If nothing else, the seventh seed provides clarity. The Green Bay Packers already know their opening two playoff opponents, should they defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round. Green Bay is also the only team that can't play a home game.
Matt LaFleur's team understands its path to the Super Bowl. They must run the gauntlet against the NFC's best, all on the road, beginning on Sunday against the team they met in Brazil to open the season.
It will take a monumental effort from the Packers, who are 0-5 against the Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings this season, but the pressure is off. They aren't playing with house money like their last playoff run, but few are giving them a realistic shot at going all the way.
Green Bay faces a daunting task, but the path to the Super Bowl couldn't be much clearer.
What is the Packers' path to the Super Bowl in 2025 playoffs?
Wild Card Round: Philadelphia Eagles
For the Packers or Eagles, the season will end the way it started. Green Bay has some experience of upsetting the NFC East champions in the Wild Card Round, and it may take a similar performance from Jordan Love to get it done again.
The Packers are underdogs, but they will take confidence from Week 1. Yes, they lost, but they got in their own way and felt like they should've won that game. You could argue that's the story of their season, but they have the talent to win this rematch.
Divisional Round: Detroit Lions
The Packers are the only team in the NFC that knows who they would face in the divisional round. By beating Philadelphia, Green Bay will punch its ticket to Ford Field, where it almost upset the Lions in December. LaFleur said they must "earn the right" to get a rematch against the back-to-back NFC North champions, and they are one win away from making it happen.
Need some added motivation? Lions head coach Dan Campbell made it pretty clear that he doesn't believe the Packers will reach the divisional round. It sure would feel good to prove him wrong and eliminate the Lions, especially after all the trash talk from Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kerby Joseph earlier this season.
NFC Championship Game
If Green Bay makes it this far, one of four teams would await them. The Packers would stay on the road for a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, or Washington Commanders.
Richard Sherman recently doubled down on his take that nobody fears the Packers with Jordan Love. Maybe that's true now, but that sure will change if they overcome the Eagles and Lions in consecutive weeks.
The most satisfying outcome would be to defeat the Vikings. After going 0-5 against Philadelphia, Detroit, and Minnesota in the regular season, it would be fitting to eliminate all three teams. However, the Vikings arguably present the most daunting challenge, especially as the Packers won't have Jaire Alexander or Christian Watson.
Let's be honest: if the Packers overcome the odds to make it this far, we won't care who they play. Beat the Eagles and Lions, and LaFleur's team will feel they can defeat anyone.