The Playoff-bound Green Bay Packers face a strategic shift. Prioritize health or push for the NFC North?
The Green Bay Packers are officially in the playoffs, and ironically, they didn't even have to play a game to make that a reality.
They can thank the Minnesota Vikings for beating the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day, which sealed the deal for the Pack. Perhaps, more realistically, they can thank Detroit for turning the ball over six times and absolutely collapsing this season after winning the NFC North for the past two in a row. That's a story for a different day, though.
Speaking of the NFC North, the Packers (9-5-1) clinched at least a wild-card spot in the playoffs, but they're actually still in contention for the division crown. To win the North, they have to beat the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday and the Vikings next week. They would also need the Chicago Bears to lose their next two games -- against the San Francisco 49ers and Lions.
It's absolutely possible to come out of this season as division champ, but the bigger story here is that the Packers are at least in the dance, and that's really all you can ask for, a chance.
The fate of the North is also out of their hands, so the best thing they can do right now is focus on what they can control. What they can control is going out and beating the Ravens, but they also have to think about this from a long-term point of view as well.
The Packers are dealing with several key injuries right now, and considering they have clinched the playoffs, perhaps there is an opportunity to get some folks healthy.
Is that the right move, though?
With quarterback Jordan Love, it probably is. He's still in the concussion protocol after suffering a nasty hit against the Bears in Week 16. By all accounts, he's been looking good in practice, but he still hasn't been cleared to play.
Love is a vital piece of the puzzle if the Packers want to get hot and make a playoff run, and we know that they can win games with backup quarterback Malik Willis.
Speaking of, Willis is also questionable with a shoulder injury he suffered in that debacle against Chicago, but it sounds like he will be ready to go if he is called upon against the Ravens.
For this game at least, the Packers should give Love one more week to get back to 100-percent. Play him against the Vikings, especially if the North is on the line, but the Pack can beat the 7-8 Baltimore Ravens with Willis, especially since Lamar Jackson is most likely not going to play on the other side of things.
The other two players the Packers should consider sitting, for at least this week, are running back Josh Jacobs and right tackle Zach Tom.
Jacobs isn't going to want to sit, but he's been dealing with a knee injury for a month now and Emanuel Wilson is more than capable of stepping in and leading this team as a rusher. Remember, when he started in place of Jacobs earlier this season against the Vikings, Wilson rushed 28 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
As far as Tom is concerned, he's another extremely important player to have healthy for a playoff run. Second-year lineman and former first-round pick Jordan Morgan started in place of Tom against the Bears and it sounds like the Packers were encouraged by what they saw.
"I think for the most part did a nice job," Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said of Morgan, according to the team website. "Obviously, he had a bad play where he gave up a sack at the end of regulation, which, obviously needs to be better with his feet and everything like that. But, for the most part, did a nice job competing out there and it was encouraging, for sure.
Again, the Packers need Tom in at right tackle for the playoff run. They can roll with Morgan for at least one more game, though, which would give Tom one more week to heal up from a knee injury that he's been dealing with.
In all, the Packers can't get too cute, because momentum is important in the playoffs. Health is also very important, though, and they do have a chance here to give a few key players at least one more week of rest against a middling AFC opponent.