The Green Bay Packers are entering the bye week with a 6-3 record after losing 24-14 to the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Matt LaFleur’s team is currently in possession of a playoff spot in the NFC ahead of Week 10, but the Packers have plenty of work to do against a tough schedule during the second half of the season.
If the season ended today, the Packers would be the No. 7 seed in the NFC and face the NFC East-leading Washington Commanders on the road in the NFC Wild Card Round.
Here’s a quick look at the standings entering the bye week:
NFC playoff standings
1. Detroit Lions (7-1)
2. Washington Commanders (7-2)
3. Atlanta Falcons (6-3)
4. Arizona Cardinals (5-4)
5. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)
6. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2)
7. Green Bay Packers (6-3)
Other contenders: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4), Chicago Bears (4-4), Los Angeles Rams (4-4), San Francisco 49ers (4-4), Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
The Packers have already lost to three teams ahead of them in the NFC playoff race and are 2-3 overall against the conference, complicating the path up the standings. But LaFleur’s team does still have road playoff games against the Lions and Vikings — and last year’s team won in both Detroit and Minneapolis. Unless the Packers can catch fire and hunt down the Lions, a road playoff game in the wildcard round looks like the most likely entry into the postseason.
NFC North standings
1. Detroit Lions (7-1 overall, 2-0 vs. division)
2. Minnesota Vikings (6-2 overall, 1-1 vs. division)
3. Green Bay Packers (6-3 overall, 0-2 vs. division)
4. Chicago Bears (4-4 overall, 0-0 vs. division)
There’s a lot of football left to be played in the NFC North this season. Only six of the 24 total matchups between division rivals have been played through Week 9. The Packers have dug themselves a decent hole, especially considering the two division losses both came at home against the top contenders. LaFleur’s team will go on the road to play the Bears in the first game coming out of the bye on Nov. 17 and has a rematch with the Lions in Detroit on Dec. 5. Can the Lions be caught in the standings?
Packers remaining schedule
Week 11: at Chicago Bears (4-4)
Week 12: vs. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
Week 13: vs. Miami Dolphins (2-6)
Week 14: at Detroit Lions (7-1)
Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks (4-5)
Week 16: vs. New Orleans Saints (2-7)
Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings (6-2)
Week 18: vs. Chicago Bears (4-4)