Packers clinch home-field advantage
Posted by on December 25, 2011 – 10:30 pmThe Packers gave their fans a Christmas gift in the form of home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, with a 35-21 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the star of the game, throwing for five touchdowns before giving way to backup Matt Flynn in the fourth quarter. Rodgers has 45 touchdown passes this season and is five touchdown passes away from tying Tom Brady’s all-time single-season record of 50.
The win improved the Packers’ record to 14-1 with one regular-season game remaining, against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on New Year’s Day. The Packers will have a first-round playoff bye and then host a game in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs on either Jan. 14 or 15.
Chicago rushed for 199 yards and was led by running back Kahlil Bell’s 121 yards rushing. Quarterback Josh McCown was making his first start of the season and the Bears were successful in writing him out of the script until the Packers moved out to a 28-10 lead in the third quarter.
The Packers committed no turnovers and no penalties, and the Packers defense stiffened when the Bears moved into scoring territory, but 441 yards of offense by a Bears team that has been struggling to move the ball and score points since losing quarterback Jay Cutler, is a concern for a Packers defense that is ranked 31st in the league.
Jordy Nelson led the Packers with six catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. James Jones also caught two touchdown passes; Jermichael Finley caught one.
Chicago dominated time of possession by more than 10 minutes, but the Packers made the big plays. It was a touchdown drive in the final two minutes of the first half that gave the Packers their first comfortable lead, 14-3 at halftime.
“Now we’re going to enjoy the rest of Christmas with our families,” Rodgers said after the game.
Stay tuned to packers.com as it updates its coverage of tonight’s game.
Tags: clinch, homefield advantage, lambeau field, packers, Playoffs
Posted in Packers.com Blog
Quick update on playoff scenarios
Posted by on December 25, 2011 – 3:58 pmA look at the NFL’s playoff scenarios at this point before things get started here at Lambeau Field this evening:
NFC
CLINCHED:
Green Bay Packers — North Division and first-round bye.
San Francisco 49ers — West Division.
New Orleans Saints — wild card spot.
Detroit Lions — wild card spot.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
San Francisco clinches a first-round bye:
1) SF win
2) SF tie + one NO loss or tie
3) one NO loss
San Francisco clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs:
1) SF win + two GB losses
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans clinches NFC South Division:
1) one NO win or tie
2) one ATL loss or tie
New Orleans clinches a first-round bye:
1) two NO wins + SF loss or tie
2) one NO win + one NO tie + SF loss
NEW YORK GIANTS
NY Giants clinch NFC East Division:
1) NYG win or tie
DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas clinches NFC East Division:
1) DAL win
ATLANTA FALCONS
Atlanta clinches NFC South Division:
1) two ATL wins + two NO losses
Atlanta clinches a wild card spot:
1) one ATL win or tie
2) one CHI loss or tie
CHICAGO BEARS
Chicago clinches a wild card spot:
1) two CHI wins + two ATL losses
AFC
CLINCHED: New England Patriots — East Division and a first-round bye.
Houston Texans — South Division.
Baltimore Ravens — wild card spot.
Pittsburgh Steelers — wild card spot.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs:
1) NE win or tie
2) BAL loss or tie + PIT loss or tie
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches AFC North Division and a first-round bye:
1) BAL win
2) BAL tie + PIT loss or tie
3) PIT loss
Baltimore clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs:
1) BAL win + NE loss
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North Division and a first-round bye:
1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie
2) PIT tie + BAL loss
Pittsburgh clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs:
1) PIT win + BAL loss or tie + NE loss
DENVER BRONCOS
Denver clinches AFC West Division:
1) DEN win
2) DEN tie + OAK loss or tie
3) OAK loss
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Oakland clinches AFC West Division:
1) OAK win + DEN loss or tie
2) OAK tie + DEN loss
Oakland clinches a wild card spot:
1) OAK win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie
2) OAK win + CIN loss + NYJ win
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Cincinnati clinches a wild card spot:
1) CIN win or tie
2) NYJ loss or tie + OAK loss or tie
3) NYJ loss or tie + DEN loss or tie
NEW YORK JETS
NY Jets clinch a wild card spot:
1) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + OAK loss or tie
2) NYJ win + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie + DEN loss or tie
TENNESSEE TITANS
Tennessee clinches a wild card spot:
1) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + OAK loss or tie
2) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ win + DEN loss or tie
3) TEN win + CIN loss + NYJ loss or tie + OAK win + DEN win
Tags: clinch, home field advantage, nfl playoff scenarios, Playoffs
Posted in Packers.com Blog
Week 16 NFL playoff scenarios
Posted by on December 20, 2011 – 12:08 pmNATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
CLINCHED: Green Bay – NFC North and first-round bye
San Francisco – NFC West
New Orleans – playoff spot
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Green Bay clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
1) GB win or tie OR
2) SF loss or tie
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with:
1) SF win + NO loss
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
New Orleans clinches NFC South division with:
1) NO win or tie
DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas clinches NFC East division with:
1) DAL win + NYG loss or tie OR
2) DAL tie + NYG loss
ATLANTA FALCONS
Atlanta clinches a playoff spot with:
1) ATL win or tie OR
2) DAL loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie OR
3) NYG loss or tie + CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie
DETROIT LIONS
Detroit clinches a playoff spot with:
1) DET win or tie OR
2) CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + DAL loss or tie OR
3) CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + NYG loss or tie OR
4) CHI loss or tie + ARI loss or tie + SEA loss or tie + ATL win or tie
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
CLINCHED: Houston – AFC South
New England – AFC East
Baltimore – playoff spot
Pittsburgh – playoff spot
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New England clinches a first-round bye with:
1) NE win + HOU loss or tie OR
2) NE win + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie OR
3) NE tie + HOU loss OR
4) NE tie + PIT loss + BAL loss
New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
1) NE win + HOU loss or tie + PIT loss or tie + BAL loss or tie
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Baltimore clinches AFC North division with:
1) BAL win + PIT loss
Baltimore clinches a first-round bye with:
1) BAL win + PIT loss + HOU loss
DENVER BRONCOS
Denver clinches AFC West division with:
1) DEN win + OAK loss or tie OR
2) DEN tie + OAK loss + SD loss or tie
Denver clinches a playoff spot with:
1) DEN win + NYJ loss + CIN loss + TEN loss or tie
Tags: clinch, home field advantage, nfl playoff scenarios, Playoffs
Posted in Packers.com Blog
