Welcome to Week 16. With three games to play, the Green Bay Packers are sitting at 6-8 but still have a realistic chance of making the postseason. It will likely require winning out (beginning on Christmas Day against the Dolphins) and getting some help, but the outcomes necessary are certainly within the realm of possibility.
OK, so the Packers are alive. What’s the simplest path to the postseason for Matt LaFleur’s team?
Here it is:
– Packers win at Dolphins, vs. Vikings and vs. Lions
– Commanders lose two of three games (at 49ers, vs. Browns, vs. Cowboys)
– Seahawks lose one game (at Chiefs, vs. Jets, vs. Rams)
– Lions lose one game other than Week 18 (at Panthers, vs. Bears)
In this scenario, the Packers avoid any funky tiebreakers scenarios with the Lions if both teams end 9-8. It may not be necessary by the end of Week 18, but a second loss for the Lions ensures without any doubt that this scenario clinches a playoff spot for the Packers.
Not bad, right? This is what Aaron Rodgers meant when he said things were starting to look up for his team.
The Packers have to play three teams fighting for playoff positioning, so winning out might be the most difficult part of the equation. The help looks possible, if not likely. The Packers could get a bunch of help on Christmas Eve when the Commanders go on the road to play the 49ers and the Seahawks go on the road to play the Chiefs. Losses in each game would take care of two of the four results required to clear the path for the Packers.
What do you think? Are the Packers going to make a run and make this final three-game stretch interesting?
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