Packers are in control of their own destiny in the NFC North

After a much-needed win, the Green Bay Packers still control their own destiny for the NFC North title.

Entering the week, the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings were both 8-3. Although they have the same record, the Packers are ahead of Minnesota in the standings because they beat them in Week 2, their only meeting so far this season.

With a 31-13 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday, the Packers are guaranteed to be in first in the division up to next week. The Vikings, on the other hand, will play Monday night at Seattle. This could be a big game for the Pack to add a little more to their lead if the Seahawks can take down the Vikings.

If the Vikings fall, then they will sit at 8-4, with games against Detroit, Los Angeles (Chargers), Green Bay, and Chicago remaining. All those games would be home games except for the Chargers game. Other than the Packers, this looks like a schedule the Vikings could roll through if they continue to play at a high level.

If the Vikings then win out and beat Green Bay in Week 16, they would still need the Packers to lose another game to either the Bears or the Lions. If the season ended and both the Packers and Vikings were 12-4, Green Bay would win the division. They would have the same regular-season record and split between the two teams, 1-1. The next tiebreaker would be the record within the division. The Packers would be 5-1 and the Vikings would be 4-2.

So while Green Bay has an advantage right now, a loss to Washington next weekend could be a big blow, because the tiebreaker after division record, is conference record, and right now (before the Monday night game) they are both 6-2 against NFC opponents.

If the Vikings lose to the Seahawks, that would be yet another advantage the Packers would have. If Green Bay would then lose to the Redskins, then they would both be 6-3, and then would move onto a strength of victory tiebreaker.

So, long story short, the Pack are very much in control of their own destiny, even if they lose Week 16 in Minnesota. If they take care of the rest of their schedule, they should still be able to take the division.

So tonight, we are all Seahawks fans.