The Green Bay Packers will know their first playoff opponents by the end of Sunday.
Saturday was all about the AFC and potentially Tom Brady‘s final game with the New England Patriots. Sunday’s games turn the attention to the NFC, and both games are potentially of interest to the Packers.
Green Bay, the NFC’s number two seed, will await the winners with interest to see who it will be hosting in the divisional round next Sunday night.
Four teams will compete for a spot in the divisional round and a game either with the Packers or San Francisco 49ers. One of those teams, the Minnesota Vikings, can’t meet Green Bay in the next round. If they upset the New Orleans Saints today, they’ll go onto Levi’s Stadium next weekend.
Should the Saints get the job done at home, they will be Green Bay’s opponents at Lambeau Field a week from now. That is the most likely scenario.
As the No. 2 seed, Green Bay will play the highest remaining seed in the next round.
The Saints-Vikings game is first on Sunday afternoon. But if the Vikings win, the Packers will await the winners of the second game between the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles.
Either of the three potential opponents in the next round — the Saints, Seahawks and Eagles — would all present a tough challenge for Matt LaFleur’s team. The Packers will need to be prepared and ready.
Taking on the 9-7 Eagles might seem like the most favorable option, which it would, but they are the only road team to pick up a victory at Lambeau Field this season. The Packers would need to play a lot better defensively than they did in that game to avoid the same result.
Which team are you hoping the Packers play in the divisional round next week? Leave a comment with your thoughts below.