Rams waived Anthony Smith

[Maxie the Taxi]

I like your optimism, but "easily" ending up in the playoffs might be a stretch. I went over the Packers' schedule last night and the rest of their season after Tampa is no cakewalk:

Dallas Cowboys at home
San Francisco 49ers at home
@ Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving)
Baltimore Ravens at home
@ Chicago Bears
@ Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks at home
@ Arizona Cardinals

Assuming they're 5-3 after Tampa, they'll need six more wins to be a wild card team. Dallas, San Francisco and Arizona shape up as must win games because they'll be in the wild card hunt too. Not to mention the Bears. I'm thinking they can afford to lose to Baltimore and Pittsburgh, but need to win the rest.

10-6 gets you in for the NFC more times than not (AFC beats up on the NFC making the respective records uneven). No way they have to win each of Dallas, San Fran and Arizona. 2 out of 3 should be more than enough. 1 out of 3, depending upon which they beat, might be enough even if they finish 10-6.

None of those teams, except for Pitt, are playing great football. The Packer's have a schedule that they can go 6-3 from here on out. Will they? That's why they play the games.

By easily, I mean a very real possibility.

You're probably right...I hope anyway. I'm worried about Baltimore, Dallas and San Francisco more than Arizona, though Arizone is a tough place to go into and have to win. Both Baltimore and San Francisco had Minnesota beat before lightening struck. Both are quirky, good teams.