GREEN BAY – Nine wins and a tie were needed to clinch a postseason berth prior to Week 18, so it's only fitting there be a top 10 list of the plays that got the Packers into the playoffs.
Here's one from each of those 10 games, in chronological order:
- Week 1 – Tucker Kraft's 15-yard TD reception vs. Detroit
It was the Packers' first score of the season, on their first drive of the season, and it put them in charge of the opener against the Lions right from the jump. On third-and-9, QB Jordan Love fired down the middle for Kraft, who leaped between two Detroit defenders to haul in the TD, and the Packers never trailed in a big opening win.
- Week 2 – Love's 14-yard scramble on third-and-9 vs. Washington
Coincidentally another big third-and-9 early in the game, and this time Love took care of business himself, scrambling down the right sideline and then powering through a defender to make sure he got the first down. The play fired up the entire Green Bay sideline and crowd, and one snap later Love hit WR Romeo Doubs for a 5-yard TD to take a lead the Packers once again wouldn't relinquish.
- Week 4 – Matthew Golden's fourth-down reception in OT at Dallas
There were a number of highly consequential plays in this back-and-forth shootout, but trailing by three in overtime, the Packers had to have this fourth-and-6 or they were leaving Dallas with a loss. Love found Golden over the middle for 14 yards and it got the offense rolling again as the next five snaps moved the ball another 50 yards downfield for what turned out to be the game-tying field goal.
- Week 6 – Golden's late third-down catch vs. Cincinnati
Trailing all game, the Bengals had drawn within 24-18 late in the fourth quarter when the Packers faced third-and-8 from their own 40-yard line with 2½ minutes left. Failing to convert would've given a suddenly hot QB Joe Flacco a chance to pull off the comeback. But Love went to the rookie again, firing down the left sideline for Golden, whose 31-yard grab set up a field goal for a two-score lead that put the game away.
- Week 7 – Micah Parsons' third sack at Arizona
There are a number of worthwhile choices from this game, including Lucas Havrisik's franchise-record 61-yard field goal at the end of the first half, or Kraft's big catch on fourth-and-2 on the go-ahead TD drive. But here the choice is Parsons, who thwarted the Cardinals' final drive.
Down 27-23, Arizona had driven to the Green Bay 26-yard line and had a first down with 32 seconds left and two timeouts. Parsons buried QB Jacoby Brissett for a 9-yard loss, his third sack of the game and second in the fourth quarter, that led to the game-ending turnover on downs. Had it not been for an incorrect hip-drop tackle penalty in the first half that wiped out a sack, Parsons would've had four sacks in this game.
- Week 8 – Christian Watson's 33-yard catch on third down at Pittsburgh
Another game with multiple highlights to choose from, including various on a 143-yard receiving night from Kraft, but here the pick is Watson in his first game back from a 9½-month ACL rehab. Down 19-14 in the final minute of the third quarter, the Packers faced third-and-7 from the Pittsburgh 40, and Love beat a blitz by throwing one up for Watson downfield and giving the speedster a chance to make a play. He did, hauling it in for 33 yards to make it first-and-goal, and two plays later RB Josh Jacobs was in the end zone to give the Packers the lead for good.
- Week 11 – Evan Williams' INT in the end zone at N.Y. Giants
The Packers took a 27-20 lead with four minutes left on a 17-yard TD pass to Watson, but the Giants and QB Jameis Winston came right back, getting all the way into the red zone for a third-and-6 at the 14. Winston fired to the left side of the end zone for WR Jalin Hyatt but overshot him, and Williams was there for an interception that had been coming all game, as the Packers had dropped four potential INTs on the day.
- Week 12 – Zayne Anderson forcing a muffed punt vs. Minnesota
The Packers led just 10-6 at halftime and stalled out at midfield on their opening drive of the second half. But on the punt, Vikings returner Myles Price let the ball fall near the goal line and then tried to block Anderson from downing it. As the ball bounced back toward the field of play, Anderson pushed Price into it to create a live ball and then recovered it himself for a huge turnover and a first-and-goal on the 5. Two plays later, RB Emanuel Wilson scored and the Packers were never threatened.
- Week 13 – Dontayvion Wicks' late fourth-down catch at Detroit
Wicks had already made one big fourth-down reception in this game, a 22-yard TD in the second quarter, and the Packers had scored again on fourth down on a short pass to Doubs. But they went for broke on a final fourth down with 1:55 left, leading 31-24 and needing three yards from the Detroit 45 to ice the game. With interior rusher Alim McNeill in his face, Love lofted the pass over the middle, and Wicks outjumped safety Brian Branch for the ball, losing his shoe in the process as the 16-yard catch sealed the victory.
- Week 14 – Keisean Nixon's end-zone INT vs. Chicago
The Packers had scored the go-ahead TD with 3 ½ minutes left and then needed to protect their 28-21 lead. Bears QB Caleb Williams drove Chicago into the red zone, and after Kingsley Enagbare stopped RB Kyle Monongai on third-and-1, the game came down to fourth-and-1 from the Green Bay 14 with 27 seconds left. Off a play fake, Williams rolled left, and Nixon noticed TE Cole Kmet leaking out into the end zone, so he ran with him to cover for a teammate's missed assignment. Williams' pass was slightly underthrown, Nixon made the leaping interception, and the Packers hung on.
