The Green Bay Packers are officially playoff-bound after their dominant victory over the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.
Despite improving to 11-4 on the season, the Packers can't catch the Detroit Lions to win the NFC North, but they have clinched one of the conference's three wild-card berths. They still have an outside shot at securing the No. 5 seed if they can win out and the Minnesota Vikings lose both of their games, but the No. 6 or 7 seed is more likely.
Green Bay will hit the road in the first round of the playoffs to take on a division winner. As things stand, the Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, and Atlanta Falcons lead their respective divisions.
With two games to go, let's take a look at the current playoff matchups.
NFC playoff bracket after Week 16: Packers closing in on rematch with Rams
The Packers defeated an injury-hit Rams team in Week 5, but Sean McVay's team has won eight of its 10 games since then. The two teams could be set for a rematch in the wild-card round.
Here is the updated playoff bracket after Monday Night Football:
- Washington Commanders (7) at Philadelphia Eagles (2)
- Green Bay Packers (6) at Los Angeles Rams (3)
- Minnesota Vikings (5) at Atlanta Falcons (4)
It would be a fun wild-card round. We'd get a divisional rematch between the Commanders and Eagles, another Matt LaFleur-Sean McVay showdown, and a Kirk Cousins versus Minnesota matchup (although Cousins would likely be on the bench).
Packers fans would flood SoFi Stadium and reduce some of the Rams' home-field advantage, but it doesn't take away how big of a challenge that game would be. The last time the two teams played, Los Angeles missed Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. It would be a different story this time, and the Packers would desperately need Jaire Alexander to return.
It would be a fascinating matchup, nonetheless. Since the two teams met in Week 5, they have a combined win-loss record of 16-4. Something has to give.
These matchups are far from set in stone, though. The Packers can still catch the Vikings for the No. 5 seed, but they must win at U.S. Bank Stadium this week and then rely on the Lions to beat Minnesota in Week 18. Green Bay could also fall below Washington for the No. 7 spot.
The most important thing is that Green Bay is officially heading to the postseason for the fifth time in six years under LaFleur.