5 scenarios for Packers’ Week 18 playoff chances
The Green Bay Packers somehow control their own destiny entering their Week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
The game has been flexed to Sunday Night Football and will be the final regular season game in the 2022 NFL season. That’s probably appropriate considering the win-and-in nature of the game for the Packers.
Green Bay will play in front of a raucous crowd at Lambeau Field. That energy will likely feed into the players and give them even more juice for this critical game.
With just one game remaining for every team, the Packers, Lions and Seattle Seahawks are the last three standing in the battle for the seventh and final Wild Card spot in the NFC playoffs. Each team has a chance to make it depending on the results, so I’ll walk you through how it could play out.
Regardless of the Seahawks’ game earlier in the day, if the Packers win, they’re in. That’s the simple part. Here are three other scenarios that could play out.
Here are five scenarios for the Green Bay Packers and their chances to get into the playoffs in Week 18.
Lions win/ Seahawks win
The Lions can’t make the playoffs if Seattle wins its game that kicks off at 3:25 p.m. At that point, it would be between Green Bay and Seattle. Some have said this is a competitive advantage for the Packers since Detroit would have less to play for if they’re mathematically eliminated from the postseason before its game begins. It’s hard to imagine Dan Campbell’s team lying down for anyone, but I understand the complaint. If it plays out this way, Seattle is in.
Lions win/Seahawks lose
If Seattle loses to the Los Angeles Rams, the Lions will be playing for their first playoff birth since 2016 and just their fourth appearance this century. The energy and passion they’d bring into this game would be off the charts.
Turnovers coming in bunches for Packers' defense. dark. Next
Packers tie/Seahawks tie
This is an interesting scenario that is highly unlikely, however, I wanted to touch on it. Despite the Packers owning the tie-breaker over the Seahawks if both teams win and finish with identical 9-8 records, they would not own it if both teams tie and finish with identical 8-8-1 records. In that event, it would come down to the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Commanders game. If Dallas wins, the Seahawks will be in. If Washington wins, the Lions get the nod.