The Green Bay Packers need help to make the postseason, and a bunch of it arrived via delivery on Christmas Eve.
Buy Packers TicketsIndividual losses by the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, New York Giants and Washington Commanders on Saturday all could have helped the Packers’ increasingly hopeful playoff chances. Instead, the Packers unwrapped the perfect Christmas Eve present: losses by all four teams.
The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Seahawks, the Carolina Panthers beat the Lions, the Minnesota Vikings beat the Giants and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Commanders.
The four teams are all ahead of the Packers in the NFC standings. But for how much longer?
The Dallas Cowboys also beat the Philadelphia Eagles, increasing the chances of Week 18 meaning something for both clubs.
The pathway to the postseason is starting to look truly viable for the Packers. With a win over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Christmas Day, the Packers would improve their playoff chances into the range of 30 percent, per The New York Times and FiveThirtyEight.
The Seahawks, with eight losses, and the Lions, also with eight losses, no longer factor into the Packers’ scenarios, given Matt LaFleur’s team wins out over the final three games. And now the Packers only need one more loss by the Commanders or two more losses by the Giants to sneak by either team. And remember: the Packers only need to pass one of the Commanders or the Giants, not both.
Of course, the important business comes tomorrow. The Packers need to beat the Dolphins or the help provided on Saturday doesn’t mean much.
Will the Packers, after getting the perfect gift on Christmas Eve, find a season-changing win in Miami in their stocking on Christmas?
NFC Wild Card race entering Christmas
5. Dallas Cowboys (11-4) clinched
6. New York Giants (8-6-1)
7. Washington Commanders (7-7-1)
8. Seattle Seahawks (7-8)
9. Detroit Lions (7-8)
10. Green Bay Packers (6-8)
