Who will the Packers play if they reach the playoffs?
If the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions tonight, they will clinch the NFC’s seventh seed.
It would mean they take on the second seed on the road in next week’s wild-card round. But which team would they face?
Entering Week 18, there were four possible opponents for the wild-card round.
Now we know that, should the Packers defeat the Lions on Sunday Night Football, they will take on the San Francisco 49ers on the road next week.
The 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. They would’ve overtaken the Philadelphia Eagles for the first seed had Philadelphia lost. But the Eagles got the job done against the New York Giants.
The only seed yet to be determined is the seventh seed. Here is the current NFC seeding in the playoffs:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- San Francisco 49ers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
- To be determined
A matchup with the Niners is about as tough as it gets.
The 49ers have one of the most balanced rosters in the entire league, and they are red-hot entering the playoffs. They will reach the postseason having won their past 10 games. They went from 3-4 to 12-4.
The 49ers went into Lambeau Field a year ago and eliminated the top-seed Packers. Could Matt LaFleur’s team get a little revenge with the roles reversed this season?
Perhaps.
But first, Green Bay must get past a talented Detroit team that will be desperate to get a victory at Lambeau Field. The Lions have won seven of their previous nine games.
So, how about this for a path to the Super Bowl?
The Packers must defeat the Lions tonight. Win that, and they visit the 49ers on the road in the wild-card round. Win again, and they meet the Eagles in the divisional round. Win that, and they would visit one of the Vikings, Buccaneers, Cowboys, or Giants in the NFC title game.