What a difference a week makes.
A week ago, Packers fans were celebrating another come from behind touchdown drive by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, on an end of the game laser pass to Davante Adams in the end zone at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
This week, fans held their breath as Aaron Rodgers was driven into the field turf at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis by Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr.
This time, he didn't get up.
As Rodgers lay on the turf, players-and fans-harkened back to the 2013 season, when Rodgers broke his collarbone in a Lambeau Field game against the Bears, sitting out a large portion of the season.
Even the team was quick to point out this was serious, something they typically don't do.
QB Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone. There's a chance he could miss the rest of the season.
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 15, 2017
Before the injury, Rodgers was on his way to an MVP type year, and the Packers were clearly one of the best teams in the NFC.
But six weeks into the 2017 NFL regular season schedule, both the top defensive player, J.J. Watt, and arguably the top quarterback in the league, were lost. In Rodgers case, with only a slight chance for an end of the season return.
As high as fan expectations for the 2017 team were, it clearly reinforced why seizing the opportunities when they are in front of you are so important, especially on a team where one player drives so much of the story.
Tough playoff losses in the seasons since the Packers won Super Bowl XLV in Arlington have demonstrated why every game, every season is critical.
Rodgers himself seemed to sense this was a year where things seemed to be coming together.
For fans, the wait until next season mantra has become a bit of an irritant, with sloppy defensive play, an over abundance of injuries, and some horrific playoff losses (remember Seattle?) forcing them to ask the same question every off-season they asked about Brett Favre.
Will the Packers get back to the Super Bowl?
Aaron Rodgers is a future Hall of Fame quarterback. He's also a player who deserves a better supporting cast. Even the fans were concerned when they looked at the starting offensive line and said “who are these guys?”
Injuries happen, and as the voice of the Packers Wayne Larivee has said, with NFL players being “bigger, faster, stronger” it's not surprising that great players get injured.
This week will tell us whether or not Packers fans will be facing a long season of games led by a quarterback with very little game experience, or one where Aaron Rodgers will return just in time to salvage something out of a season that a week ago held so much promise.