Packers can no longer clinch a playoff spot this weekend

On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Rams defeated the San Francisco 49ers 12-6 in an ugly, sloppy game. That pulls the Rams to within a half-game of the Seattle Seahawks for the NFC West lead, and if the Green Bay Packers win on Sunday night, that would tie up that division.

But for the Packers, the only path to clinching a playoff spot this weekend required last night’s game to end in a tie. For a bit, it looked like that would be a possibility, with the two teams tied at six going into the fourth quarter. But the Rams pulled away late and ensured that the Packers will need to wait until at least week 16 to officially lock up a postseason berth.

Still, getting a win in Seattle on Sunday would be a huge boost, and it would all but ensure that the Packers would be able to simply clinch with a victory next week at home against the New Orleans Saints. Let’s take a final look ahead to the matchups with the Seahawks ahead of the weekend.

Even if the Packers can’t clinch a playoff spot just yet, a win this weekend would be a strong statement that they do truly belong in that top tier of NFC teams.

I would bet on Jaxon Smith-Njigba having a bigger game than DK Metcalf given the Packers’ recent struggles to defend the intermediate middle of the field.

Here’s a look back at a trade in the early 1980s that gave the Packers two elite receivers should have made for a great combo. But although James Lofton remained a Hall of Fame-caliber player, Jefferson could not sustain the success he had in San Diego after arriving in Green Bay.

Looking ahead to next week’s game, it sure seems like Derek Carr will be out against the Packers as well, meaning they should see Haener in his second career start.

Campbell burned all his bridges on the way out of Green Bay, and it seems he isn’t waiting until he leaves San Francisco to burn them with his current team.

Well we can rule out one man as Santa Claus’s possible secret identity.