‘Things Are Looking Up’ for Packers in NFC Playoff Race After Beating Rams
GREEN BAY, Wis. – When Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told fans to “Relax” after a slow start to the 2014 season, it became a seminal moment in a season that reached the NFC Championship Game.
When Rodgers said the Packers could run the table in 2016, it became a rallying cry for a team that finished the regular season with six consecutive wins to reach another NFC title game.
What Rodgers said after Monday night’s victory over the Los Angeles Rams won’t be printed on T-shirts or used for inspirational messaging.
“Things are looking up,” Rodgers said after the Packers improved to 6-8 and clung to their slim playoff hopes by beating the Rams 24-12.
“Three now,” Rodgers said of how many games remain in a potential Run the Table 2.0. “We’ve got two. We’ve got two in the bag. Look, before the Bears week, we knew we had a bye afterward, and those of us who sometimes peek ahead knew we had to win five and have a lot of things go our way. We’ve won two and just about everything we’ve needed to happen has gone our way. Just about. So, things are looking up.”
Rodgers can’t get too bold with his messaging. First and foremost, time isn’t on his team’s side. There are only three games remaining to close the game-and-a-half-game gap separating the 10th-place Packers and the seventh-place Washington Commanders, who own the final spot in the playoffs with their 7-6-1 record.
The schedule isn’t on Green Bay’s side, either.
The Packers finish the season at the Miami Dolphins (8-6) on Christmas before home games against the Minnesota Vikings (11-3) and Detroit Lions (7-7).
The Dolphins desperately need a win after getting swept on a three-game road trip to the 49ers, Chargers and Bills. Having lost at rival Buffalo on Saturday, they’ll have a two-day rest advantage. The Vikings need to win to stay ahead of the 49ers in the race for the No. 2 seed. They’ll have an additional rest day before facing Green Bay. The Lions, winners of six of their last seven, might need a victory to get in the playoffs.
“I do. I do,” Rodgers said when asked if he believes the team can run the table. “Now we’re going to play three better football teams [than the Rams], but I do. Definitely.”
The Commanders close their season at the San Francisco 49ers (10-4), home against the Cleveland Browns (6-8) and home against the Dallas Cowboys (10-4). While the 49ers, with their dominating defense, are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, the Cowboys almost certainly will have the No. 1 wild-card spot locked up and might be resting their key players for the finale. So, the Packers could be counting on Mike McCarthy’s backups.
“I don’t even want to talk like that, to be honest with you,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think you’ve got to keep the focus on what’s right in front of you. Certainly, if you look at the totality of it, all three teams are really good football teams, so I don’t want to get too far in front of ourselves and just want to be the best we can be each and every day, each and every game, and that starts with Miami.”
Green Bay has righted the ship a bit by beating Chicago and Los Angeles in its last two games. But, in the NFC standings, the Bears are 16th out of 16 teams and the Rams are 15th. Green Bay’s strength of victory of .393 is the lowest of the 10 teams with at least six wins.
The Packers are 1-6 against teams with winning records – a victory over the Cowboys but losses to the Vikings, Giants, Commanders, Bills, Titans and Eagles.
There is no denying that Green Bay is playing better but it will have to raise its level of play another couple notches to get to nine wins.
“They’re all good football teams,” Rodgers said of the remaining schedule. “Miami’s playing for the playoffs. Minnesota’s obviously division winners and coming off a big win. Detroit’s won six out of seven. They’re playing really well.
“So, it’s going to be three difficult games. Two of them are at home against dome teams. It’ll be January for those two. We’ve notoriously been pretty good in those games over the years. So, this one (at Miami) is really important because it’s on the road. They, obviously, have a really high-powered offense. They’ve been a little up and down the last few weeks. Maybe we’re catching them at a good time.”
Here’s a look at the updated playoff standings.
No. 5: Dallas (10-4)
No. 6: N.Y. Giants (8-5-1)
No. 7: Washington (7-6-1)
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No. 8: Seattle (7-7)
No. 9: Detroit (7-7)
No. 10: Green Bay (6-8)
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