Green Bay Packers need to run the table over final five games

The Green Bay Packers have a golden opportunity to run the table and win out over their final five games of the regular season.

It was four years ago now when Aaron Rodgers dropped one of his famous quotes where he said he feels the Green Bay Packers can “run the table” and win their final six games to get into the postseason. After doing just that, it ranks right up there with his all-time quote of “R-E-L-A-X.” It may not be as desperate this time around, but Green Bay still needs to win out to give themselves a maximum advantage in the playoffs.

At 8-3, the Packers are tied with the Seattle Seahawks for the second-best record in the NFC with five games to play. Normally, that would be okay considering the first two seeds usually get first-round byes. However, that’s not the case anymore as only the top seed in each conference gets a first-round bye, as the playoff field has grown to seven teams. Still, the Packers are only one game behind the 9-2 New Orleans Saints–a team they beat earlier in the season and own a tie-breaker against.

Unfortunately, the Saints have a fairly easy schedule for the rest of the season with a number of cakewalks. Their remaining contests include games against the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers–all teams who are currently below .500. The kicker will be their Week 15 game against the Kansas City Chiefs; the current defending champs. If the Saints lose that game it will open the door to the Packers sliding in for the top overall seed.

Of course, the Packers need to take care of their own business before all else. They play the Eagles, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears. Given the level of play we’ve seen Green Bay achieve this season all of those games are winnable. The tricky part will be their contest against the Titans who have one of the best running backs in the entire NFL in Derrick Henry. We know all about the Packers’ inability to stop the run so that will be an extremely challenging game, but one they must win if they want home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Although the Packers haven’t been as good at a crowd less Lambeau this year, there is an outside chance there could be a small portion of fans allowed into the games by the time we get to the playoffs. Even if there are no fans, it’s better to play in an empty Lambeau than travel to another stadium that might have a contingent of their own fans in the stadium.

The year of covid is a crazy one and anything can happen. It’s best Green Bay controls as many variables as they can, including sleeping in their own beds when the games matter most. Because of that, it’s critical they run the table and win out to put themselves in the best possible position come playoff time.