Even after losing back-to-back games, including Saturday night’s meltdown at Soldier Field, the Green Bay Packers remain in a strong spot in terms of making the postseason field in the NFC. Matt LaFleur’s team controls its destiny, meaning wins in the final two weeks would clinch a playoff spot, and there’s even a semi-realistic path to the Packers winning the NFC North. Based on what happens with the Detroit Lions on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Packers could clinch a playoff spot as soon as next Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens.
But losses to the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears over the last two disastrous weeks have the Packers at 9-5-1 and suddenly in a far more perilous spot in terms of clinching a playoff spot, especially with Micah Parsons out for the season and Jordan Love now in concussion protocol.
How can the Packers miss the playoffs altogether? It’s a narrow but still possible path.
— If the Lions win out, the 49ers win at least one more game and the Packers only win one of their final two games, the Lions would jump the Packers in the standings and steal the final playoff spot in the NFC.
— If the Packers lose out, the Lions would only need to win two of their final three games to jump the Packers.
Want to get wild? There is a scenario where the Packers win one of their final two games, the Lions win out and the San Francisco 49ers lose out, and the Packers, Lions and Bears all make the postseason from the NFC North.
NFC playoff picture
- Seattle Seahawks, 12-3 (clinched)
- Chicago Bears, 11-4
- Philadelphia Eagles, 10-5 (clinched, NFC East champion)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7-7
- Los Angeles Rams, 11-4 (clinched)
- San Francisco 49ers, 10-4
- Green Bay Packers, 9-5-1
In the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-6), Carolina Panthers (7-7)
At this point, the Bears, 49ers, Packers and Lions are four teams competing for three playoff spots. The Panthers are only alive in the NFC South race.
Final schedules, NFC playoff hunt
- Packers: vs. Ravens, at Vikings
- Lions: vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears
- 49ers: at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks
- Bears: at 49ers, vs. Lions
Feeling spiteful and want to know the path to the Bears missing the postseason?
Here are the results needed: Lions over Steelers, Lions over Vikings, Packers over Ravens, 49ers over Bears, Lions over Bears, Packers over Vikings. In this scenario, the Packers win the NFC North and the Lions jump the Bears for a wildcard spot.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: How the Packers can miss playoffs after melting down in Week 16 loss to Bears
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