Sunday’s results eliminated the opportunity for the Green Bay Packers to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC in Week 16 and set up an important season finale against the Bears in Chicago.
The Packers needed a Los Angeles Rams win over the Seattle Seahawks to have a chance to clinch on Sunday night with a win against the Tennessee Titans, but Pete Carroll’s team had other plans, delivering a 20-9 victory over the Rams that clinched the NFC West title and kept the Seahawks alive for the No. 1 seed.
The playoff path is now simple for the Packers: beat the Bears next Sunday and the No. 1 seed will belong to Green Bay.
Sunday night isn’t necessarily meaningless for the Packers. If they beat the Titans, Matt LaFleur’s team would only need a Seahawks loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17 to clinch the No. 1 seed, providing another pathway to the top spot.
The Titans have a lot to play for on Sunday night. Thanks to the Indianapolis Colts loss on Sunday, the Titans can clinch the AFC South title with a win over the Packers.
The Bears, now 8-7, will be fighting for the seventh and final playoff spot in Week 17. A win over the Packers in the finale would clinch a postseason berth.
The Packers can clinch the No. 1 seed and help knock the Bears out of the playoffs by winning in Soldier Field next week.