GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers aim to secure their playoff position more swiftly this year compared to the previous season. With a current record of 10-4, the Packers are in a strong position, requiring only a bit of assistance on Sunday to clinch a postseason spot. However, if that scenario doesn’t unfold, they still have the option to secure their playoff berth by defeating the injury-impacted New Orleans Saints (5-9) on Monday night at Lambeau Field.
Last year, the Packers only managed to sneak into the playoffs after their victory against the Chicago Bears in the final regular-season match. Love expressed, “It’s definitely a better position than having to try and win every game and fight for that last position not knowing what might happen. I think we did a better job this season winning some games early on and putting ourselves in a better position.” The Packers have shown resilience, emerging victorious in eight of their past ten games, with their only two defeats being to the Detroit Lions. Despite this successful run, they remain in third place in the NFC North behind the Lions and Vikings.
A playoff position could be guaranteed for the Packers before their Monday game if the Atlanta Falcons lose or tie against the New York Giants, alongside similar outcomes from either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks. This Sunday, the Rams face the New York Jets, and the Seahawks play against the Vikings.
On the other hand, the New Orleans Saints face slim hopes of making it to the playoffs as they need to win their remaining games while relying on losses from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Falcons. Their game against Dallas on Sunday night presents additional complications for the Saints, who may be without starting quarterback Derek Carr and five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara. Carr is dealing with a non-throwing hand injury that kept him sidelined in their last match—a close 20-19 loss to the Washington Commanders. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi has yet to rule Carr out for Monday, while Kamara’s groin injury may likely keep him off the field.
If Carr is unavailable, the team might rely on Spencer Rattler, who stepped in during the loss to the Commanders and led four scoring drives. Rizzi said, “We have the players that we have. Everybody across the league right now is dealing with injuries, some more than others. I think the best teams in the league are the teams that are able to overcome those, regardless of the position. That’s really how we’ve been approaching it.”
Love has shown improvement in his gameplay, throwing seven touchdown passes without interceptions over his last four games after struggling with ball security earlier in the season, having thrown 11 interceptions in his initial eight starts.
There’s a possibility that Saints defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon could make his return to action for the 2024 season on Monday night, as he has been practicing for roughly two weeks after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury. Rizzi noted that Kpassagnon was close to being activated for the previous week’s game.
In Packers news, rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is making waves after being named NFC defensive player of the week for the second time this season. He secured a sack, intercepted a pass, and recorded two tackles for loss during a recent 30-13 victory against the Seattle Seahawks. Cooper is now recognized as the first Packer since Clay Matthews in 2010 to earn this honor multiple times in a single season.
Given Kamara’s uncertain status, the Saints have added former LSU star running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire after he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he had spent his entire career since being drafted in 2020. Although he has not played this season, Edwards-Helaire initially joined the Saints’ practice squad.
The Packers have shown striking performance in the early moments of games, scoring 95 points against opponents while allowing only 34 in the first quarter, largely due to Josh Jacobs’ sharp starts. With 688 rushing yards accumulated in the first halves of games, Jacobs leads all NFL players in first-half rushing yards, while Kamara follows in second place.
As they head into Week 16, Jacobs has already amassed 1,147 rushing yards overall, positioning him third in league rankings behind Saquon Barkley of Philadelphia and Baltimore’s Derrick Henry. The Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are heading into what could be a significant matchup, with playoff implications looming for the Packers.