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Added December 12th, 2011 by Chalk
NFL

Packers Clinch First-Round Bye: Do They Go All Out For 19-0?

The Green Bay Packers looked every bit the unstoppable force their 13-0 record suggests on Sunday in a 46-16 home win over the Oakland Raiders that guaranteed the Packers would get a first-round bye. Next week, the Packers can clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl with a win or a San Francisco 49ers loss, which would bring up a dilemma for coach Mike McCarthy.

No team has ever gone 16-0 in the regular season and won the Super Bowl — so would McCarthy rest his best players in one or both of Green Bay’s final regular season games? Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji is pretty sure McCarthy will have his best players trying for perfection even if the Packers wrap things up with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs next week.  “I think I can speak for coach in that he’s going to try to go for this thing,” said Raji. “I know Coach. You don’t win a Super Bowl by being scared. You just play. That’s the message he’s preaching. Just play the game because it’s the game. … Generally, if you do things the right way, hopefully you get some luck in the injury thing.”

Other more recognizable Packers defenders aren’t quite as sure McCarthy will go out the final two weeks. “We’ll play to win every game,” said veteran Packers cornerback Charles Woodson. “What that means as far as who’s playing, I’m not sure.”

Clay Matthews, the star linebacker with the Thor-like golden locks, was even less sure that Green Bay’s best players would play much in Weeks 16 and 17. “We take the field to win games around here,” explained Matthews. “We were able to do that tonight and hopefully we’re able to do that in the weeks to come. But at the same time, you have to be smart with your team, if you already have your goals locked up.”

 
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