Green Bay Packers Prediction 2017: Can Aaron Rodgers Lead A Playoff Run?

Don’t look now, but the Green Bay Packers are making a push toward the playoffs. The injury to Aaron Rodgers didn’t end the team’s postseason hopes, and the Packers have a real chance to enter the playoff picture now that the quarterback is set to return.

Green Bay won their second game in a row Sunday, defeating the Cleveland Browns and improving their record to 7-6. The Packers have the same record as the No.10 seed Dallas Cowboys and No.8 seed Detroit Lions. Virtually out of contention in the NFC North, Green Bay is a game out of the wild-card race behind the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons.

Before Rodgers got hurt, the Packers were one of the favorites to represent the conference in the Super Bowl. With the quarterback expected to play in Week 15, the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams are the only NFC teams with better Super Bowl odds.

If the Packers find their way into the playoffs, they might be as dangerous as anyone. The problem is that Green Bay doesn’t control their own destiny after going 3-5 with Brett Hundley under center.

The final tiebreakers won’t be determined until the end of the season, but Green Bay probably needs to finish a game ahead of Atlanta in order to surpass the Falcons in the standings. That’s because the Falcons defeated the Packers in Week 2. Green Bay owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Seattle and Dallas because of victories earlier this year.

With five NFC teams having at least nine wins and two others entering Week 15 at 8-5, the Packers almost certainly need to win their final three games to have a shot at making the playoffs. It’d be hard to find a more difficult schedule over the season’s last three weeks.

Even with Rodgers expected back, the Packers are underdogs in Week 15. That’s because they’ll visit the Carolina Panthers, who just defeated the No.2 seed Vikings and are fighting for a first-round playoff bye.

Green Bay hosts Minnesota in Week 16. The Packers lost to the Vikings in the game during which Rodgers got hurt.

The Packers should be favored in the season finale, though it won’t be an easy game. Green Bay visits Detroit in Week 17.

Prediction: Too much has to happen for the Packers to find their way into the postseason. Going 10-6 won’t guarantee them a spot in the playoffs, and winning their next three games won’t be easy. Considering the Packers lost to Atlanta and only narrowly defeated Cincinnati and Dallas when Rodgers was on the field, Green Bay will probably lose to either Carolina or Minnesota and be eliminated from playoff contention before their Week 17 game with Detroit even starts.