The Green Bay Packers (8-8) will go into the final week of the regular season with three different paths (not including ties) to clinching a spot the postseason.
The first is an obvious one but also the simplest and most desirable: Beat the Chicago Bears. Nothing else is required. A win at Lambeau Field next Sunday clinches a playoff spot as the No. 6 or No. 7 seed (depending on result of Rams-49ers).
But the other two paths show that the Packers can lose in the season finale and still sneak in.
Per the NFL, the Packers can make the postseason even with a loss or tie to the Bears in the following two scenarios:
1. Saints loss (to Falcons) AND Seahawks loss (to Cardinals) AND Vikings loss (to Lions)
2. Buccaneers loss (to Panthers) AND Seahawks loss (to Cardinals) AND Vikings loss (to Lions)
The Packers will have a decent idea of what’s at stake come kickoff at 3:25 p.m. on Sunday. The Vikings-Lions, Saints-Falcons and Buccaneers-Panthers games are all in the noon timeslot. The Seahawks-Cardinals game starts at 3:25, so the Packers can’t officially clinch before kickoff.
No one wants to back into the postseason, but the Bears have won four of five games and will be a tough opponent in the season finale.
The path ahead in terms of the postseason is clear. Either beat the Bears at Lambeau Field or the Packers will need a lot of help in games they can’t control.