The Green Bay Packers are for the fourth time in five weeks dealing with a disappointing loss. While it may seem like the Packers are dead and gone, here are a few reasons to think the opposite is still a possibility.
The Packers, for six weeks, were the favorite to win the Super Bowl at the Best Online Sportsbooks. Now days the Packers look like one of the worst teams in the league. However, there is still a lot of football to be played and if my predictions using ESPN’s Playoff Machine come true, the Packers will still win the NFC North.
First and foremost, and for any of this to happen, I believe the Packers roll over the Lions next Thursday night. A loss and the Packers’ chances to win the division are pretty much done, not to mention another loss would just show how bad they are and any other wins over the rest of the year would be an upset. I’ll say Packers 38, Lions 19.
If the Packers do indeed get the win in Detroit to save their season, I think they only need to beat Dallas at home on December 13th and Minnesota at home on January 3rd to win the division. Of course, that will mean Minnesota has to lose to Seattle at home and Arizona on the road along the way. Obviously there is serious leeway here, like the Packers could easily win at Oakland or Arizona and the Bears could easily win at Minnesota.
I just think 10-6 will win the division but the Packers for sure have to win their last two division games. I think the Packers will win their next two, lose the next two, then win the division on the last game of the year for third straight year. It would be a remarkable achievement and would be their fifth consecutive division title.
If the Packers lose at Detroit next Thursday they will have a hard time making the playoffs. There are ways they can make it at 9-7 and there is a definite possibility the Chicago Bears win the division, as they have five winnable games. That would not be a pretty picture.
After wasting hours of playing with the playoff tracker I don’t think there is any way the Packers can not make the playoffs if they win three of their last five games. And there are many ways they can make the playoffs if they only get to 9-7. I’m going to go with with the Packers winning next Thursday, winning at home against Dallas, losing to Oakland and Arizona and beating the Vikings for the division title.
Take it to the bank and cash it.