The Inexperienced Bay Packers are the perfect third-place staff within the NFL.
OK, wonderful, so that isn’t precisely a spicy take.
How about this: The Packers may finish this season as the most effective first-place groups within the NFL.
It’s not possible, however it’s potential. After the Packers stomped the Seattle Seahawks 30-13 in entrance of a prime-time viewers Sunday night time, they picked up a sport on the Detroit Lions within the NFC North.
The Packers improved to 10-4 and gained for the eighth time of their previous 10 video games. They moved inside two video games of the Lions, who fell to 12-2 after a wild 48-42 loss in opposition to the Buffalo Payments on Sunday.
Each groups have three video games remaining earlier than the postseason.
Inexperienced Bay will wrap up the common season with a house sport in opposition to the New Orleans Saints, a highway sport in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings, and a house sport in opposition to the Chicago Bears. They need to be clear favorites in opposition to the Saints and Bears, and their go to to Minnesota will probably be robust however winnable.
Detroit finishes the common season with back-to-back highway video games in opposition to the Bears and San Francisco 49ers, adopted by a house finale in opposition to the Vikings. The percentages to win at the least two of these video games seems to be good for Detroit, however crazier issues have occurred, particularly when accidents come into play.
Sadly for the Lions, accidents are very a lot coming into play.
After Sunday’s loss in opposition to Buffalo, Lions coach Dan Campbell mentioned he frightened that three necessary gamers sustained season-ending accidents. These gamers included defensive deal with Alim McNeill (knee), cornerback Carlton Davis (knee) and cornerback Khalil Dorsey (leg).
The Lions already have been limping with accidents to prime gamers, together with defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson, who broke his leg in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6. A number of different defensive gamers are anticipated to overlook the remainder of the season, together with defensive deal with Mekhi Wingo (knee) and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee), each of whom have been injured on Thanksgiving Day and aren’t anticipated again till 2025.
Might Detroit’s harm misfortune open a path for the Packers to clinch the division?
It could be improper to disregard the Gjallarhorn within the room. The Minnesota Vikings are 11-2 as they put together to face the Chicago Bears on Monday night time, however they face a harder end with a highway sport in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks, a house sport in opposition to the Packers and a highway sport in opposition to the Lions.
Again to Inexperienced Bay, which has outscored opponents by 92 factors on the season.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur is without doubt one of the finest play-callers within the league. He’ll preserve the strain on as Inexperienced Bay wraps up its season in opposition to New Orleans, Minnesota and Chicago.
Jordan Love is coming off a profitable efficiency in opposition to Seattle by which he accomplished 20 of 27 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns. He posted a 123.8 passer ranking.
Josh Jacobs is a prototype working again. Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed lead a gifted receiving corps that features succesful tight ends similar to Tucker Kraft.
The Packers’ protection is strong below first-year coordinator Jeff Hafley. He has guided a unit that features Xavier McKinney, who has seven interceptions, and Rashan Gary, who has 6 1/2 sacks.
If Inexperienced Bay performed within the NFC South, it will be main the division. The identical is true for the NFC West and the AFC South, and the Packers can be tied for first in the event that they performed within the AFC North.
However the Packers occur to play in the perfect division within the league (to not say we advised you so, however…).
Will Inexperienced Bay overtake Detroit to win the NFC North?
It’s not possible. However it’s potential.
