When Mike McCarthy left Green Bay in 2018, the feeling around his work couldn't be much worse. He was seen as an outdated offensive mind, a head coach that wouldn't do anything without an elite quarterback. If you are a Packers fan, can you remember the feeling after that loss to Josh Rosen’s Arizona Cardinals five years ago?

Half a decade later, the Green Bay Packers also moved on. They decided it was time to move on from Aaron Rodgers, their legendary, future Hall of Fame quarterback. Isn't it funny how similar the queries were?

Both the head coach and the franchise had the answer to a big question: could they be successful after Aaron Rodgers?

Over the 2023 season, both sides have done exactly that. McCarthy reached his third 12-win season for the Dallas Cowboys, getting the NFC East championship and the second seed in the conference.

The Packers got a great overall performance by Rodgers' successor, Jordan Love, and from an incredibly young offense.

Now, their paths will cross again.

How it happened

The Philadelphia Eagles led the NFC East by most of the season, leaving the Cowboys behind with the fifth seed. But a late-season decline in Philly allowed the McCarthy's led Dallas team to win the division. A win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday clinched the title.

Meanwhile, the Packers were close to the sixth seed. The Los Angeles Rams spent most of the game behind the San Francisco 49ers, which would have put the Packers on their way to Detroit in the wild card round.

But some things are meant to happen.

As much as it will be significant for Matthew Stafford to play against the Lions, it will be beautiful to see how Mike McCarthy and the Packers have rebuilt themselves.

And now, in Dallas, it's time for a big showdown.

What's at stake

Don't get it wrong, the game next week is much more important for the Cowboys. Even with three relatively successful regular seasons ahead of the team, McCarthy is yet to have a successful playoff campaign. And he needs that to solidify his job in Dallas.

The Packers are in year 1 of a rebuild, and making the playoffs was probably more than they could have anticipated. That goes both ways, however. The Packers are a talented team, without any pressure left. They are playing with house money.

Living in the environment of a playoff game is an extremely important experience for the Packers young guys, and that's the most relevant aspect of their win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Now, it's time to enjoy the ride. And it's just right that it includes a matchup against the most recent Super Bowl winning head coach in Packers history.

Jordan Love is the big reason why the Packers are here

Green Bay beat Chicago 17-9