Great results for the Packers yesterday. All of their competitors lost their games, including the Lions who had the easiest job (on paper) against the Panthers. Now the Packers can move within one game of the seventh seed with a win in Miami today. While a loss wouldn't eliminate them from postseason contention yet, it would make it near impossible to still get in.

Fingers crossed that Green Bay doesn't waste this weekend.

Now if they can win for one more week next week, that would be GREAT!

I kind of wanted the Lions to make the playoffs but missing it isn't that bad either it means another easier schedule next season and a higher first round pick plus they also have the Rams first round pick, so things are looking up for them. Also, since nobody else mentioned it RIP Franco Harris and Ronnie Hillman.

The Packers did their homework, but the first half sure had me worried. Not only did the defense give up two huge pass plays, but the special team's fake punt was very risky to begin with and then poorly executed. Good thing was that the defense could recover a fumble which the offense took advantage of to get within 7 points of Miami before halftime.

The second half was a big improvement by the defense which led to Miami missing a long field goal and ending its three other drives with interceptions. Meanwhile, the offense remained a mixed bag and didn't score as many points as it should have been capable of, but it was enough in a game where the Packers took many chances on fourth down and had the guts to play playoff football right from the beginning instead of cowardly playing it safe.

The Packers are still ranked 10th in the NFC just like three weeks ago, but their fortunes have improved tremendously since then. Back then they were three wins behind a playoff spot, coupled with competition from the Seahawks and Lions who were eyeing the same spot. Now they are only one win behind while being in control against the Seahawks and Lions; with two wins they'll pass the Lions by way of playing against them directly, and the Seahawks by means of the better conference record. So the help they'll need is either at least one loss by the Commanders or two losses by the Giants. I'd say the schedule of these two teams doesn't mean much, because both of them are capable of losing to almost anyone.

But as always, the Packers must first win their own games for anything else to really matter. Next up: A home game against the Vikings, the kings of winning close games. They are 11-0 in one score games and have a 12-3 record in total. Their only safe win happened against the Packers in week 1 of this season. A bad omen? I'd say this doesn't mean anything. For one, that was ages ago in football terms, and two, it was week 1 which regularly produces outliers. I am more worried about the Packers themselves than any of their opponents, because yesterday only reinforced how inconsistent both the offense and defense typically play.

This year's Packers aren't a good team and would normally not deserve a playoff spot, but when you look at this year's NFC as a whole, there are only four teams you'd call good anyway: Eagles, Cowboys, Vikings and 49ers. That's why there would be nothing to apologize for, if the Packers snuck into the playoffs. They won't be the only mediocre NFC playoff team in case that they qualify.

Man, to be a Broncos fan right now. Biggest oof of recent memory.

That Bronco loss to the Rams was pretty much the most embarrassing loss by any team this season. Especially since they were three points favorites to win the game and almost lost it by forty points. If the Rams win one of their remaining games, they will avoid having the worst follow up season of a Super Bowl winning team.

Yesterday's Vikings at Packers game was delightful. At first I was fearing for the worst due to the special teams blunder where a blocked punt set up the Vikings at the GB 1-yard-line, but surprisingly the defense pulled off a goal line stand and held the purple ones to a FG. Then things quickly turned for the best with a kickoff return TD, followed by an INT return TD right afterwards. At that point in the game it was 14-3 Packers, with both teams combined having accumulated a mere 12 yards of offense.

The Packers defense played exceptionally well in this beatdown of the Vikings. They had four takeaways and allowed the rest of the team to score 41 unanswered points before garbage time allowed Minnesota to get a couple of pity TDs. The offense around Aaron Rodgers didn't do so well, had its up and downs throughout the game, but it has been much worse this season, so I'll just take it. Nowadays a good A-Rod game has him throw for 200 yards and 2 TDs with no INTs; the days of 300 yards with 3 to 5 TDs aren't going to come back, I think. But... the Packers have the best RB duo they've ever had during Rodgers' tenure as GB's starter, so success isn't solely dependent on him anymore.

...

The best news: The Commanders lost again, so Green Bay doesn't need help anymore. While the Packers moved up only one spot in the NFC ranking this week and hold the ninth seed currently, the tie-breaker rules actually grant them the best playoff chances among them, the Seahawks and the Lions. The Packers have win-and-in, the Seahawks need to win + GB loss, the Lions need to win + SEA loss.

The Packers can win a home game against the Lions, but I obviously don't expect it to be as easy as it was against the Vikings. The Vikings' -19 point differential on the season must be the worst mark a 12-4 team has ever had in the NFL.

We forget just how violent of a game football really is.

Please be ok, Damar Hamlin...

Crazy, the impact didn't seem harsh. Hope he's okay...

Sounds like one of those freak occurrences. I'd heard about something like this being able to happen during any sort of hit but never seen an example of it. Hope he pulls through.