Friday Cheese Curds: Packers can climb into playoff position with a win Sunday

The Seahawks’ loss gives Green Bay a chance to climb into the 7 seed this weekend.

On Thursday night, the Green Bay Packers got a little boost to their playoff hopes as the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Seattle Seahawks 41-35. That result dropped the Seahawks to 6-6, matching the record of the Minnesota Vikings.

That means that the Packers, currently 5-6, could work themselves into a three-way tie with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. If they do so, the Packers would officially be off the TV networks’ “in the hunt” graphics and in the playoff picture as the #7 seed, regardless of any other results across the NFC. The Packers would hold the tiebreaker over the Seahawks based on the teams’ records in the NFC.

Winning this week is no easy task, but with a few players projecting to return from injuries, the Packers should get a bit of a boost. Make sure to keep your browsers here at APC for injury reports and news about expected roster moves up until game time.

Packers giving WR Jayden Reed more designed touches behind line of scrimmage | Packers Wire
Reed’s ongoing breakout has come, at least in part, via schemed touches, including handoffs on jet sweeps and wide receiver screens. Three of his six rushing attempts have picked up at least 15 yards, and we’re just seeing the start of the impact he can provide as a versatile offensive weapon.

How unsung Isaiah McDuffie turned ‘starter-in-waiting’ status into impact for Packers – The Athletic ($)
Yes, the third-year player deserves praise for helping keep the Packers’ defense afloat amid De’Vondre Campbell’s and Quay Walker’s alternating absences, but he’s still not a player who projects as a full-time starter.

Returning From IR, Packers’ Darnell Savage Ready To Be More Than ‘Silly Face’ – Sports Illustrated
It appears that Savage is on track to return to the lineup this Sunday, but his presence has been a constant — and entertaining — one for his defensive teammates during his stint on injured reserve.

2023 NFL season, Week 13: What We Learned from Cowboys’ win over Seahawks on Thursday night | NFL.com
Dallas’ comeback win showed that their defense can be exploited and that they’re nearly impossible to stop at home. It also boosted the Packers’ playoff odds from 50% to 55%, according to the New York Times’ playoff predictor.

Additionally, there were no punts in last night’s game, which brought this oddity back to light — note the presence of the 2014 Packers in two of the five games all-time without a punt: