Admin December 23, 2024
Commanders stun Eagles, Bengals keep playoff hopes alive
Mackenzie Salmon reacts to the biggest storylines from Week 16 in the NFL.
Sports Seriously
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.
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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- Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. CT)
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.
- Live stream: Fubo | ESPN+
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.
- QB Derek Carr
- WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- RB Alvin Kamara
- DT Nathan Shepherd
- DT Khristian Boyd
- LB Quay Walker
- WR Malik Heath
- S Javon Bullard
- CB Jaire Alexander
- S Evan Williams
- OL Jacob Monk
Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels about the Saints-Packers tilt
- Tyler Dragon: Packers 27, Saints 16
- Jordan Mendoza: Packers 29, Saints 13
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.
- Spread: Packers (-14)
- Moneyline: Packers (-1000); Saints (+625)
- Over/under: 43.5
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:
- Detroit Lions (13-2)
- Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
- Green Bay Packers (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (4-11)
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.
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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