The Green Bay Packers are 2-2 in their last four games with those two losses potentially dropping them down to the seven seed. With the Philadelphia Eagles already locking up the number two seed, things are going to be interesting in Week 18. It’s no secret that one of the Packers’ five losses came against Philly in Week 1, so Green Bay will be doing all it can to avoid the Eagles in the wild card.
Packers Playoffs: How Green Bay Can Avoid the Eagles in the Wild Card
The Commanders Win Didn’t Help
On Sunday Night Football, Jayden Daniels found Zach Ertz for a two-yard touchdown in overtime to take down the Atlanta Falcons. The Washington Commanders now control their own fate. With a win against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18, Washington secures the higher seed over Green Bay. Daniels and crew have won four straight, including a huge home win over the Eagles last week. Washington is one of the hottest teams in football right now, and they’ll face a Cowboys team that is coming off of an embarrassing 41-7 loss to Philadelphia.
While there was no head-to-head matchup between the Commanders and Packers this season, Green Bay sits below Washington. Both teams could finish the regular season with a 12-5 record, but the Packers are third in their own division. Both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions are fighting for their own lives come Sunday night, as the NFC North has proved to be the toughest division in football. Four of Green Bay’s five losses have come to the Lions and Vikings, as they got swept by both in the regular season. If the Packers could’ve taken care of business against Minnesota, they would be in a different position.
The Playoff Field
The entire NFC will have their eyes on Sunday Night Football as the Vikings and Lions do battle. The winner of that game will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and most importantly the first-round bye. If that isn’t enough to play for, just know that whichever team loses that game will likely have a 14-3 record and be the five seed. Throughout the NFL’s history, there’s no debating that this is one of the biggest games in regular season history.
The Philadelphia Eagles are 13-3. The aforementioned Commanders’ loss snapped a ten-game losing streak, but injuries are not holding them back. Even with backup Kenny Pickett going down, Tanner McKee threw a pair of touchdowns on just three completions. With Saquon Barkley’s 167-yard performance, he sits at 2,005 rushing yards on the season.
With the downfall of the 49ers, the Los Angeles Rams are taking care of business. Five straight wins for Sean McVay’s team put them at 10-6 after a horrific 1-4 start to the season. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp have put up insane receiving numbers while missing multiple games. With Kyren Williams in the backfield, this Rams team is one of the hottest in football.
The Packers and Commanders are already in, leaving one spot open. The NFC South will come down to the final week of the season, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers control their fate. Even though Tampa lost to the Atlanta Falcons in both regular season matchups, the Falcons’ loss to the Commanders put them a game behind Tampa. Atlanta has been a huge topic of discussion as they benched Kirk Cousins, and it could prove to be a decision that cost them the playoffs. Tampa will host the struggling Saints while Atlanta hosts a Panthers team that the Buccaneers just demolished, 48-14.
Week 18
The Packers, Commanders, Falcons, and Buccaneers all play at 1:00 PM EST in the final week of play. Tampa needs to keep their eye on the prize as they can secure the NFC’s final playoff spot with a win. If Tampa loses, they need Atlanta to lose as well in order to make the playoffs. In order for the Packers to avoid the Eagles, they must win and Washington must lose. With both games taking place at the same time, the Packers just need to focus on beating the Bears.
Green Bay took down the Rams, 24-19, on October 6 in Los Angeles. There’s a chance these two teams play again in the postseason, a game that would again be in LA. The Packers are most likely to play the Eagles, but a Commanders loss gives them the Rams. There is a scenario where they play Tampa, but it would take a lot. Green Bay goes to Tampa with a Packers and Bucs win to go along with a Rams and Commanders loss. It’s not set in stone that Green Bay will be playing in Philadelphia, but it’s the most likely scenario.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The post How the Packers Can Avoid the Eagles in the Wild Card appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.