The Packers were just going through the motions in Week 18 against the Vikings, but someone forgot to tell JJ McCarthy. Right out of the gate, McCarthy dodged pressure, stiff-armed linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper into the turf, then ploughed into cornerback Keisean Nixon, knocking him backwards and finishing off the run with authority.

Instead of getting buried for a big loss, McCarthy managed a decent gain, then got right in Nixon’s face and let him have it. The officials didn’t miss that—he got flagged for a 15-yard penalty. The NFL didn’t let it slide either. A few days later, the league hit McCarthy with an $11,593 fine for taunting.

Meanwhile, the Packers left Minnesota with no league punishments. Honestly, most of their key guys never even suited up. The game meant nothing for playoff spots or seeding, so Green Bay played it safe.

Now, sitting at 9-7-1, the Packers locked up the NFC’s No. 7 seed for the second year in a row. Next up: a Wild Card game at Soldier Field against the Bears, who finished 11-6 to win the NFC North and grab the No. 2 seed. Despite Chicago’s record, the oddsmakers at DraftKings gave Green Bay the edge—Packers by 2.5 points right before game time.

The two teams split their regular-season games, each winning at home. Both matchups happened in December, but Green Bay probably should’ve swept the series. They blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of the second game and lost in overtime by six.

Jordan Love, the Packers’ quarterback, hasn’t taken a snap since that overtime loss to Chicago. He got knocked out with a concussion late in the first half. He missed the next week against Baltimore because of concussion protocol, and then the coaches rested him against the Vikings to keep him healthy.

The final injury report on Friday didn’t look great. Several players showed up as questionable: DT Warren Brinson (foot), safety Javon Bullard (knee), LB Nick Niemann (pectoral), OT Zach Tom (back/knee), WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion), and backup QB Malik Willis (right shoulder/hamstring). Wicks is already ruled out, and the rest of the inactives won’t be announced until about 90 minutes before kickoff.

Out of everyone, Zach Tom is probably Green Bay’s biggest worry. He’s been the second-best right tackle in football this year, at least according to Pro Football Focus, but he’s missed three straight games with those nagging injuries—five total this season.

They really need Willis to be ready in case something happens to Love. If Love goes down and Willis can’t play, the Packers would have to hand the offence to third-stringer Clayton Tune. That’s not a spot they want to find themselves in, especially with their season on the line.

The Yankees want Cody Bellinger back; no secret there. But if that doesn’t happen, they’ve got their eyes on Bo Bichette as plan B. Still, bringing in Bichette comes with all kinds of headaches. Honestly, it’s risky. Meanwhile, let’s check out three Yankees who look ready to smash their 2026 projections.

This offseason has turned into a waiting game for the Yankees. Scott Boras is doing his usual thing, pushing Bellinger’s price into the stratosphere. Seven years, nearly $260 million? That’s treating Bellinger like he’s an MVP every season, and his career just doesn’t back that up. He’s streaky, and there’s always the risk he slides backwards. Sure, Yankee Stadium could boost his numbers, but shelling out almost $40 million a year for a guy who needs the right park to thrive? That’s a bet that could go south fast.

Then there’s the backup plan—Bo Bichette. On paper, paying $300 million for Bichette means you’re betting on him staying a top-tier shortstop for years. But the numbers say he’s not as reliable on defence as people think, and he might not even stick at short. Plus, with Anthony Volpe locked in at shortstop, adding Bichette would just create a mess. Someone like Jazz Chisholm gets squeezed out, and the team loses that athletic vibe they’ve been building. Bottom line: the Yankees need to show some restraint. Overpaying out of panic shuts championship windows quietly but quickly.

Three Yankees Ready to Blow Past 2026 Projections

Steamer’s 2026 projections see the Yankees as good but not quite there yet. Still, three guys could beat those numbers. First up, Ryan McMahon. He didn’t wow anyone last season, but dig a little deeper—better exit velocity, more barrels, and he’s hitting the ball in the air to his pull side more often. If the Yankees use him right, keeping him away from tough lefties, McMahon could quietly turn into a key bat at the bottom of the lineup.

On the pitching side, Will Warren’s projections look kind of meh, but there’s more upside than people think. He’s sharpened his fastball, and if he gets his secondary pitches working, he could follow the same path as other Yankee pitchers who took off after some tweaks. The boldest pick is Ben Rice. The projections predict a step back, but forget that. Rice hits the ball hard, doesn’t chase much, and his platoon splits aren’t a big problem. Give him a full season at first base, and he could get close to MVP levels.

Ben Rice Is Changing Everything

Rice has honestly flipped the script for the Yankees. In his first full year, he put up big numbers while splitting time between catcher and first, ending with a 133 wRC+—that’s elite company. With five years of team control left, the Yankees suddenly have a cheap star just as payroll is getting tighter.

The deeper numbers love Rice even more. He’s near the top in expected slugging, hard-hit rate, and exit velocity, but his batting average tanked because of some ridiculous defensive luck against him. Add in his great eye and low strikeout rate for a power hitter, and you’ve got a rare building block. Even if his glove at first is just okay, his bat is enough to make him a star. Once that luck evens out, Rice could be right in the MVP mix, all while giving the Yankees a ton of value.