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The Green Bay Packers’ playoff positioning can’t change all that much in Week 18, but head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that the team’s starters will suit up.
“You’ve got a 53-man roster plus two call-ups, so guys gotta play, so that’s the approach that we take here,” LaFleur explained, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “The right answer is whatever works, and I think you’ve got to have a philosophy on what works best for you. We were in a similar situation a few years back where we played the guys a half, and lost in the second half, and then we had the bye and we lost in the playoffs.”
“I think there’s value to going out there and playing, and playing well,” he added.
The Packers are currently the No. 7 seed in the NFC standings and have already clinched a playoff berth. They can rise as high as No. 6, but they’d need a win to go along with a Dallas Cowboys victory over the Washington Commanders.
LaFleur previously rested his starters in the second half of a Week 18 contest in 2021, as Green Bay already locked up the No. 1 seed. The Packers ultimately suffered a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs, though.
Green Bay sits at 11-5 this season, but they’re coming off a hard-fought 27-25 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
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CLUTCH catch by Cam Akers for the first down to seal it! 🔥
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It’s clear that LaFleur wants his team to potentially have some momentum heading into the playoffs.
The Packers will attempt to close out the regular season on a high note against another NFC North rival, hosting the Chicago Bears. The Bears hold a 4-12 record this year and are in the midst of a 10-game losing streak.
Kickoff between Green Bay and Chicago is on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
