The Green Bay Packers are normally a team that, come the final day of the season, knows their fate.
Normally, this fate is usually a high seed in the playoffs.
But this season, the Packers have struggled.
On the opening day of the season, the Packers went to Minnesota and lost.
Then, the Packers (and it seemed the whole state of Wisconsin) went to London for the first time and collapsed in the second half against the New York Giants.
More losses came after this, and many people were calling for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to retire, as he was clearly past his prime.
But, near the end of the season, the Packers returned to their old self, and while they cannot win the division (the Vikings won it a couple of weeks ago), they control their destiny.
Week 18 clinching scenarios for the NFC’s No. 7 seed, via @NFLResearch:
– Packers clinch with:
1) Win vs DET
– Lions clinch with:
1) Win at GB + SEA loss vs LAR
– Seahawks clinch with:
1) Win vs LAR + GB loss vs DET— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 2, 2023
What the Packers need to do is simple.
They need to beat the Detroit Lions next weekend, and they clinch the No. 7 seed in the NFC.
That is a sentence not many would have said during the Packers’ losing streak in the middle of the season.
They have turned it around, and are a win away from returning to the playoffs.
Standing in their way are the Lions, who have been playing impressive football all season long.
It’s possible for the Lions themselves to clinch the spot from the Packers; Detroit needs to win and hope Seattle loses to the LA Rams, something that is unlikely to happen.
The Packers are one win away from saving what started as an awful season.
