Packers: Three teams to root for in Week 16 to secure top seed

Who can help the Packers in Week 16?

The Green Bay Packers got some of the help they needed in Week 15.

And with their victory over the Carolina Panthers, they are now closing in on the number one seed in the conference.

Green Bay can secure home-field advantage in the postseason by itself without the help of others. A win in Week 17 versus the Chicago Bears is all that is required. However, with some help, the job can be accomplished this week.

With that in mind, here are three teams that can help them in Week 16:

1. Los Angeles Rams (at Seahawks)

This is the big one if the Packers are to wrap up the number one seed this week.

Last week, we wanted the Rams to lose. And thank you very much Sean McVay for hearing us out and losing your game against the New York Jets. We now need a Rams victory. If they defeat the Seahawks and the Packers beat the Tennessee Titans, the race for the top seed will be over and the playoffs will run through Green Bay.

It’s that simple. Go Rams!

2. Minnesota Vikings (at Saints)

While that’s all well and good, let’s not forget there is still a scenario in which the Packers don’t win in Week 17 against the Bears and would need some help along the way.

If Green Bay loses to Chicago, it could fall as low as the third seed even if it defeats Tennessee this week.

So it makes sense to continue to root against the Saints. While the Packers’ playoff seeding is in their own hands, it wouldn’t hurt for the Saints to lose anyway. Even if Green Bay wins and secures the top seed, it would be helpful for New Orleans to lose some momentum entering the postseason.

And I also wouldn’t worry too much about the Vikings making the playoffs. They need a miracle to earn a wild-card berth.

3. Detroit Lions (vs. Buccaneers)

OK, this game is highly unlikely to have much of an impact on the Packers’ seeding. But it still technically could, so we’ll include it.

FiveThirtyEight gives the Buccaneers a less-than-one-percent chance of earning the number one seed. They would need a combination of results to fall their way including the Packers, Saints, and Seahawks all losing out.

But while it’s still a possibility — even if only the smallest of percentages — we should root against them.

And, again, with the Bucs likely to be a wild-card team, entering the playoffs with a recent loss to their name wouldn’t be a bad thing.