41-17 Victory Over Vikings Sets up “Win and In” Scenario
You know the story by now. The Packers had lost to the Eagles and the idea of a postseason was on life support and the orderly had unplugged the machine to vacuum the floor. There weren’t any assurances, proclamation, or guarantees. Just a feeling that this team was better than their record. A team that professed a locker room closeness. A team that cared for one another. A team that believed they had a lot better football to play.
Unlike the Stones, time was not on their side. The margin of error was slim to none and slipped down the drain. They were in danger of running out of season before catching their stride.
The Packers have shown resilience to get to where they found themselves last night. Even in the victories, the way was wafer thin. There were 2 OT wins and several of them relied on the ability to come from behind.
Many people thought the season was doomed from the first dropped pass to Watson all the way back in September. We’ve questioned the players, the coaches, some even calling for tanking the season for better draft position. Miraculously, the Packers clawed their way up from 4-8 to 7-8. It’s been pointed out the wins were against (far) inferior opponents. When you’re under .500, do you really get to call other teams inferior?
Christmas Day, all 4 games fell the Packers’ way. 5 when you add in the hard-fought victory against Miami. The new year brought with it good fortune when the Browns gift-wrapped a late gift: they beat the Washington Commanders. Green Bay only needed to win out against two familiar foes, division rivals, at home.
The Packers won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Vikings registered a quick 3 and out and the start of the game seemed to be going the home team’s way early. Green Bay then went 3 and out themselves and on 4th down, the Vikings blocked the punt. If not for the heads up play by punter Pat O’Donnell collecting the ball, the Vikings would have had an easy scoop and score. As it was, they lost a yard on the series and had to settle for 3 starting inside the Packers 10 yard line.
It was the only points the Vikings would score until late in the 4th quarter.
Keisean Nixon took the kickoff from 5 yards deep and took it all the way to the house. Bam.
The horseshoe, rabbit’s foot, or whatever it was that Minnesota had been carrying all season suddenly looked to have kicked them in the teeth. All night long. Missed field goals, INT (one for a pick 6), drops, fumble, bad snaps, you name it, the Vikings probably did it. Or didn’t do it.
Late in the half, Mason Crosby set a franchise record with a 56 yard field goal that doinked off the crossbar and went in for 3, making it 27-3.
As much as shell-shocked Packers fans may have feared a second half collapse and Vikings comeback, the game was never really in question after going up 14-3 in the first quarter.
With the loss of the Commanders and the desconstruction of the Vikings, the Packers find themselves one win away from another playoff berth. These are not the 0-16 Lions. This is not a squad to be looked past or taken lightly. Head coach Dan Campbell has the Lions playing with pride. They are a scrappy team that won 7 of their last 9 games and used a week 9 15-9 win over Green Bay as a springboard to resurgence and relevancy. The Packers have fire in their bellies, homefield advantage, a 103-74-7 all-time record versus Detroit, and are getting hot at the right time.
- The Lions have scored a lot of points this season and look to get into the postseason for the first time since 2016.
- They have a pair of rookie defensive lineman, James Houston and Aidan Hutchinson, who are taking over in the trenches.
- 2nd year player Amon Ra St. Brown is a legitimate WR1 with 10 or more targets in 4 of the last 6 games.
- Loveable Jamaal Williams with 15 rushing TD will be looking to tie and/or beat Barry Sanders’ long-standing record (1991) of 16 rushing TD in a season.
This one looks to be a great matchup. With the game set for the Sunday Night Football timeslot, the Packers and Lions will already know the outcome of the Rams and Seahawks game. If the Seahawks win, the Lions will have no chance to make it. All the Packers have to do is win. It’s that simple.
