This season’s Packers team may take ten years off all of our lives. Nothing is ever easy. There’s always drama. Sunday’s 33-30 victory at Carolina was no exception.

Still, if winning is all that matters, the Packers won the game. They’re 7-8 and still have a chance for the playoffs. Not many would have expected that in the offseason, or when the Packers started 2-5.

The most important factor in that surge is the development of Jordan Love. He has proven he is not only their quarterback of the present, he’s their quarterback of the future.

If that was the biggest question the Packers needed an answer to this season, consider it answered. Love is a leader who has the respect of his teammates and keeps his cool under pressure. In addition to the obvious physical skills required of a quarterback, those two attributes are huge in my book. He’s not perfect, but his improvement has helped lift the Packers.

I don’t agree with every call Matt LaFleur makes. Still, I have to give him credit for holding the Packers together. Last week was a turbulent one in Green Bay. Questions about Joe Barry’s status (no doubt to be revisited in the offseason) and De’Vondre Campbell’s tweet suggested a team in turmoil. LaFleur calmed the waters enough for the Packers to come out and get a win.

With two weeks left in the regular season, the playoffs are still possible for a young Packers team that has had to overcome injuries to some of their best players.

That, in itself, is a great Christmas gift for their fans.