What Packers fans should be rooting for in Week 17, explained

The Green Bay Packers aren’t dead yet in the playoff race but here’s what fans need to be rooting for in Week 17 to keep postseason hopes alive still.

Despite how disappointing the 2022 season has felt, the Green Bay Packers are still in the playoff race in the NFC. After reeling off three straight wins, Aaron Rodgers and Co. sit at 7-8 on the season and as part of the “In the Hunt” portions of the NFC standings graphics you’ve undoubtedly seen incessantly on your TV screens lately.

Having said that, the 4-8 start to the season for Green Bay has given the team absolutely no margin for error down the stretch if they do want to claw their way back into the playoffs at season’s end.

More importantly, the Packers do not control their own destiny. Currently behind the Giants, Commanders, Seahawks and Lions in the standings, Green Bay needs some help if they’re to get into the postseason. So as they head into Week 17 and a matchup against the rival Vikings — Minnesota won the first meeting 23-7 in Week 1 — here’s what the Cheeseheads need to be rooting for.

Packers playoff scenarios: What fans should root for in Week 17

While Green Bay doesn’t necessarily have to win both its final two games to make it into the playoffs, the team’s simplest path to the postseason starts with that. So in Week 17, it begins with the Pack getting even with their rivals this season and picking up a win in Lambeau over Minnesota.

That shouldn’t be all that hard to root for since fans were already doing so.

From there, the way to continue the team’s easiest playoff path is for either the Commanders to lose one of their remaining two games or for the Giants to lose both of their remaining two games while Green Bay wins out.

To keep both of those doors open means Packers fans should become honorary Colts and Browns fans on Sunday afternoon. New York hosts the struggling 4-10-1 Indianapolis team while Washington hosts a 6-9 Cleveland squad.

Again, if some of this doesn’t happen, that doesn’t mean Green Bay is dead. But if, for instance, the Pack were to win while Washington lost behind Carson Wentz to the Browns, then the Packers would only have to beat the Lions in Week 18 to punch their postseason ticket.

One week at a time, though. And this is what the team needs in Week 17.