MINNEAPOLIS – Former Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby had a chance to deliver the ultimate thank-you note to his former team.
Instead, his 54-yard field-goal attempt that would have stunned the Los Angeles Rams and kicked the Packers up a notch in the NFC playoff race sailed wide left. The Rams survived 26-25 and will enter Week 18 at least a game ahead of the Packers (7-8), who will play the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) in what’s essentially an NFC playoffs elimination game on Sunday night.
Kicking for the Packers from 2008 through 2022, Crosby is the team’s career scoring leader. His 1,918 points are more than the next two players, Ryan Longwell and Don Hutson, combined.
Against the Rams, Crosby booted the 397th and 398th field goals of his career, moving him past Matt Bryant and into 13th place in NFL history. Only 11 kickers have booted 400 field goals; the Cardinals’ Matt Prater has 399.
The Rams and Seattle Seahawks started Sunday with the lead for the final two spots in the NFC wild-card race. They were a game ahead of the Packers and Vikings entering the day.
Had the Rams lost to the Giants and the Packers beat the Vikings on Sunday night, those teams would have been tied with 8-8 records. Green Bay owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Instead, the Rams are 6-1 since losing at Lambeau Field without star quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The Seahawks are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon.
Here are the NFC playoff standings, with a focus on the final two wild-card spots, following the first wave of Sunday’s games.
6. Los Angeles Rams: 9-7. Beat Giants 26-25 on Sunday.
7. Seattle Seahawks: 8-7: Home vs. Steelers (8-7) on Sunday afternoon.
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8. New Orleans Saints: 8-8. Beat NFC South-leading Buccaneers 23-13 on Sunday. Started day No. 11.
9. Minnesota Vikings: 7-8. Home vs. Packers (7-8) on Sunday night. Started day No. 8.
10. Green Bay Packers: 7-8. At Vikings (7-8) on Sunday night. Started day No. 10.
11. Chicago Bears: 7-9. Beat Falcons 37-17 on Sunday. Started day No. 12.
12. Atlanta Falcons: 7-9. Lost 37-17 at Bears on Sunday. Started day No. 9.
If the Packers can beat the Vikings on Sunday night to stay in the playoff race, they’ll host the Bears in a season-ending game at Lambeau Field. The Packers have won seven consecutive home games in the rivalry but Justin Fields and the Bears have won four of their last five games.
“It’d be big because this is pretty much a playoff game,” linebacker Quay Walker said. “Not only that, this is a rival and both teams are trying to get in a position where we want to be at the end of the year. It’d be a big win. A big win. Big-time win.”
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