Aaron Rodgers: Packers Will 'Battle' For NFL Playoffs Place

Despite yet another loss on the road, Aaron Rodgers is still hoping the Green Bay Packers can make the NFL playoffs this season. The Packers are now 0-6 away from Lambeau Field, following a 24-17 loss to NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, taking their overall record to 4-6-1.

It means they are at risk of missing the postseason for the second year in a row. It that were the case, it would be the first time it's happened since Rodgers became a starter in 2008. Of course, he missed half of last season due to a broken collarbone, but he started every game this season despite a Week 1 knee problem that has now been completely healed.

While they are currently third in the NFC North division, Green Bay could still make the playoffs with a wild card spot as they have a considerably easy remaining five games left. However, they would also have to depend on other teams' results, with their loss to Minnesota giving the Vikings the tiebreaker over them. That means even if the Packers finished with a 9-6-1 record, they could still miss out.

"I know I've got to play better. But I will. And we'll put ourselves in position," Rodgers said, as quoted on ESPN, before adding, "You can crunch the numbers there. I can tell you 8-7-1 won't get in, though. I don't think."

Missing out on the playoffs is something that Rodgers, a 2010 Super Bowl winner, does not want to experience again, even as he acknowledged that "football mortality" catches up to everyone.

"That's definitely frustrating," the 34-year-old explained. "Obviously, I've got a lot more gray in the beard than I did a few years ago. So I know that football mortality catches up to everybody, and you never want to lose a season -- especially when you felt great starting the season about our prospects. But we're going to battle the next five weeks and put ourselves in a position to be in the conversation. Then hopefully it'll be enough, and like I always say, you've just got to get in. So we've got to win these five and see what happens."

"We'll see what we're made of the last five weeks. Are we going to stick together in these tough times, or are we going to start splintering? I'd like to think the leadership is in place that we can stick together through whatever happens, but these five weeks will show it," he added.

Of course, if the Packers do miss out on the playoffs, it is highly likely longtime coach Mike McCarthy would get fired at the end of the season. The 55-year-old has come under fire this season for the team's performances, with recent reports stating there was a growing disconnect between him and Rodgers, particularly regarding the direction of the team's offense.

Following the loss to the Vikings, he was asked about his own performance and had this to say.

“I understand why you’re asking the questions. That’s part of the deal," McCarthy said. "We’re about winning football games. We didn’t do enough. I didn’t do enough. I need to coach better."

If one person from the duo was to leave at the end of the season, it won't be Rodgers, who earlier this year signed a record-breaking 4-year deal, potentially worth up to $180 million in total money.