GREEN BAY, Wisconsin ( Associated Press) — Aaron Rodgers knows the easy part is over for the Green Bay Packers as they try to climb out of a hole after going 4-8 and floundering in the playoffs.
From now on the ascent will be more rapid.
Green Bay (6-8) looks to advance to the postseason with back-to-back wins over the Chicago Bars (3-11) and the Los Angeles Rams (4-10). The Packers’ last three opponents scored over .500.
They travel to Miami (8-6) on Christmas Day before hosting the Minnesota Vikings (11-3), the NFC North champions, and the Detroit Lions (7-7) in the last two regular season games.
“They’re all good teams,” Rodgers acknowledged after Monday’s 24-12 win over the Rams. “Miami is playing in the post-season, Minnesota are the divisional champions and they are coming off a great win. Detroit has won six out of seven, they’re playing well. There are going to be three complicated duets”.
Even if the Packers win all three games, they will need help to advance to the post-season for the fourth straight year. But at least they have an incentive when they start their period.
Miami’s potent offense will test Green Bay’s defense, which is showing signs of a comeback.
The Packers beat Chicago 28–19, allowing only three second-half points and a pass escape to end the Bears’ final two offensive drives.
The next week he had a season-high five sacks and allowed a minimum of 156 yards to the Rams.
“We came here and I told him, ‘You have to dominate and win,'” cornerback Rasool Douglas said. “Now we are going step by step.”
Does it work
The defense held Los Angeles to its worst yardage game of the season since Sean McVay took over as the team’s coach in 2017. The Packers had four drives of more than 6 minutes and three scoring plays of at least 11 plays. He finished the game with nine minutes of playing time and controlled the ball for a season-high 37 minutes and 19 seconds.
need help
Although the Packers only had four punts, they consumed 80 yards. A holding penalty on Jonathan Garvin nullified a 49-yard kick return from Keysean Nixon. A 40-yard pass interference penalty on Adrian Amos allowed the Rams to cross midfield when they trailed 24–12 in the fourth quarter.
