Green Bay Packers Control their Destiny, Can Win NFC North

A roller coaster season has the Green Bay Packers in control of their own destiny. Can they actually make the playoffs and win the NFC North? Count on it.

The Green Bay Packers are back. They are back to being one of the most fearsome offensive teams in the NFL, and it may be too late in the season to matter. Or their timing may be perfect.

Green Bay has won three-straight games by a combined score of 86 to 36. Those three wins included a road victory and two home victories over current division leaders. This is the type of stretch that defines a season…except the Packers already have six losses and probably need to win three more games in a row if they hope to make the playoffs. Their destiny is in their own hands.

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem discuss the Green Bay Packers in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

Todd Salem:

Green Bay, at 7-6, is two full games behind the division-leading Detroit Lions. It also has the Minnesota Vikings to deal with in the NFC North, as well as three other NFC Wild Card teams already with seven or more victories. It is hard to imagine nine wins making the playoffs anywhere outside of possibly the West division champion.

That means Green Bay needs to sweep the rest of the year, winning six-straight to finish out the season. Now that it is halfway through such a task, it doesn’t seem unreasonable. The Packers’ final three games are all divisional games against Chicago, Minnesota and then Detroit. The Packers have a much better offense than any of these teams. What do you think of their chances of getting into the playoffs?

If they do make it into the postseason, how scared would you be of being the conference’s third seed, set to face the worst incoming wildcard? I would much rather play someone like Tampa Bay, New York or Washington at this point. I’m not sure if that’s logical. Those other teams have been far more consistent all year than Green Bay, but the Packers, when firing on all cylinders, seem unstoppable. It’s also illogical because Green Bay still has so many flaws defensively and in the running game.

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Even if the Packers run the table, there is no guarantee they make the postseason. Too big of a hole was already dug. However, I would have to rank the Packers as the scariest possible six seed at this point.

Dan Salem:

I wasn’t a believer until they absolutely humiliated the Seahawks, but now everyone must take the Packers seriously. While it appears that Seattle is extremely fickle, only truly dominant against weaker competition, we can not take anything away from what Green Bay did to their seemingly stellar defense. By all accounts the Seahawks have a good defense, yet the Packers owned them. They are easily the scariest team right now, but please slow your roll.

As far as a first-round matchup, I’d hate to face the Green Bay Packers. Yet if this team makes the playoffs and if they move past the early rounds, their winning formula is no longer so formidable. Defense and a rushing attack win playoff games more often than not. Green Bay has neither. Lucky for them, that is of no concern at this juncture of the season. They are the scariest playoff team, if they can come away with the NFC North division title.

I do not believe Green Bay can win an NFC Wild Card berth, but the North division is theirs for the taking. Tampa Bay is on an equally impressive hot streak and currently holds the final NFC Wild Card spot. The Giants hold the other spot, with Washington and Minnesota ahead of Green Bay as well. The Packers own the tie-breaker against New York, but not the Redskins or Vikings. The Buccaneers likely finish 10-6, losing to the Cowboys, but defeating the Saints and Panthers. Regardless, Green Bay has division games left and can win the North.

Take a look at what the Lions must overcome to make the playoffs, and everything is coming down to Week 17 versus Green Bay. Detroit faces the Giants and Cowboys, two games where I do not feel comfortable naming them the victor. At best they enter the Green Bay game at 10-5, with the Packers owning the tie-breaker. Basically the Packers control their destiny, because they need to keep winning and they will win the division. Minnesota can’t afford a loss to Green Bay in week 16 for its playoff hopes to remain in tact, meaning its “win and your in” for the Packers.

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Despite how unlikely it seemed a month ago, the NFC North is the Packers division to lose. The Lions may be in first right now, but Green Bay has the momentum and New Years Day is looming. My heart wants Detroit to hold on, but my head says Green Bay wins out and wins the NFC North.

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