It hasn’t just been a disappointing season for the Green Bay Packers, but the entire NFC North.
Following the Minnesota Vikings’ defeat to the New York Giants on Sunday, the NFC North became the first division to be completely eliminated from the playoffs.
At least one team from the other seven divisions remain in the postseason.
If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose on Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys, the entire NFC South would also be eliminated.
The NFC North only had one playoff team this season, the Vikings.
Minnesota made a great start to the season, beginning 8-1, although the majority of their wins were by one score.
They ended the regular season 11-0 in one-score games. Was this a fluke, or a sign they knew how to win the close games?
The concern for the Vikings was the way they performed in defeats. They were beaten by scores of 40-3, 41-17, 34-23, and 24-7. They had to fight back from 33-0 down to beat the Indianapolis Colts.
In the end, they weren’t good enough in the playoffs, losing 31-24 to the Giants at home in the wild-card round.
But they were the only NFC North team to make the postseason and they won the division comfortably.
Entering Week 18, three teams could secure the NFC’s seventh seed, including the Packers and Detroit Lions.
However, after the Seattle Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams and the Lions beat the Packers, Seattle reached the playoffs. Both the Packers and Lions were eliminated.
So, here we are, with one game to play in the wild-card round, and the entire NFC North is done.
Do the Packers play in the worst division in football?