Maybe I’m just being an absolutely delusional fan, but I still think the Green Bay Packers can win any game they play in the playoffs. Because of that, it would be a mistake for others to view them as an underdog. This is regardless of what happens later today against the Vikings.
The Baltimore Ravens ran through the Green Bay defense and made them look silly all game long. However, that seems to have been more of an outlier than anything else this season. And yes, you can say that the Packers had Micah Parsons most of the season which is why that outlier could matter a lot. But I would also say that the Packers defense played decent for most of the game against the Chicago Bears the week prior.
So, if the Packers defense could just split the difference on average between those two games, then Green Bay could still go on a run in the playoffs.
And that has a lot to do with the development of the offense toward the end of the season.
Packers Offense Is The Key
Since Thanksgiving, Green Bay’s offense has been putting up an average of 25 points per game, while averaging 361 total yards per game. This is also, mind you, with Jordan Love and other key starters out of the lineup for a couple of games, and with Josh Jacobs dealing with a knee injury.
Green Bay using week 18 as an opportunity to rest starters can be nothing but beneficial. These players need to heal up. If the Packers can be somewhat healthy going into the wildcard round, then the offense should continue to put up some good numbers.
The area in which the offense has been struggling the most has been in the red zone. In the last Bears game, the Packers were 0/5 in the red zone. If the Packers would have turned just one of those into a touchdown, the Packers would have won that game. And honestly, it would have been a blowout. (That just goes to show you how much of a collapse the last two minutes of the Bears game was.)
If Green Bay can get healthy and correct their red zone inefficiencies, then they will have a chance to beat either the Bears or Eagles in the wild card round.
Playoff Path to the Super Bowl
As the seventh seed, the Packers will play the highest remaining seed every round. So whoever ends up the second seed, then the Packers will play that team next week. That can only be the Bears or the Eagles. If the Bears win against the Lions (not easy), then they will get the second seed. They Bears will then play Green Bay in the wild card round. If the Bears lose and the Eagles win, then the Eagles will have the second and host Green Bay.
No teams are an easy out in the playoffs. But the Packers should have some confidence against both of these teams. The Packers have already beaten the Bears once and would have a second time if it wasn’t for a dropped onside kick. They also played a defensive-type game against the Eagles earlier this year. Green Bay lost 10-7 and was very much in that game.
If the Packers win in the wild card, then they’ll play the 1st seed. This just so happens to be, as of last night, the Seahawks. The Seattle defense completely shut down the 49ers offense. If Green Bay were to make it to the second round, then playing in Seattle could be tough. But not impossible.
If they can somehow make it past the divisional round, then it’s anyone’s guess at who they could play then.
All I’m Saying Is That the Packers…
Can win against any team in the NFC. According to Ed Policy, of all people, in his monthly Packers.com article, Policy’s Perspective, almost 70% of games have been decided by one score or less. Policy went on to say that 57 games were decided in the last couple of minutes of the game or in overtime.
This goes to show you how any game is up for grabs.
Can Green Bay win four in a row? Well, they have lost three in a row and by resting starters against the Vikings will likely lose four in a row. But anything is possible in today’s NFL.
So why not the Packers?
Go Pack Go!
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Damon is a diehard, fully-immersed cheesehead who currently lives in southern Missouri. He teaches at a local high school and has a family YouTube channel about all things Packers. You can follow him on twitter at @packersfamily and on YouTube at The Packers Family.
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The post Packers Are Down But Aren’t Going To Be Anyone’s Underdog first appeared on PackersTalk.com Blog Posts and Podcasts.