Packers Have Four-Week Dash to Decide Literally Everything

After stepping on the gas to win four consecutive games and move into first place in the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers can’t afford to step on the brakes – or take a break.

If the Packers lose at the Denver Broncos on Sunday, they could fall out of first place in the NFC North. If the Packers lose at the Broncos and the Chicago Bears the next two weeks, they could fall out of the playoffs.

“Just look at the landscape of our league,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “Everybody’s neck and neck from one through the ninth seed. Everybody’s right there and you can’t take anything for granted, and we’ve got a hell of a test coming up against the top-ranked team in the National Football League in their house.”

Here’s a closer look at what’s at stake, starting with the NFC North standings.

Updated NFC North Standings

Here are the NFC North standings through Week 14.

Green Bay Packers: 9-3-1. After back-to-back losses at Lambeau Field, the Packers have won four in a row, including a sweep of their three NFC North rivals. Three of their final four games will be on the road, with the lone home game against the Ravens, who are fighting for a playoff spot.

Chicago Bears: 9-4. The Bears are five games over .500 but have negative differentials in points (one) and touchdowns (five). Chicago fell behind Green Bay in the standings on Sunday but could be right back on top by the end of Sunday with Green Bay at Denver and Chicago hosting Cleveland. Three of their final four games will be at home, where they’ve won four in a row.

Detroit Lions: 8-5. Since winning at Cincinnati in Week 5 to extend their winning streak to four, the Lions have alternated wins and losses every week. Having wrapped up their three-game homestand by beating Dallas on Thursday, they’ll play three of their last four on the road.

Minnesota Vikings: 5-8. The Vikings are mathematically alive after snapping their four-game losing streak on Sunday against Washington. They’ll be relevant, regardless, with their final two games at home against the Lions and Packers.

Race for NFC North: Remaining Schedules

Here are the final schedules for the Packers, Bears and Lions as they jockey for position in the powerful NFC North.