The Green Bay Packers look to clarify their playoff picture while the New Orleans Saints look to play spoiler on “Monday Night Football.”
In any other season, with a 10-4 record, the Packers would be neck-and-neck with a division leader, if not, leading outright. Instead, they find themselves in third place in the ferocious NFC North behind the Detroit Lions (13-2) and the Minnesota Vikings (13-2).
That means every win matters, not just for the division, but for the playoffs: The Packers have yet to clinch a playoff spot, but with a win vs. the Saints on Monday night will guarantee at least the seventh seed with two weeks left in the regular season.
The Saints have had a nightmare season in almost every way imaginable. After moving on from head coach Dennis Allen earlier in the season, the Saints lost Derek Carr to a potential season-ending injury. Now out of the playoff race, New Orleans looks to march all over the playoff hopes of other teams.
That said, the Saints have been a tough out in the last month. With a 3-2 record over their last five games, points have been at a premium for New Orleans, but the team has been fighting for interim head coach Darren Rizzi.
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USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the Week 16 “Monday Night Football” game between the Packers and the Saints below.
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Green Bay managed to get just past midfield but couldn’t convert a third-and-7 from the Saints’ 49-yard line. Two penalties backed the Packers up 20 yards before Daniel Whelan finally punted the ball away. New Orleans takes over on its own 34 with 13:07 to go in the game.
Green Bay’s offense took four plays to wind 2 minutes and 11 seconds off the clock and close out the third quarter at Lambeau Field. The offense is driving with the Packers up 24-0 with one quarter of “Monday Night Football” left to go.
The Saints’ offense had its best drive of the night with 48 yards, including a 20-yard shot from Spencer Rattler to Dante Pettis. But the next play saw Rattler throw his first interception of the game to safety Zayne Anderson. Green Bay takes over on its own 20-yard line.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson had 23 yards in the first half of “Monday Night Football” — all via rushing — against the New Orleans Saints. Watson was one of eight players to have a rushing attempt in the first half for the Packers.
But one of his carries, a 14-yard gain to bring the Packers deep inside the red zone, was his final play of the half and saw him hit the ground hard out of bounds.
Watson was later seen on the sidelines receiving getting attention on his knee. Ahead of the second half, Green Bay announced the wide receiver was questionable to return.
The Packers offense marched 47 yards in 10 plays but couldn’t reach the red zone in their opening drive of the second half. Kicker Brandon McManus hit a 55-yard field goal, his longest of the season, to push the Green Bay advantage to 24 points with 7:03 left in the third quarter.
New Orleans managed just 19 yards but took nearly three minutes off the game clock with their opening drive of the second half. Spencer Rattler couldn’t connect with Dante Pettis on third-and-2 and, after a delay of game penalty, the Saints punted the ball back to Green Bay. The Packers take over at their own 15-yard line with 12:14 to go in the third quarter.
New Orleans’ offense went as far as the Green Bay 34-yard line before a 12-yard sack by Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt pushed them well out of field goal range. The Packers take a 21-0 lead into halftime, and the Saints will get the ball to start the second half.
After three consecutive touchdown drives, Green Bay’s offense stalled and the Packers were forced to punt. The Saints offense will get another shot before halftime starting at their own 20 with 1:49 to go in the half.
Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon got to Spencer Rattler for a sack and forced the ball loose for defensive lineman Rashan Gary to recover. The Packers get the first turnover of the game and will take over at their own 34-yard line with 2:45 to go in the first half.
Green Bay marched 67 yards for their third consecutive touchdown drive to open “Monday Night Football.” This time it was running back Chris Brooks running it in from one yard out for his first NFL score. Brandon McManus’ extra point is good and the Packers hold a three-score lead with 6:22 left in the first half.
Green Bay never faced a third down on the drive in the 2 minutes and 57 seconds they had the ball.
New Orleans’ offense went nowhere on its second drive of the game. The Packers’ defense held strong after a false start penalty on New Orleans and forced a three-and-out. Green Bay will take over at their own 33-yard line with 9:25 to go in the first half.
The Packers offense continued to churn up yards at key moments with a 96-yard drive finished off with a 2-yard touchdown run by Josh Jacobs. Green Bay converted two fourth downs on the 17-play drive that took 8:55 off the game clock. Brandon McManus’ extra point is good and Green Bay has a two-score lead with 11:43 to go in the first half.
The Green Bay offense has churned out 51 yards in 10 plays to cross midfield into Saints territory. Running back Emanuel Wilson was held to just one yard on 3rd-and-2 from the Saints’ 46. Green Bay lined up for a play on 4th-and-1 but let the clock run out on the first quarter.
New Orleans managed two first downs on its opening drive, but couldn’t get further than the Packers’ 40-yard line. After a penalty, the Saints punted and Green Bay will take over on its own 4-yard line with 5:38 to go in the first quarter.
Green Bay marched 63 yards on 10 plays and opened the game with a touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Dontayvion Wicks. Brandon McManus’ extra point is good and Green Bay takes an early lead with 8:41 to go in the first quarter.
The Packers faced just two third downs on the drive, one of which was helped by a 5-yard penalty on Saints defensive lineman Cameron Jordan. Running back Josh Jacobs had 40 all-purpose yards on the drive, including a 20-yard run that set the Packers up with a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
New Orleans won the coin toss and opted to defer to the second half. The Packers will start the game on offense.
The Saints-Packers “MNF” matchup is scheduled to begin at its customary time of 8:15 p.m. ET.
ESPN again is the broadcast home of “Monday Night Football.” The longtime team of Joe Buck (play-by-play) and Troy Aikman (color) will be on the call, with Lisa Salters adding reports from the sideline.
There will be no “ManningCast” for tonight’s broadcast.
For cord cutters looking for a live stream for the matchup, you can turn to Fubo. Fubo carries NBC, as well as CBS, FOX, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action through the remainder of the season.
ESPN+, the proprietary streaming service of ESPN, will also carry the game.
Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels about the Saints-Packers tilt
The Packers are favorites to defeat the Saints, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.
The Saints travel up to the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field for the “MNF” tilt.
Lambeau Field has been the home of the Packers since 1957. During the Super Bowl era, it has hosted four NFL/NFC championship games (1967, 1996, 2007 and 2020 seasons). Prior to the AFL-NFL merger, Lambeau Field (called City Stadium from 1957-1964 before being renamed for Earl “Curly” Lambeau) hosted NFL championship games in 1961 and 1965.
Arguably the most famous game ever played at Lambeau Field was the “Ice Bowl,” the iconic championship game won by the Packers against the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 31, 1967. During Week 17 of the 1993 season, Pro Football Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler did the first “Lambeau Leap” during a game against the Los Angeles Raiders.
➤ Ranking NFL’s stadiums from 1 to 30: Where does Packers’ Lambeau Field rate?
Green Bay Packers fans entering the team’s “Monday Night Football” game against the New Orleans Saints dreaming of two things: a playoff berth and a white Christmas.
They might get both on the same night.
The Packers can clinch a spot in postseason with a win over the Saints. They can achieve that at Lambeau Field, which could end up snow-covered because of some flurries falling in Wisconsin on Monday.
The snow isn’t going to be like what NFL fans saw during the Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game earlier in the season. It might not even fall at all during the game. — Jacob Camenker
The Packers are sitting at 10-4, but are third place in the NFC North. Here’s how the division lines up:
The Saints are trying to stay out of the basement of the NFC South on “MNF.” Here’s how the division stacks up.
Green Bay can clinch its second straight playoff berth — and fifth in six years — with a win on “Monday Night Football.”
With that being the case, the Packers already had excellent odds to make the postseason. Prior to any games kicking off in Week 16, BetMGM had the team at -10000 (99% implied) odds to be a playoff team.
It’s win-and-in for the Packers on “MNF.” With a victory over the Saints, the Packers will clinch a wild-card spot in the NFC bracket of the playoffs.
Derek Carr fractured his left (non-throwing) hand earlier this season. As of Dec. 17, Carr was still a few weeks away from being ready for contact, which makes a return this season very unlikely, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Saints quarterback is dealing with multiple fractures in his left hand and was still in the league’s concussion protocol as of Monday, Dec. 17. While being cleared for contact would be a necessary step in any return, getting through the five-step concussion protocol has to happen first.
Derek Carr suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Week 14 against the New York Giants on a scramble. The quarterback collided with his receiver, Kevin Austin Jr., after jumping in an attempt to get a first down. Instead, Carr landed awkwardly on his head and hand, suffering a pair of injuries on the play.
Spencer Rattler began his college career already as a well-known and hyped prospect. He was the consensus No. 1 quarterback in college football‘s 2019 recruiting class and stared in Netflix’s documentary series “QB1: Beyond The Lights” during his final year at Pinnacle High School (Arizona).
Rattler drew the attention of many major programs but ultimately committed Oklahoma after watching Lincoln Riley develop Baker Mayfield into a top college quarterback. While Mayfield didn’t win the Heisman or become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft until after Rattler had committed, Riley’s status as one of college football’s top quarterback gurus made the Sooners an attractive destination for Rattler.
Alvin Kamara will be out vs. the Packers.
Saints coach Darren Rizzi provided an update last Thursday during media availability.
“It’s more significant than we initially thought,” Rizzi said. He added that Kamara was unlikely to play in the Saints’ upcoming game on “Monday Night Football.”
Following the Week 15 game, Rizzi declined to elaborate on whether the injury was minor and told reporters more testing would be done on the running back.
Unfortunately, testing has revealed that Kamara could miss an extended time. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that, while the situation is still being evaluated, it could be a season-ending injury for the veteran running back.
The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for the most Super Bowl wins with six.
The Packers have won four Super Bowls in five appearances, including the first two Super Bowls (then called the AFL–NFL World Championship Game) under legendary coach Vince Lombardi, for whom the Super Bowl championship trophy is named after. The Packers’ most recent Super Bowl win came during the 2010 season in Super Bowl XLV. In all, the Packers boast 13 NFL championships, the most of any franchise.
The Saints prevailed in their one Super Bowl appearance, during the 2009 season in Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts.
NFL franchises with most Super Bowl wins:
➤ Super Bowl winners: All-time scores, results for NFL title game
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➤ Best (and worst) from NFL Week 16: Second-guessing ‘expert’ narratives
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