The Green Bay Packers kept their slim but improving playoff hopes alive on Monday night with a win over the Los Angeles Rams. It’s still a bit of a long shot, but the most simple path to the postseason for Matt LaFleur’s team only requires seven individual results over the final three weeks. Things are looking up. No doubt about it.
Alright, there has to be a flip side to this, right? Can the Packers be eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16?
The answer is yes. And it doesn’t take much. In fact, the Packers’ Christmas Day showdown with the Miami Dolphins can be a win-or-be-eliminated scenario if just one result happens on Christmas Eve.
Here’s the one and only elimination scenario for the Packers this week:
– Commanders win over 49ers (Dec. 24)
– Packers loss to Dolphins (Dec. 25)
If both results happen, the Packers are officially out and the final two weeks of the 2022 season won’t matter.
Can the Commanders, who lost 20-12 at home to the Giants in Week 15, rebound with a win over the surging 49ers, who just locked up the NFC West crown? It’s a long flight to San Francisco, and the 49ers look like one of the best teams in football, but Kyle Shanahan’s team is starting a rookie quarterback, so any outcome is possible.
The Packers are also going into a tough contest: Not only does Green Bay have to make the long flight south to Miami, but the Packers will be facing an explosive offense and talented football team while also dealing with a significant rest/recovery/prep disadvantage (Dolphins played Saturday, Packers played Monday). Miami has lost three straight games, but this is a good football team that will be very happy to be playing at home after three tough games on the road.
The Packers are still alive but will live on the brink of elimination the rest of the way. In Week 16, LaFleur’s team will once again be big fans of the 49ers (two weeks ago, the 49ers helped out by taking down the Seahawks) on Christmas Eve, and then the Packers have to take care of business in Miami. For all intents and purposes, one more loss by Green Bay has to be viewed as an elimination event.
