Packers mathematically alive in playoff race, what must happen to get in?
By Paul Bretl
Sitting at 4-6-1 through Week 12 in the NFL season is not what most had expected from the Green Bay Packers this year. Although their chances of making the playoffs are dwindling, mathematically there is still a scenario that could land the Packers a postseason berth.
The Green Bay Packers have been underwhelming and disappointing on the football field this season, and talk of the playoffs is all but a distant memory.
According to ESPN, the Packers have just a 13 percent chance to make the playoffs at this point.
After Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Aaron Rodgers summed it up pretty well what would need to happen for Green Bay to make the playoffs.
"We just gotta go back home, get some rest, beat Arizona, and then come back and beat Atlanta. Then go to Chicago, a place we’ve won a number of times, beat them. Go to New York around Christmas, beat them. And then come home against Detroit, beat them.” Aaron Rodgers
— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) November 26, 2018
Other than the obvious of winning out, the Packers are going to need some help from other teams around the NFL.
Below are five potential outcomes and for the Packers to make the playoffs. Four of the five must happen.
Philadelphia Eagles: Lose 1 game
It would definitely appear that the Eagles are suffering from a Super Bowl hangover in 2018. Their offense is nowhere near as explosive as it was last season and some of that could be attributed to losing offensive coordinator Frank Reich.
On the schedule, Philly still has to travel to L.A. to face the Rams and still has some difficult divisional games left.
Carolina Panthers: Lose 2 games
Other than their Super Bowl appearance a few years back, this Panthers team has been difficult to get a feel for. Games you think they’ll win, they lose and vice versa.
Carolina still has to play the New Orleans Saints twice, however one of those matchups comes in Week 17 and depending on the landscape of the NFC, the Saints may not have much to play for at that point while the Panthers could have everything.
Washington Redskins: Lose 2 games
A few weeks ago this task would have seemed much tougher, but with the loss of quarterback Alex Smith, it is hard to imagine that backup Colt McCoy is going to lead this team to an above .500 record in the final five games.
Especially with three of their final five games on the road and three of their opponents are divisional, where the teams in the NFC East have taken turns beating up on each other this season.
Seattle Seahawks: Lose 2 games
The remaining schedule for the Seahawks is one that falls in their favor. Seattle still has to play the San Francisco 49ers twice and has a game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The potential losses for Seattle could appear against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings. However both of those games will be played at CenturyLink Field.
Minnesota Vikings: Lose 3 games
As the season begins to wind down, the Vikings are going to have one of the more difficult stretches in the NFL.
Minnesota has to still travel to New England, Seattle and Detroit, with home games against Chicago and Miami. This is not the same Vikings team that got hot in 2017 and with their remaining games, losing three of the final five is not out of the question.
There are so many things that need to happen for the Packers because Washington, Seattle and Minnesota all hold the tiebreaker over them.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle is going to be the Packers winning out because up to this point we have seen very few reasons to believe that they could even pull that off. But if there is going to be a time for Green Bay to start clicking it could be now as they are favored in four of their final five games.
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Although it appears highly unlikely that the Green Bay Packers can make the playoffs, if you hold a glimmer of hope, you now know what must take place.