Aaron Rodgers’ worst NFL regular-season game – two interceptions, a fumble that became an outcome-sealing safety, zero touchdown passes, only 17 completions on 42 attempts – slowed his Green Bay Packers’ trot to a playoff spot.
Might have cost him some MVP votes, too.
“It wasn’t my best day,” Rodgers said, “by any stretch of the imagination.”
Rodgers, who had three picks all season until Sunday, and his pass-dropping receivers had a rough time in a 21-13 loss at Buffalo that ended the Packers’ five-game winning streak and dropped them to 10-4, the same record as Detroit in the NFC North. With Green Bay facing a bad Bucs team next week, while the Lions take on the dysfunctional Bears, that division’s champion should be decided in Week 17, when Detroit is at Green Bay.
Not much else is very clear in the NFC postseason picture, although Arizona (11-3) clinched a berth when Philadelphia lost 38-27 to NFC East leader Dallas on Sunday night, and San Francisco (7-7) was eliminated from contention with its 17-7 loss to reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle. That ends the 49ers’ streak of three consecutive conference title game appearances.