Still alive: Green Bay Packers remain in the playoff race

On Monday, December 19th, the Green Bay Packers (6-8) kept their playoff hopes alive in a 24-12 victory against the Los Angeles Rams (4-10).

In the frigid 17 degree weather at Lambeau Field, the Rams and their newly acquired quarterback, Baker Mayfield, failed to recreate any of the magic that was brought to the field in their heroic comeback performance against the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Against Las Vegas, Mayfield went 22 for 35 on passing attempts and threw for 230 yards and a touchdown. In this week’s game, Mayfield only completed 57.1% of his passes and threw for a meager 111 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

On the other hand, Aaron Rodgers had a productive night, going 22 for 30 on pass attempts with a 73.3% completion percentage. He threw for one touchdown and one interception, which seemed to be a result of a miscommunication between him and wide receiver Allen Lazard.

In a relatively uneventful first and second quarter, the Packer’s strong defense and pass-rush managed to hold the Rams to just three points. However, the Packers were also unable to find their offensive footing until AJ Dillon scored a touchdown with less than five minutes before halftime. Los Angeles responded with a 55-yard field goal from kicker Matt Gay, making the score 6-10 with the Rams trailing at halftime. 

The Packers continued their dominance at the start of the third quarter, marching down the field in an eleven-play, 68-yard drive that ended with another AJ Dillon touchdown. After three plays, the Rams were forced to punt, and an optimal return from Keisean Nixon and a facemask penalty gave the Packers the ball at the Rams’s 35-yard line. The drive ended with a Green Bay touchdown from running back Aaron Jones. 

In their most exciting drive of the night, the Rams managed to score a touchdown to close off the third quarter. However, their offense continued their lackluster performance with their final two possessions ending in an interception and punt, respectively. After getting a first down at the Rams’s one yard line, Green Bay kneeled out the final minutes of the game, snagging only their sixth win of the season. 

After three strong seasons and consecutive playoff appearances under head coach Matt LeFleur, the Green Bay Packers have seemed to struggle the most this year. Aaron Rodgers (age 39) has already thrown ten interceptions this year, compared to just the nine he threw across both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Green Bay also traded away their star receiver Davante Adams to the Raiders in the offseason, and drama surrounding Aaron Rodgers and his young receiving core have marred the Packers off the field. 

Despite their setbacks this season, Green Bay is still alive in the playoff race and considered “on the bubble” for a wild card spot. Their estimated chance of making the playoffs is 7%, according to Good Morning Football.

The Los Angeles Rams, the reigning Super Bowl champions, sit at 4-10 and have been eliminated from any playoff contention. Similar to Green Bay, Rams head coach Sean McVay has not experienced a season this bad during his tenure at Los Angeles. The Rams’s “Super Bowl Hangover” is the one of the worst in the league’s history, and their mounting injuries and lack of high draft picks make for a concerning future for McVay and the Rams.  

Watch full highlights of the Rams vs Packers game here or view the current NFL playoff picture here.