Packers steamroll depleted Saints, look like a top contender in the NFC

The Packers stopped the Saints one last time and finished the game in victory formation to complete the 34-0 shutout, the first in the NFL this season.

With the win, Green Bay has clinched a wild-card berth at 11-4 with two weeks remaining in the regular season. A dominant effort on both sides of the ball secures Green Bay's fifth playoff berth in six seasons.

Tough to see. Saints guard Lucas Patrick went down in pain in the throes of garbage time. Held his left knee after contact and was eventually able to limp off the field.

With Malik Willis at QB, the Packers added another touchdown on a seven-play, 48-yard drive for a 34-0 lead. Emanuel Wilson punches it in from 1 yard.

Nine Packers players have carried the ball for 191 yards and three touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry.

The only flaw on that last drive: Green Bay left 2:41 on the game clock.

A Packers shutout is in reach. The Saints just failed to convert on fourth down, and backup quarterback Malik Willis has replaced Packers starter Jordan Love. Green Bay leads, 27-0 with 5:44 remaining and the ball.

The Packers extend their lead to 27-0 with a 46-yard field goal. 7:13 remains in regulation.

Packers fans are feeling it — and not adhering to protocol. Earlier, the wave broke out. Now, they break out a "Bears still suck" chant. Both times with Green Bay on offense.

The Packers have the ball back after a Saints punt with a 24-0 lead and a clear mission: Run the clock.

Packers running back Josh Jacobs has remained on the sideline after a hot start. No reports of an injury. Makes sense for Green Bay to rest their starting running back in a blowout. Eight different players have carried the ball for the Packers tonight.

The Packers failed to gain a first down near midfield, and the Saints will go for their first points on a drive starting from their own 34.

The third quarter's over, and the Packers have a 24-0 lead and the ball heading into the fourth. Will they keep their shutout intact?

Everything continues to go wrong for the Saints. Their best drive of the night (to the Green Bay 22) ends with a Spencer Rattler interception to Zayne Anderson near the end zone. Green Bay keeps the shutout intact and takes over with a 24-0 lead at its own 20.

Packers receiver Christian Watson returned to the game after a first-half visit to the sideline medical tent. But Green Bay is now listing him as questionable with a knee injury. Here's guessing that his night is done in a blowout.

Brandon McManus is good on a 60-yard field goal extend Green Bay's lead to 24-0. The only drama left in this one is whether or not the shutout holds.

New Orleans punts after gaining 14 yards on its the first possession of the third quarter. New Orleans is still seeking to crack the scoreboard.

The Saints have the ball to start the second half. Will they score this time — or at all, tonight?

This is about as dominant as one NFL team looks against another.

Jordan Love: 12 of 18, 127 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 turnovers
Spencer Rattler: 4 of 8, 56 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 lost fumble

Josh Jacobs: 10 carries for 53 yards; 4 catches for 38 yards, 1 touchdown
Kendre Miller: 5 carries for 12 yards

Tucker Kraft: 3 catches for 63 yards
Foster Moreau: 2 catches for 33 yards

Packers total yards: 222 on 6.2 yards per play
Saints total yards: 81 on 3.5 yards per play

Packers first downs: 15
Saints first downs: 6

Packers turnovers: 0
Saints turnovers: 1

Saints head coach Darren Rizzi was not aware that the game clock restarts after a fumble out of bounds. Saints receiver Kevin Austin Jr. fumbled out of bounds after a gain to the Green Bay 34 with 39 seconds left in the half.

Officials stopped the clock, then started it again after the ball was put back in play, as they're supposed to. The Saints apparently expected the clock to remain stopped and didn't call one of their two remaining timeouts until 15 seconds remained on the game clock.

Spencer Rattler took a sack on the next play, and the Saints came away scoreless after a Hail Mary on third-and-22 hit the turf. A terrible half of Saints football ends in complete mismanagement with Green Bay leading, 21-0.

The Saints also wasted a bunch of time earlier in the drive that started with 1:49 remaining in the half. Complete mismanagement by New Orleans.

Rizzi eplained the gaffe to ESPN as a "miscommunication with officials" on his way to the halftime locker room.

The Packers just punted after scoring touchdowns on each of their first three drives. The Saints have a chance to salvage some respectability with the ball back inside the 2-minute warning.

Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is back on the field after spending some time in the sideline medical tent.

This is brutal. Spencer Rattler just dropped the ball on a hit by Keisean Nixon, and Rashan Gary jumped on it for a Packers takeaway. Rattler was holding the ball carelessly and unaware of the pressure from his right side when he got hit.

Packers take over with a 21-0 lead in a Monday night laugher.

The Packers are now up, 21-0. Backup running back Chris Brooks capped a 67-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Green Bay's offense is in peak form with the playoffs around the corner. The touchdown is the first of Brooks' career in his second NFL season.

This is one of the last things the Packers want to see. Oft-injured receiver Christian Watson is in the sideline medical medical tent after a catch to put the Packers inside the 10-yard line. The nature of his injury isn't clear. He was able to limp to the tent on his own.

The Saints punt again, and the Packers have the ball and a 14-0 lead seeking their third touchdown in three possessions.

The NFL expanded flex scheduling to Monday nights this season, but the league apparently couldn't work this matchup of a playoff team against a 5-9 opponent out tonight.

This time, Josh Jacobs got the touchdown. After setting up Green Bay's first score, the Packers running back scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to extend Green Bay's lead to 14-0.

The Packers converted twice on fourth down en route to the touchdown, including a 21-yard catch-and-run by tight end Tucker Kraft from Jordan Love.

That'sTwo touchdowns in two possessions for Green Bay. This one went for 96 yards and 17 plays and ate 8:55 off the clock.

The Packers ended the first quarter facing fourth-and-1 near midfield. The started the second with a Jordan Love sneak to pick up the first down. They're over midfield seeking their second touchdown in two possessions.

Football guy Troy Aikman with some thoughts on NBA flopping inspired by Ugo Amadi's blatant flop on Green Bay's first touchdown:

New Orleans' first possession ended with a punt after gaining 21 yards. Packers have the ball and a 7-0 lead with 5:38 remaining in the first quarter.

Here's Wicks' touchdown catch, complete with a flop from Saints safety Ugo Amadi in coverage. Amadi collapsed with minimal contact from Wicks at the line of scrimmage, allowing Wicks to run free for the touchdown.

Refs weren't buying Amadi's weak acting job. No flag.

Expect a lot more from Josh Jacobs tonight against a middling Saints run defense.

Josh Jacobs touched the ball six times on Green Bay's opening drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Dontayvion Wicks. Jacobs tallied 40 of Green Bay's 63 yards, including a 20-yard run to set up the touchdown.

Green Bay starts with good field position after a kickoff return to the Packers' 38-yard line.

The Saints will kick off, and the Packers will have the ball first.

It's a relatively balmy night in Green Bay for this time of year. There's snow on the ground outside of the Lambeau Field and the temps are in the low 30s, per the "Monday Night Football" broadcast.

The 5-9 Saints, of course, have nothing at stake but draft positioning.

The Packers are all but a lock to make the playoffs at 10-4, but would mathematically clinch a wild-card berth with a win against the Saints Monday night.

There's no chance that they'll win the NFC North, though. A win by the 13-2 Lions knocked the Packers out of contention for the division title on Sunday. The Packers can finish no better than tied with the Lions, who hold the tiebreaker thanks to a sweep of their regular-season series.

In addition to clinching, the Packers are playing to remain in the No. 6 seed ahead of the 10-5 Washington Commanders, who project as the No. 7 seed in the NFC. The No. 7 seed faces a likely playoff path with games against the Eagles and the eventual NFC North champion, whether that's the Lions or the Vikings, a difficult road to the Super Bowl.

The Packers are also seeking to avoid the disaster scenario that would knock them out of the playoffs. This would require Green Bay to lose all of its remaining three games and the Falcons (8-7) and Bucs (8-7) to win out to put two NFC South teams alongside the Commanders in the playoffs with the Packers left out. The Falcons, Bucs and Commanders would all have the tiebreaker advantage if they each finished 10-7.

Pro Bowl Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander will miss a fourth-straight game with a lingering knee injury. The Packers previously listed Alexander as questionable before ruling him out prior to Monday night's kickoff.

Packers inactives:

• 7 LB Quay Walker

• 18 WR Malik Heath

• 20 S Javon Bullard

• 23 CB Jaire Alexander

• 33 S Evan Williams

• 62 OL Jacob Monk

Alvin Kamara and Derek Carr are among the Saints' inactives for "Monday Night Football." This is no surprise. The Saints listed both as out for the game on their Saturday injury report. Wide receiver Chris Olave also remains sidelined on injured reserve for Monday's game.