How the Green Bay Packers can clinch a playoff berth in Week 16

It’s possible for the Green Bay Packers to clinch a playoff berth before Christmas.

Possible, yet unlikely. Green Bay would need to beat Minnesota and hope a series of results go in their favor, many of which may seem irrelevant at first glance.

Here’s what needs to happen for Santa to deliver a playoff berth to Green Bay before Week 17.

Green Bay beats Minnesota

It all starts with a Packers victory. Green Bay would eliminate Minnesota from playoff contention by defeating them on Christmas Eve. The Vikings would finish above the Packers by winning out.

New Orleans defeats Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is tied with Green Bay at 8-6, with the Packers holding the sixth seed due to the strength of victory tiebreaker. It will take a Bucs loss this week to clinch a playoff spot before Christmas.

Chicago beats Washington

Washington lost on Monday night at Carolina, and another defeat this week could eliminate them from playoff contention. A Redskins defeat would put them two games behind the Packers, if they take care of business versus Minnesota.

Atlanta beats Carolina

Atlanta holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Green Bay, so it’s better for them to win the NFC South and force Tampa Bay to compete for a wild-card berth. Even if the Bucs lose, a Falcons loss would keep the division title race alive entering Week 17.

Packers win strength of victory tiebreaker over Bucs

If all of the above gets the green light, the Packers would need help elsewhere in what might appear random games. If Green Bay wins, they will move to 9-6. A Tampa Bay loss would put them at 8-7. For the Packers to clinch a playoff berth before Week 17, they would need to hold the strength of victory tiebreaker of Tampa even with a defeat in the final week.

This is where it gets complicated. To put it more simply, root for teams that the Packers have beaten this season. For example, Houston sits at 8-6 entering Week 16. A ninth win would improve their record, and in turn improve Green Bay’s strength of victory, as they beat the Texans in Week 13.

It would also make sense, then, to root against teams the Buccaneers defeated. The list includes Kansas City (10-6, vs. Denver), San Diego (5-9, at Cleveland) and San Francisco (1-13, at Los Angeles).

Although unlikely, a series of dominoes could result in Green Bay clinching a playoff berth this weekend. This is one set of results that would secure a playoff spot.

Green Bay beats Minnesota

New Orleans beats Tampa Bay

Chicago beats Washington

Denver beats Kansas City

Cleveland beats San Diego

Yeah, the Browns might need to win their first game. You can substitute the Browns-Chargers game for a Lions victory over the Cowboys, and that too would clinch a playoff spot for the Packers.

It also wouldn’t affect any bid to win the NFC North. Should Green Bay match or better Detroit’s result this week, the Week 17 meeting will determine the division winner.