Here’s How Packers Can Clinch Playoff Berth This Week

Sort of lost in the shuffle of Sunday’s crushing loss to the Denver Broncos in which Micah Parsons headlined some key injuries, the Green Bay Packers are in strong position to qualify for the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

In fact, they could clinch a playoff spot this week. There are two scenarios.

The first would require the Packers (9-4-1) to win at the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears (10-4) on Saturday night and the Detroit Lions (8-6) to lose or tie at home against the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) on Sunday.

The second path would be the Packers tying the Bears and the Lions losing to the Steelers.

The Packers will have to rebound quickly after a devastating loss. The Bears pushed the Packers to the brink two weeks ago and will be at home for the rematch.

“Well, I think it’s easy,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of keeping the team together. “I think we’ve got a connected team, and I know how our guys will respond. We’ve got a great test coming up going to Chicago, a game that went down to the wire last time we played. Obviously, they rolled [over Cleveland on Sunday].

“It’s to go back on top of the division, so I know we’re going to get their best, and they’re going to get our best.”

The Bears are looking for revenge after what happened at Lambeau Field and to turn the tables on a series dominated by their rivals to the north.

“All of our guys, we were pretty quick after yesterday's game to start to turn the page already,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said on Monday. “We're looking forward to playing meaningful football here this late in December. That's a good thing for our football team, I think that's a good thing for the city. It's really what we were all expecting going into the season.

“It's a good thing to come to light just like it has. I'm glad Caleb (Williams) didn't like how the last one [at Green Bay] ended. None of us should. No one likes to lose. The only way you can shake that feeling is to look to stack more victories. That's our intent.”

Packers Control Destiny in NFC North

It would obviously be a big benefit for the Packers to reach the playoffs as a division champion, which would mean a first-round home game, rather than as the seventh seed, which would mean a first-round game at the No. 2 seed and then a divisional-round matchup at the No. 1 seed.

The Packers plunged from second to seventh in the NFC playoff chase last week but they could yo-yo right back into the second spot this week. If Green Bay can win at Chicago, it would vault over the Bears, regain the NFC North lead and recapture the No. 2 seed.

“The season ain’t over,” McKinney said after the loss at Denver. “So, sh**, we’ve still got work to do and, obviously, with this loss, it puts us in a different spot. But we’ve still got a chance to do what we want to do – win the division and make a big run in the playoffs.

“So, yeah, obviously, guys got hurt today but that don’t mean the season’s just over. We’ve just got to keep working, keep finding ways where we can get better, we’ve got to try to be as healthy as possible and that’s just what it is.”

NFC Playoff Standings

Here are the latest NFC standings entering Week 16.  These seven teams lead the playoff chase.

1. Los Angeles Rams (first place, NFC West): 11-3

2. Chicago Bears (first place, NFC North): 10-4

3. Philadelphia Eagles (first place, NFC East): 9-5

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (first place, NFC South): 7-7

5. Seattle Seahawks (second place, NFC West): 11-3

6. San Francisco 49ers (third place, NFC West): 10-4

7. Green Bay Packers (second place, NFC North): 9-4-1

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These three teams are in the hunt.

8. Detroit Lions (third place, NFC North): 8-6

9. Carolina Panthers (second place, NFC South): 7-7

10. Dallas Cowboys (second place, NFC East): 6-7-1

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Everyone else has been eliminated.

11. Minnesota Vikings (fourth place, NFC North): 6-8

12. Atlanta Falcons (third place, NFC South): 5-9

13. New Orleans Saints (fourth place, NFC South): 4-10

14. Washington Commanders (third place, NFC East): 4-10

15. Arizona Cardinals (fourth place, NFC West): 3-11

16. New York Giants (fourth place, NFC East): 2-12

NFC Clinching Scenarios

Here are some of the more straightforward playoff-clinching scenarios this week.