The Green Bay Packers are on the verge of locking up a playoff berth.
The Packers (10-4) can clinch and strengthen their seeding prospects by beating the visiting New Orleans Saints (5-9) on Monday night.
They might even clinch before taking the field Monday, depending on what happens in other games on Sunday.
“I’m not even worried about the playoffs,” Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said. “I’m worried about us continuing to get better, staying in the moment, focusing on what’s right in front of us. Nothing is a lock for us, so you’ve got to go out and win games.”
The Packers can secure a berth if the Falcons lose or tie against the Giants and either the Rams or the Seahawks lose or tie against the Jets or Vikings, respectively, on Sunday.
Green Bay has won eight of its last 10 games, and both of those losses came against division-rival Detroit, which is tied with Minnesota atop the NFC North. The Packers, who lost to Minnesota in Week 4, visit the Vikings next week before finishing against the last-place Bears.
Jordan Love has thrown seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in the last four games after a three-game stretch in which he threw one touchdown pass and three interceptions. Josh Jacobs is third in the NFL in rushing yards (1,147) and carries (265).
“I think we’ve got to be mindful of his workload,” LaFleur said of Jacobs. “(But) the productivity speaks for itself.”
The Saints are coming off a 20-19 home loss to the Washington Commanders last Sunday, which guaranteed them a losing record. They are all but mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, which they haven’t reached since 2020.
Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler is expected to start in place of injured Derek Carr (non-throwing hand). Rattler, who went 0-3 as a starter in place of Carr earlier in the season, relieved an ineffective Jake Haener against the Commanders and nearly led a dramatic comeback to victory.
Rattler replaced Haener to start New Orleans’ first possession of the second half with Washington holding a 17-0 lead and completed 10 of 21 passes for 135 yards. He threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Foster Moreau to get his team within one point as time expired, but his ensuing two-point conversion pass fell incomplete.
“He gave us a spark,” interim head coach Darren Rizzi said of Rattler. “In those last three games, as is the case with any rookie quarterback, there are times when they get a little panicky. He was much more relaxed and in control (against Washington).”
Running back Alvin Kamara suffered a groin injury during the game after getting within 50 yards of his first 1,000-yard season while on pace to set a career high in yards from scrimmage. He is unlikely to play Monday.
The cases of Carr and Kamara are the latest injuries to key players that have plagued New Orleans during a disappointing season.
“The message to each player has been, nobody is stopping you from the best performance of your lifetime except you,” Rizzi said. “Everybody has injuries, some more than others. The best teams overcome them.”
Carr and Kamara missed practice Thursday, as did defensive end Chase Young (illness) and wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling (chest) and Bub Means (ankle). Top wideout Chris Olave (concussion) was a limited participant.
Young is expected to play Monday, but Rizzi said it’s doubtful Olave will play after a six-week absence.
Two Packers starters — safety Javon Bullard and linebacker Quay Walker — missed practice because of ankle injuries.
