on those Lions, which they defeated in fine fashion in Week 1, 27-13. But those were different times, and that was a different Packers team. That’s back when the narrative began to bubble that Green Bay might be fielding a powerhouse this season, fresh off the signing of Micah Parsons and with a healthy squad that had auspicious offensive line depth (or so we thought).

Then we kick off a three-game stretch wherein the Packers play the Bears twice. Thanks for that, NFL schedule makers. In years past, Packers fans might have gone ahead and checked off a couple of wins. That no longer seems to be the case. (And doesn’t it feel strange that Chicago sits in first place in the division? Life is weird.)

And following the two non-division matchups, we wrap up the season in the bane of birds, U.S. Bank Stadium, against the rival Vikings. The Packers are currently 6-3-1. This final game could very well be Green Bay’s last shot to secure a playoff spot. Or, the team could be looking to lock up a top seed. 

Or, and I hate to put this into the universe, they could simply be playing out the string, having whiffed on the playoffs completely. It’s just that wide open at the moment. Such is life in the NFL, especially in a season when there seem to be no layups. (Heck, we all watched the Buffalo Bills wet their pants against the then 5-5 Houston Texans last night.)

So I’ll say it again: Buckle up. Keep your hands inside the car at all times. It’s going to be a wild ride.