Packers clinch playoff berth with dominant win over Saints

GREEN BAY, Wis. — All Matt LaFleur does is make the playoffs. Nicely, more often than not anyway. Inexperienced Bay clinched a playoff spot with Monday night time’s 34-0 win over the New Orleans Saints, which suggests the Packers are going to the postseason for the fifth time in LaFleur’s six seasons as their head coach.

The one time the Packers have missed the playoffs below LaFleur was in Aaron Rodgers’ last season, 2022, once they went into their last recreation needing a win to qualify and misplaced at residence to the Detroit Lions.

If the Packers (11-4) win their remaining two regular-season video games — on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday and at residence in opposition to the Chicago Bears in Week 18 — it could give LaFleur his fourth 13-win common season.

The Saints — with backup Spencer Rattler beginning at quarterback instead of the injured Derek Carr (hand) and with out a number of of their prime gamers, together with working again Alvin Kamara (groin) — did not put up a lot resistance early on.

Inexperienced Bay obtained out to a 21-0 lead, scoring touchdowns on its first three drives for the primary time since Week 17 of the 2020 season on the Bears.

Promising pattern: At this level, it is gone past a pattern. Josh Jacobs scoring a dashing landing is now an expectation. Jacobs’ 2-yard scoring run within the second quarter made it his sixth straight recreation with a dashing TD. That ties the second-longest streak in Packers historical past, behind solely Paul Hornung (seven, in 1960). Jacobs completed with 13 carries for 69 yards and the one rating, plus 4 catches for 38 yards.

Promising pattern II: When Keisean Nixon obtained residence on his cornerback blitz late within the second quarter and strip-sacked Rattler, with defensive finish Rashan Gary recovering the fumble, it gave the Packers their twenty seventh takeaway of the season. Security Zayne Anderson’s third-quarter interception, the primary of his profession, moved them right into a tie for third within the NFL with the Buffalo Payments and Houston Texans with 28 takeaways. Final season, Inexperienced Bay had solely 18 takeaways.

Most stunning efficiency: We all know the Packers wish to run the ball. They got here into the sport working by design on 48% of their performs, the second-highest price within the NFL this season, based on ESPN Analysis. However this was uncommon even by Inexperienced Bay’s requirements. 9 completely different gamers had at the least one dashing try, together with tight finish Tucker Kraft changing a sneak on third-and-1 and Chris Brooks together with his first profession dashing landing. The final time the Packers had 9 gamers with at the least one dashing try in a recreation was 1953. — Rob Demovsky

Subsequent recreation: at Vikings (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday)

The Saints had been formally eradicated from playoff rivalry previous to Monday’s contest, they usually performed prefer it.

Darren Rizzi wanted the group to have a strong displaying in Inexperienced Bay to construct his case for a eradicating the interim tag and changing into the pinnacle coach. However the Saints had been by no means really within the recreation, falling right into a 21-0 deficit and failing to maneuver the ball into the crimson zone all the recreation.

In accordance with ESPN Analysis, it was the primary time the Saints had been shut out within the first half of consecutive video games since 1997. They misplaced 20-19 to the Washington Commanders final week after not scoring within the first two quarters.

The Saints have two video games left, however they confirmed they’ve loads of work to do within the offseason to grow to be a aggressive group. They’ve now misplaced double-digit video games for the second time in three seasons. Previous to 2022, they’d not misplaced 10 or extra since 2005.

Troubling pattern: The Saints, with rookie Spencer Rattler below middle, at the moment are 0-5 when beginning backup quarterbacks this season and have averaged solely 12.8 factors per recreation in these 5 matchups, versus 24.5 factors per recreation with Derek Carr as their signal-caller. Carr is below contract for 2 extra seasons, and he’ll depend $51.4 million in opposition to the wage cap in 2025 if the Saints select to maintain him with out restructuring his deal.

Most stunning efficiency: The offense was all the time going to have a problem with out their beginning quarterback, working again (Alvin Kamara) and big-play extensive receiver (Chris Olave). However the protection merely failed to point out up. The Packers had been in a position to choose the unit aside at will, and the Saints did not assist themselves with missed tackles, penalties and explosive performs — the story of their season.

QB breakdown: The Saints went again to Rattler as their starter after Jake Haener was benched final week following one half of play and 39 internet yards of offense. Rattler was in a position to make some performs together with his ft and had a number of good throws in opposition to the Packers, however the offense actually did not choose up the place it left off in opposition to Washington. He has now been sacked 17 occasions in his 5 video games this season. — Katherine Terrell

Subsequent recreation: vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)