Latest Packers' playoff update shows how important win over the Seahawks was for their path
The Green Bay Packers are not mathematically in the playoffs, but it's just a matter of time now. After a 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Washington, the Packers have a higher than 99% chance of getting to the postseason, according to the New York Times' projections. Even if they lose out against the […]
The Green Bay Packers are not mathematically in the playoffs, but it's just a matter of time now. After a 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Washington, the Packers have a higher than 99% chance of getting to the postseason, according to the New York Times' projections.
Even if they lose out against the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears, the Packers would still have a 94% chance of making it. Through 14 games, the Packers already have more wins (10) than they had in the entire regular season in 2023 (9).
Why it mattered
Beyond the obvious importance of getting a win closer to the playoffs, the victory in Seattle was particularly relevant because of a specific playoff fight.
The Washington Commanders also won. It wasn't easy, but they pulled off a win over the Saints by not allowing a two-point conversion as the game clock had expired. Now the Commanders are 9-5, and they still face the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers are 10-4, and they have to keep ahead of the Commanders to have a higher seed.
The difference between the fifth and sixth seeds might not be that big, since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks are all teams from the same tier. But if you go down to the seventh seed, a game against the Philadelphia Eagles or Detroit Lions would presumably be much tougher.
Looking up
The Packers don't have a realistic shot at winning the NFC North, so the highest seed they can get is the fifth. To make that happen, they will have to win out, plus root for at least one more loss from the Vikings beyond their head-to-head game.
If Green Bay wins out and the Vikings also lose to the Lions in Week 18, for instance, the Packers would grab the fifth seed.
The next step for it will be on Monday Night Football, against the Saints, when the Packers finish off a sequence of four primetime games.
Packers passed a valuable test in win over Seahawks, and it could pay off later this season
Green Bay won a huge game in Seattle
