The Green Bay Packers have six different playoff scenarios entering Week 17 of the 2020 season.
Depending on the results in the various finals of the season around the NFC on Sunday, the Packers can get a goodbye in the first round or host a team like No. 2 or No. 3 seed next weekend.
Here is a quick summary of all the possibilities, including seed and opponent:
Scenario 1: seed # 1, bye in the first round
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) against Tennessee Titans on Sunday, December 27, 2020, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
The preferred result, obviously. Packers can win the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a victory over the Bears or a defeat by the Seahawks for the 49ers. As seed number 1, the Packers would have the advantage of playing at home during the NFC playoffs and the only goodbye in the first round of the conference. They would then drop the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round.
Scenario 2: Seed No. 2 vs. Bears
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If the Packers lose to the Bears, they risk losing seed # 1 and establishing a third game against their rivals NFC North. In this scenario, the Packers and Saints lose and Seahawks, Rams and Buccaneers all win. The Bears, like Seed No. 7, would then return to Lambeau Field, where they lost 41-25 in November, for the NFC Wild Card Round.
Scenario No. 3: No. 2 seed vs. Cardinals
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In this scenario, the Seahawks, Cardinals and Buccaneers win and the Packers and Saints lose in Week 17, sending Green Bay to second place, Chicago to sixth division and Arizona to seventh division. The Bears would go to New Orleans to play against the Saints, while Kyler Murray and the Cardinals would make a trip to Lambeau Field in the NFC Wild Card Round. The Packers never faced Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Scenario No. 4: No. 3 seed vs. Bears
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If the Packers lose and the Seahawks, Saints, Cardinals and Buccaneers win, Green Bay would be seed # 3 and Chicago would be seed # 6, establishing another NFC North rematch at Lambeau Field. The Bears are the only team that the Packers could face as No. 2 and No. 3 seed.
Scenario No. 5: No. 3 seed vs. Sheep
Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic
This is a slight departure from the above scenario. If the Packers lose and the Seahawks, Saints, Rams and Buccaneers win, Green Bay will host Los Angeles at Lambeau Field as third. Matt LaFleur has yet to face Sean McVay since becoming the Packers’ coach.
Scenario No. 6: No. 3 seed vs. Buccaneers
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This rematch is possible in the NFC Wild Card Round. If the Packers and Buccaneers lose and the Seahawks, Saints and Rams win, Green Bay will host Tampa Bay at Lambeau Field to open the playoffs. The Buccaneers beat the Packers 38-10 in Tampa Bay in Week 6.
Games to monitor in week 17
AP Photo / Jeffrey Phelps
Green Bay Packers (12-3) at Chicago Bears (8-7)
Atlanta Falcons (4-11) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-5)
New Orleans Saints (11-4) at Carolina Panthers (5-10)
Arizona Cardinals (8-7) in Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
Seattle Seahawks (11-4) at San Francisco 49ers (6-9)