Run the table 2.0: Packers still giving themselves a chance at playoffs
"I feel like we can run the table," was Aaron Rodgers proclamation to the NFL with the Green Bay Packers sporting a 4-6 record through 11 weeks last year.
They did, and qualified for the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season in the process.
With the Packers at 6-6 through 13 weeks in 2017 and awaiting Rodgers' return from a broken collarbone, a repeat conclusion to the year could see the Packers into the postseason once again.
Their season was expected to end with a Week 6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings - the game in which Rodgers was injured - dropping them to 4-2 as their star headed to IR.
They've gone 2-4 without their franchise QB, but with a victory Sunday over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and some help in the form of losses suffered by the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons - their top competitors for a wild-card spot - hope remains.
How we've gotten here
Brett Hundley has completed 61.4 percent of 184 pass attempts this season, totaling 1,185 passing yards with another 110 yards on the ground. He has thrown for five touchdowns and rushed for two, matching the scores with seven interceptions.
His best performance came in a Week 12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing 17 of 26 attempts for 245 yards, and a career-high three touchdowns with no interceptions. In comparison, the numbers he produced in the Week 13 victory - going 13-for-22 for just 84 yards, his second game with under 100 passing yards as a starter - were underwhelming.
Rookie running back Aaron Jones returned from a two-game absence to play the hero Sunday, busting a 20-yard touchdown run in overtime. His contribution was accompanied by fellow rookie Jamaal Williams' first-career 100-yard rushing game.
Head coach Mike McCarthy deserves credit for altering the Packers offense to rely on a new-found running game, as they've passed on just 53.76 percent of their offensive plays over the past three weeks, down from a 64.68 percent rate with Rodgers at the helm in 2016, a mark that ranked second in the league.
Hundley's final hurdle
Hundley just needs to get the Packers through a Week 14 road match-up with the 0-12 Cleveland Browns before returning to his rightful spot on the bench.
The Browns' defense could provide a tough test for the run-heavy Packers, as Cleveland ranks eighth in the NFL with 97.2 rushing yards allowed per game, while holding opponents to just 3.3 yards per attempt - the second best rate in the league.
As a result, Hundley could be forced to pass more often than McCarthy would like, but he'd be doing so against a team ranked in the bottom five of several important defensive passing stats, including completion percentage, touchdowns, and passer rating.
The final stretch
Here's a look at what will lie before Rodgers if he's able to return for Week 15:
| Opponent | Record | PPG Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 8-4 | 18.8 |
| Vikings | 10-2 | 17.7 |
| Lions | 6-6 | 24.0 |
The Vikings and Panthers will face each other next week, with a Panthers loss worsening their wild-card bid and sending them into the Week 15 matchup with the Packers on a two-game losing streak.
With the Vikings in full control of the NFC North, there's the possibility they would rest some weary stars while avoiding the risk of disclosing too much of their game plan to the Packers ahead of any potential playoff meeting.
Rodgers and the Packers are 16-8 in his final three games of a season over the past eight years, including last year's 6-0 record to finish the regular season.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)