Packers Clinch Top Seed in NFC

The Green Bay Packers hosted the Minnesota Vikings at cold Lambeau Field on Sunday Night Football January 2nd with a chance to secure the #1 overall seed and a first round bye in the NFC Playoffs. The Packers had won four straight entering this game, with their last loss occurring in November at Minnesota. Thanks to Arizona’s win at Dallas earlier in the day, a Green Bay victory would clinch that top seed.

Minnesota was without quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was out with Covid-19. It might not have mattered. The Packers got off to a 20-0 lead before the Vikings got on the board with a field goal at the end of the first half. That was as close as the Vikings would get as the Packers (13-3) cruised to a 37-10 win. (Both the Rams and Buccaneers are 12-4 and could, along with Green Bay, finish 13-4, but the Packers hold tiebreakers over the other two and have thus won the top seed). The loss also eliminated the Vikings (7-9) from playoff contention.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have locked up the league’s MVP award for the second year in a row with his performance. Rodgers completed 29 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions. He has 3977 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and only four interceptions in 513 passing attempts this season. Coach Matt LaFleur wasn’t immediately sure how much, if any, the starters would play in next week’s regular season finale at Detroit; he did indicate they may play some since it would be a three week layoff in between games if they didn’t play at all. Rodgers and WR Davante Adams, who caught 11 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown, indicated they intended to see some action.

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