Green Bay Packers: Four teams to root for in Week 8
Along with a Green Bay Packers win against the LA Rams on Sunday, these four teams can help the Packers out.
The NFC North couldn’t be much closer right now. While the Green Bay Packers were on bye, the Bears started the weekend in first place but fell all the way to fourth with one loss.
The Packers now enter a tough five-game stretch. While putting up wins is the best way of winning the division, they may also need some help along the way.
Outside of cheering on the Packers this week, here are four teams that can help them out:
New Orleans Saints (at Vikings)
Most weeks it would make sense to want the Saints to lose. The Packers own their 2019 first-round pick, after all. But I think it’s safe to assume this is a playoff team who will finish with a pick at the bottom of the first round.
The draft isn’t the top priority right now, making the playoffs is. And the Saints can help the Packers by defeating the division-leading Vikings in Week 8.
Like Green Bay, Minnesota enters an important five-game stretch on the schedule. This is a very tough game for Mike Zimmer’s team up against the Saints, who have won five in a row.
Following this game the Vikings play each NFC North rival in consecutive games with a bye week in between. They then play at New England.
A loss this week would put the Vikings 4-3-1 ahead of a tough run of games.
Seattle Seahawks (at Lions)
The Lions have quietly pulled themselves back into contention in the NFC North. They have a tough schedule coming up, though, with two games against the Bears and Vikings, and a trip to Lambeau later in the year. But a win here would put them in a healthy position at 3-3.
Seattle can stop Detroit’s momentum with a win. If the Lions fall below .500 ahead of a game at Minnesota next week, things would suddenly look a lot different.
New York Jets (at Bears)
New York couldn’t help Green Bay out last week against Minnesota, but the Jets get another opportunity against the Bears, who have lost their past two games.
Khalil Mack is questionable for the Bears. If he’s out or limited in this game, Chicago’s defense won’t be quite as dominant as we’ve seen at times this year.
The Bears will be expected to win at Soldier Field, but a second straight home defeat would hurt their playoff chances.
Baltimore Ravens (at Panthers)
If the season ended today the Packers would enter the playoffs with the sixth seed. One spot above them would be the Panthers, who defeated the Super Bowl champions on the road last week.
A Justin Tucker missed extra point cost Baltimore a chance to tie the game against New Orleans last week, but the Ravens defense is talented enough to lead them to victory on the road here.
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It’s too early to think about the playoffs, but the Panthers look like serious contenders in the NFC. If an AFC team can give them a loss, it can only help the Packers.