Packer Central

Here Are Three Ways Packers Could Clinch Playoff Berth This Week

With a 10-4 record, it’s a matter of if, not when, the Green Bay Packers will wrap up a playoff spot. That could happen on Sunday.

Bill Huber

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur has the team on the cusp of the playoffs.
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur has the team on the cusp of the playoffs. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers could clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs about 24 hours before they play the New Orleans Saints on Monday night.

The Packers have three paths to wrapping up a playoff spot this week. The most straight forward would be beating the Saints (5-9).

The Saints will be without their veteran starting quarterback, Derek Carr, and might not have premier running back Alvin Kamara, either.

They fired coach Dennis Allen after a seven-game losing streak. Under interim coach Darren Rizzi, they are 3-2. They lost by one point at home against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

The Packers are 13.5-point favorites.

There are two ways in which the Packers could gain entry into the NFC bracket on Sunday, though. Neither are realistic, though, since both would require the Falcons (7-7) losing or tying at home to the New York Giants (2-12; nine-game losing streak).

The other domino that would have to fall Green Bay’s way: A loss or tie by the Los Angeles Rams (8-6) at the New York Jets or a loss or tie by the Seattle Seahawks (8-6) at home against the Minnesota Vikings (12-2).

So, the Packers’ easiest path to the postseason would be taking care of business against the Saints.

And that’s all that coach Matt LaFleur cares about.

“I’m not even worried about playoffs. Not worried about it,” he said on Tuesday. “I’m worried about us continuing to get better, staying in the moment, focusing on what’s right in front of us, and it’s by attacking our practices the right way and just building our habits. It’s all about how we improve throughout this process, and whatever happens, happens.”

Three NFC teams – the Detroit Lions (12-2), Minnesota Vikings (12-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) – clinched playoff berths last week.

In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills (11-3) have clinched the AFC East, the Houston Texans (9-5) have won the AFC South and the Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) have locked up the AFC West, and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) have earned a playoff spot.

This Week’s NFC Playoff-Clinching Scenarios

Green Bay Packers (10-4) 

vs. New Orleans Saints (5-9); Monday, 7:15 p.m.

Green Bay clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. GB win or tie
  2. ATL loss or tie + LAR loss or tie
  3. ATL loss or tie + SEA loss or tie

Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) 

at Washington Commanders (9-5); Sunday, noon

Philadelphia clinches NFC East division title with:

  1. PHI win or tie

Washington Commanders (9-5) 

vs. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2); Sunday, noon

Washington clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. WAS win + ATL loss or tie + LAR loss or tie
  2. WAS win + ATL loss or tie + SEA loss or tie
  3. WAS tie + ATL loss + ARI loss or tie + LAR loss or tie + SEA loss or tie (as long as LAR and SEA both don't tie)

This Week’s AFC Playoff-Clinching Scenarios

Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) 

vs. Houston Texans (9-5); Saturday, noon

Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

  1. KC win + BUF loss or tie
  2. KC tie + BUF loss

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) 

at Baltimore Ravens (9-5); Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:

  1. PIT win

Baltimore Ravens (9-5) 

vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4); Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Baltimore clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. BAL win or tie
  2. MIA loss or tie + IND loss or tie

Denver Broncos (9-5) 

at Los Angeles Chargers (8-6); Thursday, 7:15 p.m.

Denver clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. DEN win or tie
  2. MIA loss or tie + CIN loss or tie + IND loss or tie

Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) 

vs. Denver Broncos (9-5); Thursday, 7:15 p.m.

Los Angeles clinches a playoff berth with:

  1. LAC win + MIA loss or tie + IND loss or tie
  2. LAC tie + MIA loss + IND loss + CIN loss or tie

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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.