GREEN BAY - Matt LaFleur knows he’s in an impossible situation this week.
He isn’t complaining. LaFleur understands this predicament represents the spoils of a regular season marvelously played. The Green Bay Packers reached their ultimate regular-season goal, clinching the NFC’s top seed and the home-field advantage and first-round bye that comes with it. They just did it a week early.
There is still football to be played this season before the playoff chase begins. The Packers must travel to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, because that is what their schedule dictates, and the schedule does not care whether there is nothing to be gained or lost depending on the outcome.