Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the Green Bay Packers would already be holding a playoff spot. Just last week, I wrote that the Packers would need some help. Well, they received all the help they needed this week. The Packers hold the final wildcard spot if the season ends today. How did the Packers get to this point, and what do they need to do to ensure they punch their ticket to the playoffs?
Green Bay Packers Playoff Picture
Week 13
Just about everything that needed to fall the Packers way did. Here is a list of things that went the Packers way:
- Seahawks loss to the Cowboys. The Packers hold the 7th spot over Seattle due to a divisional record.
- Lions Defeat the Saints. The Packers hold the Tiebreaker over the Saints, but any help that the Falcons can get to win the NFC South outright is essential.
- The Falcons beat the Jets. The Packers wouldn’t own a tiebreaker against the Falcons as long as they win the conference that helps the Packers.
- The Packers beat the Chiefs. This is a huge win that most people didn’t think the Packers were capable of. This gave the Packers the 7th spot in the NFC wildcard.
What Didn’t Go the Packers Way
- Rams beat down the Browns. The Packers own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Rams. It’s not the end of the world. The Rams have a difficult five-game stretch ahead.
- Buccaneers beat the Panthers. The Packers will have a chance to play the Buccaneers and own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Either way, we are still rooting for the Falcons to win outright.
Week 14
Looking forward to week 14; there are a lot of big games for the NFC playoff picture. Here are the outcomes we should be rooting for:
- Falcons over Buccaneers. This should be a deciding game for the NFC South Champs. Sorry for being redundant, but we would prefer the Falcons win. With the win over the Chiefs, the Pack have put themselves in the driver’s seat. Even if the Buccaneers were to win, the Packers would still have to play them, giving them the inside track.
- San Francisco over Seattle. The more that the Niners run away with the NFC West, the better. San Francisco is trying to catch Philly in the NFC one-seed race. If the Seahawks are in the way of that, so be it.
A Few Long Shots
- Bears over Lions. I know it’s a long shot, but Kesean Nixon said it himself. The Packers can achieve anything they set their minds to….. with some help. If the Lions were to lose four of their remaining five games, they would finish 10-7. If the Packers were to win four of their remaining five games, they would be 10-7. The Tiebreaker would come down to the divisional record. If the Lions lost all three of their remaining division games, they would be 2-4 in the division, and the Packers would need to beat the Bears and Vikings to finish 4-2. That would give the NFC North to the Packers. However, if the Packers could “run the table,” they would finish with 11 wins and take the NFC North outright.
- Panthers over Saints. The Panthers seemed geared up to give the Bears the number one overall pick. This is the NFL, though; tanking isn’t an option. This season, tanking really doesn’t help them anyway since they don’t even have the pick they would benefit from the most. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Panthers got it together for one game to help the Falcons win the South.
A Little Help From the AFC
- Ravens over Rams. The more games the Rams lose down the stretch, the better. The 49ers should be in contention for the one seed after that statement win over the Eagles. The Rams are playing for a wildcard spot now, and the fewer teams in the mix is better for the Packers. With that being said, the Packers own the tiebreaker.
- Raiders over Vikings. For the dream scenario with the Lions to happen, the Vikings need to lose this game. Parts of the Lions losing four games would mean losing two to the Vikings. The Vikings would need to lose to everyone else, which right now is the Raiders and the Burrow-less Bengals. Any time a divisional opponent plays an AFC team, you want them to lose.
Green Bay Packers Monday Night Against the Giants
The Last and most important thing the Green Bay Packers need to go their way is to take care of business against the Giants. The Packers have an opportunity to control their destiny. If they can take care of business from here on out, they will make the Playoffs—something most people didn’t give the Packers a chance at early in the year. William Shakespeare said this about destiny, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
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