Packer Central

Updating Packers’ Spot in NFC Playoff Race Before ‘MNF’

The Green Bay Packers will need to sweep their final four games and get some help to squeeze into the 2022 NFL playoffs.

Bill Huber

GREEN BAY, Wis. – There are two three-word phrases for the Green Bay Packers’ longshot playoff hopes. One, is “Just Win, Baby.” The second is “Skol, Vikings, Skol!”

For Green Bay to somehow get into the playoffs, it’s going to have to sweep through it’s final four games, including Monday night’s clash against the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field. Then, it’s going to need some help.

That’s where “Skol, Vikings” comes into play. Sorry, but you’ll have to cheer for the Vikings on Christmas Eve.

The New York Giants scored a huge victory against the Washington Commanders on Sunday night. The Giants improved to 8-5-1 and moved into sixth place in the NFC. The Commanders fell to 7-6-1 and into seventh place. They lead the race for the final two wild-card spots.

The slumping Seattle Seahawks (7-7) and the surging Detroit Lions (7-7) are in hot pursuit of the Commanders. Green Bay (5-8) is trying to stage a late push.

On Saturday, the Giants will play at the Vikings (11-3) before finishing at home against the Indianapolis Colts (4-9-1) and at the Philadelphia Eagles (13-1). Minnesota would do Green Bay a huge favor by knocking off the Giants.

The Commanders’ final games are at the red-hot San Francisco 49ers (10-4) and at home against the Cleveland Browns (6-8) and Dallas Cowboys (10-4).

In theory, the Eagles and Cowboys could provide some help in Week 18 but there’s a chance neither team will have anything to play for, with the Eagles having all but sewed up the No. 1 overall seed and the Cowboys cemented into place as the No. 5.

If Green Bay can knock off the Rams, it would move within one game of the Seahawks and Lions. Seattle plays at the powerhouse Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) on Saturday before closing the season against the New York Jets (7-7) and Rams (4-9). Detroit will play at the Carolina Panthers (5-9) and host the Chicago Bears (3-11) before wrapping up the season at Lambeau. So, those schedules line up for Green Bay.

“It’s very human nature to know that in order for us to get where we want to get, we’ve got to win them all, but I don’t think it’s like the elephant in the room or anything like that,” running back AJ Dillon said.

The best Green Bay can do is finish 9-8, which would require a sweep of the Rams, Miami Dolphins (8-6), Vikings and Lions. To pass New York, the Giants would have to lose their final three. To pass Washington, the Commanders would have to lose two of their final three.

“These guys put so much time and energy into going out there and competing and winning,” coach Matt LaFleur said this week in regard to scoreboard watching. “That’s what this league is all about, that’s what sports are all about is there’s always a winner and there’s a loser. And you work year-round to get into the dance to give yourself an opportunity. Everybody’s goal should be the same at the end of it, so I think we’ve got a long way to go and certainly you just take it one day at a time, one game at a time.”

NFC Wild Card Standings

No. 5: Dallas (10-4)

No. 6: N.Y. Giants (8-5-1)

No. 7: Washington (7-6-1)

No. 8: Seattle (7-7)

No. 9: Detroit (7-7)

No. 10: Green Bay (5-8)

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.

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