Thank you Vikings! Win Saturday night and see what the Bears do.
I did not expect to be writing a breaking news story around dinnertime on Christmas night, but I’m not complaining.
Andrew from Brownsburg, IN
Thanks to the Vikings for the Christmas present! Does that change the way the Packers approach Saturday’s game?
I don’t think so. As long as there’s still a chance to win the NFC North, I think the Packers need to play to win. The opportunity to be seeded No. 2 or 3 vs. No. 5 or lower is significant, in my opinion.
Not the Christmas present I asked for, but I will take it. Obviously the North is still in play now, but maybe rest some guys in Week 18 if the results don’t fall the way we want. Is that a possibility?
I think it’s a matter of seeing the possibilities based on Week 17 results, and how the health of the roster looks come the middle of next week after the players go three straight days without practice (Sunday thru Tuesday). For now, the Packers’ division title hopes are alive, so just beat the Ravens.
Hi Mike, what is the better case scenario for the Packers? A win and a loss by the Bears keeping hope alive for a division title, or ending Week 17 locked into the No. 7 seed allowing for rest and recovery for key players in Week 18?
I’d love to head into Week 18 with a shot at the division and the No. 2 seed, which is possible if the Packers win and Bears lose, and looks even better if the Eagles also lose this week. The second seed gets you two home playoff games if you win the first one. But again, just beat the Ravens.
Good morning, Insiders. In honor of Festivus, I’ve skipped the decorations and brought only one thing to the table: grievances. Mostly about injuries, Week 16, and why every game feels like the feats of strength. That said, the season marches on, the Inbox endures, and Festivus remains for the rest of us.
My kind of holiday. In all sincerity, I hope everyone out there had a Merry Christmas.
Paul from Los Angeles, CA
ATMRWCBW, LaFleur has never lost three regular-season games in a row. With everything currently at stake, I don’t expect that to change this week.
I hope you’re right in the abstract, but your research is entirely wrong. The Packers lost five in a row in ’22 and four straight in ’23.
Andrew from Kannapolis, NC
I was reviewing the schedule and I think I have the Packers’ plan figured out. Win two, lose two. Win three, lose two. Win four, lose two. Win five. It’s very important in this plan that the losses are so bad that people are distracted from the genius planning behind it. Merry Christmas.
Happy Boxing Day II and readers…can we put the “hard to beat a team three times in a season” myth to bed? That is, it IS hard to beat a team three times in a season, but just because you flipped heads twice doesn’t make it any more likely the third flip will be tails. Since 1970 in the NFL, if one team already won both regular-season matchups, that team is 15-9 in the playoff matchup. So, sadly, there is zero silver lining in last week’s loss. Just beat Baltimore.
One of those 15 is Packers over Buccaneers in 1997. One of those nine is Vikings over Packers in 2004.
When the season began, who would have believed that with one intradivision game left to play the Lions would be 1-4. Also, if they finish tied with the Vikings they will get a last-place schedule next season. Anyway, thank you Vikings for the great Christmas present. It was all I wanted.
I’ll have to do some research to find out how many times in the current playoff structure the No. 1 seed from the previous year hasn’t even qualified for the playoffs the following season. Just goes to show how hard it is to win consistently in this league.
What happened to the Lions this year? It can’t be as simple as losing two coordinators. Anyway, go Pack go! Playoffs bound! Merry Christmas!
Losing both coordinators is no small thing, especially with a first-place schedule staring you in the face. A couple years back, the Eagles had the same thing happen (Steichen to the Colts, Gannon to the Cardinals) after losing the Super Bowl to the Chiefs. They collapsed at the end of that next season, bowed out in the first round of the playoffs, and then came back to win it all. Not saying the Lions will do the same, but write them off at your own peril.
This week’s Bears/49ers game is the result of them finishing fourth last season in their respective divisions. One year later, potentially the top two seeds in the NFC. The “drama” never ends.
You just never know in this league. The 49ers haven’t been in first place in their own division since the calendar turned to November, but if they win their final two games they’re the No. 1 seed in the entire NFC.
When I look at Matt LaFleur at the podium this week I do not see a man who is too concerned about QB availability.
All signs have pointed in positive directions with Jordan Love so far. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
I think we’re not getting anywhere with jet sweeps or end arounds or whatever the name is for them lately. I think I saw four of them against the Bears and the biggest gain was only 3 or 4 yards. It seems like defenses are very prepared for them. Does Coach LaFleur only call them to set up other plays?
No, he’s calling them because they’re hoping to get production, but they are also used to set up other calls.
I’m glad to hear coach is feeling festive so players can celebrate some with family/friends. Maybe Saturday’s game will turn out better than how Halloween game turned out.
What kind of crud is going through the locker room? Cold/flu or maybe Covid?
Dunno, but it was unsettling to see “illness” added to the injury report for both Sean Rhyan and Christian Watson on Thursday.
