Best, Worst Potential Playoff Matchups for the Packers

The Green Bay Packers are close enough to the NFC North title that they can start looking forward to some potential playoff matchups.

At the moment, Matt LaFleur's team resides in the NFC's No. 2 seed, but if it finishes with the same record as the New Orleans Saints, it would gain the No. 1 spot and the lone first-round bye. 

If they remain one game behind the Saints, the Packers could be in line for a third divisional showdown with the Minnesota Vikings, who defeated them on November 1 at Lambeau Field. 

If they gain the No. 1 seed, the Packers could have a meeting with the Seattle Seahawks or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Green Bay might get a second shot at Tampa Bay after losing by 28 points in Week 6, but Seattle would be the more favorable matchup of the two because of its inconsistencies.

Best Potential Playoff Matchup

Seattle

Larry Maurer/Associated Press

Typically, a team would not want to see Russell Wilson on the other end of a playoff matchup. 

However, the quarterback's play has not been able to cover up Seattle's overall mistakes this season, and that could be something the Packers take advantage of. 

The Seahawks' four losses have come against teams in the playoff mix. Its most recent defeat was at the hands of the New York Giants. And since Week 7, the Seahawks have also fallen to the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams. 

The Cardinals, Bills and Rams combined to put up 104 points and 1,328 total yards, while the Giants gashed Pete Carroll's team for 190 rushing yards on Sunday. Three of those four defeats came on the road. 

If Aaron Rodgers and Co. can torch the Seattle defense, it could eliminate the potential threat of Wilson beating the Packers secondary through his connection with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and others. 

Last season, the Packers defeated the Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Wilson was contained to 277 passing yards, 64 rushing yards and a single touchdown. 

Aaron Jones had two rushing scores for the Packers in that win, and if he faces the Seahawks again, he could produce higher numbers on the ground. 

Seattle's four highest rushing-yard concessions in 2020 have come in three losses to New York, Arizona and Los Angeles and against Minnesota's duo of Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison. 

The matchup could occur in the first round if Seattle loses ground in the wild-card race, which could happen in the final two weeks when it faces the Rams and San Francisco 49ers. 

Worst Potential Playoff Matchup

Minnesota

Morry Gash/Associated Press

No team wants to face a divisional foe three times in the same year, especially one that appears to be gaining momentum at the right part of the season.

The Minnesota Vikings used their Week 8 win at Lambeau Field as a catalyst to surge to the final wild-card spot. They are 5-1 in their last six games. 

The confidence generated from the uptick in form should help the Vikings manage a tricky four-game stretch that features road trips to Tampa and New Orleans. 

Mike Zimmer's side also has the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions mixed into its schedule, so it should have eight wins at minimum.

Cook has 317 rushing yards in his last two trips to Lambeau Field. The performances with 163 and 154 ground yards are two of the top four totals of his career. 

If the 25-year-old thrives again in Green Bay, Kirk Cousins will not have to do too much in the passing game. When he does throw, the quarterback would have the dynamic duo of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen to work with.

The Packers have not seen the full extent of Jefferson's talent yet since he was not a factor in Week 1 and Cook controlled the Week 8 meeting. 

Jefferson has five 100-yard games, with two coming in the last four weeks. Green Bay allowed two divisional rivals and the Atlanta Falcons to earn over 200 passing yards at home.

If Minnesota uses the right mix of Cook and Jefferson, the Packers could be in danger of dropping out in the first round. 

Green Bay can avoid the Vikings by earning the No. 1 seed, or through Arizona having a better record in the final four games. 

The Cardinals face a similar schedule as the Vikings. They have two contests that are perceived as wins and matchups with Los Angeles and San Francisco, so a jump over the Vikings is not guaranteed.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.