The Green Bay Packers are already playoff-bound in 2024, but a loss in Week 17 has complicated their positioning for the postseason. With their 27-25 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers (11-5) fell to the seventh seed in the NFC, losing their grip on the coveted sixth seed. Now, they’ll need help to move up the standings as they head into their Week 18 matchup against the Chicago Bears.
While the Packers are no longer battling for a playoff spot like last season, Sunday’s loss to Minnesota officially ruled out a fifth seed finish for Green Bay. It also ended their chances of securing a first-round bye, which would have come with a victory. To make matters more interesting, the Washington Commanders (11-5) earned an overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons, moving ahead of the Packers in the standings and claiming the sixth seed for now.
Packers-Commanders Tiebreaker Explained
Though both the Packers and Commanders have identical 11-5 records, Washington holds the tiebreaker based on their superior win percentage in conference games. This means that if both teams finish the season with the same record, Washington will claim the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs, and the Packers will settle for the seventh.
However, Green Bay can still overtake Washington for the sixth seed if they defeat the Bears next Sunday and the Commanders lose to the Dallas Cowboys. Both games are scheduled for noon on Sunday, with the Packers needing a win and help from Dallas to leapfrog Washington in the standings.
Who Will the Packers Play in the Playoffs?
As it stands, the Packers are slotted for the seventh seed, which would send them on the road to face the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round. This is a matchup the Packers would hope to avoid, especially after their loss to the Eagles in Week 1 in Brazil.
If Green Bay manages to secure the sixth seed, they would face the third seed in the opening round—currently held by the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams, though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) are still in the hunt for that spot as well.
NFC Playoff Picture Heading into Week 18
With only one game remaining in the regular season, here’s where the NFC playoff picture stands:
- Minnesota Vikings (14-2) – Play at Detroit in Week 18 for NFC North title and No. 1 seed
- Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) – Clinched No. 2 seed, NFC East champions, face the New York Giants in Week 18
- Los Angeles Rams (10-6) – Play Seattle in Week 18, clinch No. 3 seed with a win
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) – Host New Orleans in Week 18, clinch NFC South and No. 4 seed with a win
- Detroit Lions (13-2) – Host Minnesota in Week 18, NFC North title and No. 1 seed at stake
- Washington Commanders (11-5) – Play Dallas in Week 18, win clinches sixth seed
- Green Bay Packers (11-5) – Host Chicago in Week 18, win and Commanders loss clinches sixth seed
- Atlanta Falcons (8-8) – Host Carolina, need win and Buccaneers loss to win NFC South and No. 4 seed
Packers vs. Bears: Week 18 Game Preview
The Packers will conclude their regular season at home against the struggling Chicago Bears, who have lost 10 straight games. With Green Bay riding an 11-game win streak over their NFC North rivals, including a 20-19 win earlier this season, the Packers will be heavy favorites in the Week 18 clash. Matt LaFleur’s squad has never lost to the Bears under his coaching tenure, and they will look to finish strong ahead of the playoffs.
Kickoff for the Packers-Bears game is set for noon CT on Sunday, Jan. 5 at Lambeau Field. Green Bay will be hoping for a victory and a little help from the Cowboys to secure the sixth seed and avoid a tough wild-card road game against the Eagles.
As Week 18 approaches, the stakes are high for the Packers. With their playoff hopes intact, they now face the challenge of securing the best possible position for their postseason run.
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