GREEN BAY, Wis. — Welcome to the playoffs, Jordan Love. What seemed like a long shot less than a month ago — a 27% chance, to be exact, after the Week 15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — turned into a sure thing when the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 17-9 in Sunday's regular-season finale at Lambeau Field.
Love pulled off something that neither Brett Favre nor Aaron Rodgers could manage: He led the Packers to a playoff berth in his first season as the full-time starting quarterback.
It wasn't until Year 2 as the starter that Favre and Rodgers led the Packers to the playoffs. As a wild-card team, the Packers (9-8) will hit the road for their first playoff game.
This from a team that at one point had lost four straight to fall to 2-5. Green Bay was in this same position last year — win in Week 18 and get in — and lost at home to the Lions in what turned out to be Rodgers' final game with the Packers.