By Week 15 in the NFL, teams usually know who they are. The identity is set, the strengths are clear, and if you’re still in the playoff hunt, it’s about sharpening what already works. For the Green Bay Packers, winners of three straight and fresh off another convincing win over a division rival, their blueprint is starting to look tailor-made for cold-weather playoff football at Lambeau Field.
Let’s start with the ground game - and Josh Jacobs is the hammer in that operation. On a pivotal 3rd-and-1 against the Bears, Jacobs didn’t just move the chains - he bulldozed through four defenders en route to a 21-yard gain that flipped the field and the momentum.
A few plays later, he punched in the go-ahead touchdown from two yards out, capping off a drive that felt like a statement: this is how you win in December. Pair Jacobs with the physicality of Emmanuel Wilson, and you’ve got a backfield that’s built for the elements.
These aren’t backs you want to tackle when it’s 25 degrees and dropping.
But the Packers’ resurgence isn’t just about running the ball. It’s about Jordan Love stepping into the spotlight and owning it.
Since taking over full-time in Week 11 of last season, Love has been lights out. Green Bay is 14-5 in that stretch, and Love’s numbers are eye-popping: 34 touchdowns, just two interceptions, and a 110.5 passer rating - the best in NFL history over that span.
He’s not just managing games; he’s elevating the offense. Just look at the 45-yard dime he dropped to Bo Melton on Sunday - a frozen-rope touchdown in freezing temps.
Love doesn’t just survive the cold; he thrives in it.
And then there’s the defense - fast, physical, and relentless. The pass rush has been a constant threat since Micah Parsons came to town, and the Packers are now a top-five unit in total yards allowed.
Jeff Hafley’s group is built for the grind of playoff football. Rookie standouts like Edgerrin Cooper, Javon Bullard, and Evan Williams have brought fresh energy, and the entire defense swarms to the ball like they’re chasing something more than just tackles.
They rank ninth in rushing yards allowed per game, and with a disruptive force like Parsons up front, quarterbacks are rarely comfortable in the pocket.
This isn’t just a defense that bends and breaks - it’s one that hits, hurries, and hunts.
Historically, Lambeau Field has been painted as a fortress in the playoffs. But the numbers tell a more complicated story.
Since 2000, the Packers are just 8-7 at home in the postseason - 9-7 if you count the Super Bowl XLV run, even though none of those wins came at Lambeau. And while Green Bay has collected eight combined wins in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds since then, the one thing that’s eluded them?
An NFC Championship win at home.
The mystique of Lambeau in January took some hits in the 2010s and early 2020s. Losses to the Buccaneers in 2020, and the 49ers in both 2014 and 2021, raised questions about whether the cold still gave Green Bay an edge.
In those games, the Packers often lacked a consistent run game, the defense bent until it broke, and the offense stalled when the moment demanded more. The higher seed looked like the underdog - and the home field felt more like pressure than advantage.
But this 2025 Packers team? They’re different.
They don’t flinch when the game gets tight - they lean in. Whether it’s a clutch third-down throw to Dontayvion Wicks or a game-sealing interception by Keisean Nixon, this group shows up when it matters.
They’re young, yes. But that youth brings a certain fearlessness - a looseness that can be dangerous when paired with talent.
With the NFC’s top seed still in play and the division title within reach, Green Bay is in position to reclaim Lambeau’s reputation as a postseason stronghold. The cold?
That’s just part of the advantage. The real threat is a team that’s built to win in it - physically, mentally, and stylistically.
As the temperatures drop and the playoff picture heats up, there’s something fitting about the Packers pushing for home-field advantage. December football in Green Bay has always carried a certain magic - and this team looks ready to bring it back.