What’s Point of Winning? Updating NFC Playoff Chase, NFL Draft Race

Given their long-shot playoff hopes, wouldn't the Green Bay Packers be better off losing their final games?

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Dec 6, 2022 12:36 PM EST

In this story:

GREEN BAY, Wis. – On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers tasted the thrill of victory by rallying past the Chicago Bears. Nonetheless, with a 5-8 record, the team’s playoff hopes rest on a razor’s edge. Even in the unlikely event the Packers return from their bye and win their remaining four games, a 9-8 record might not be good enough to get into the playoffs.

So, why bother? In the grand scheme of things, what’s the point of winning these games?

Wouldn’t the team be better off playing their young players to get them meaningful snaps? And, as a byproduct of giving some of Aaron Jones’ snaps to Tyler Goodson, Kenny Clark’s snaps to Devonte Wyatt and Adrian Amos’ snaps to Tariq Carpenter, collecting as many losses as possible to get the best draft picks possible?

“I think it’s a culture thing. I think winning’s a culture thing,” general manager Brian Gutekunst responded on Monday. “I don’t think we ever roll out there on a Sunday – or Monday, Thursday or whatever it is nowadays – without the intention of winning. This place has a long history. Accomplishing that winningest franchise of all-time was kind of cool yesterday, and rightly so. I just think that’s what this place has always been about and, at least while I’m here, it’s always going to be.”

With Green Bay winning at Chicago and Atlanta falling at home to Pittsburgh, the Packers jumped past the Falcons and into 10th place in the NFC standings.

Seattle (7-5) holds the final wild-card spot with five weeks to play, with Washington (7-5-1) and Detroit (5-7) also in front of Green Bay. The Commanders hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Green Bay. (So do the Lions, though the Packers can even that score in Week 18.)

Climbing past three teams with five weeks to play won’t be easy, especially with the Packers having games at Miami (8-4) on Christmas and home against Minnesota (10-2) on New Year’s Day.

While the come-from-behind victory at Chicago provided minimal impact in the NFC playoff standings, it had a bigger impact on the NFL Draft standings. According to Tankathon, the Packers currently own the 11th pick of the first round. They were No. 8 at this time last week.

How tight is the playoff race? The Green Bay is one of six teams with five wins. An additional five teams have four wins. Those 11 teams range from New Orleans (4-9) holding the fifth pick and Detroit (5-7) holding the 16th selection.

Here are the NFC wild card standings.

No. 5: Dallas (9-3)

No. 6: N.Y. Giants (7-4-1)

No. 7: Seattle (7-5)

No. 8: Washington (7-5-1)

No. 9: Detroit (5-7)

No. 10: Green Bay (5-8)

No. 11: Atlanta (5-8)

No. 12: Arizona (4-8)

No. 13: Carolina (4-8)

No. 14: New Orleans (4-9)

No. 15: L.A. Rams (3-9)