Updated NFL playoff picture for Packers heading into rematch with Lions
By Luke Norris
The Green Bay Packers extended their winning streak to three this past Thursday night with a dominant 30-17 win over the Miami Dolphins at Lambeau Field to cap off the NFL's Thanksgiving slate.
While the Packers improved to 9-3 on the year, they couldn't gain any ground in the NFC North as the Detroit Lions picked up a Thanksgiving win of their own, improving to 11-1 with a 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears, who simply forgot how clocks work in taking their sixth straight defeat.
Matt LaFleur & Co. didn't get any help from the Minnesota Vikings either, as Sam Darnold led his team to a wild 23-22 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon, thus keeping the Vikes a game ahead of Green Bay at 10-2.
Nevertheless, despite remaining in third place in the division, the Packers are in great shape in the overall NFC playoff picture heading into Thursday night's highly anticipated rematch with the Lions. Detroit won the first matchup between the two in Week 9 by a score of 24-14, which represents Green Bay's lone loss since September.
Let's have a look at where the Packers stand heading into Week 14.
Updated NFC playoff picture and standings heading into Week 14
If the NFL Playoffs were to start tomorrow, here's what the NFC side of the bracket would look like.
- Detroit Lions (11-1, 1st NFC North)
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-2, 1st NFC East)
- Seattle Seahawks (7-5, 1st NFC West)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-6, 1st NFC South)
- Minnesota Vikings (10-2, 2nd NFC North)
- Green Bay Packers (9-3, 3rd NFC North)
- Washington Commanders (8-5, 2nd NFC East)
As they have for several weeks now, the Packers are sitting comfortably in the No. 6 position in the NFC.
If the playoffs started tomorrow, Green Bay would visit the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks, who improved to 7-5 on Sunday with a comeback win over Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. As it happens, the Packers are already set for a trip to Seattle in Week 15, so that matchup could very well serve as a postseason preview.
While Green Bay is obviously still in position to win the NFC North, a wild-card berth seems more likely at this point, even with a win over Detroit on Thursday.
As mentioned, the Packers are still one back of the Vikings, who hold the No. 5 slot, but they're up two games in the loss column on the seventh-seeded Washington Commanders, who head into their bye week at 8-5 following a Week 13 win over the Tennessee Titans.
The Packers are also a full three games clear of the top three teams currently on the outside looking in, those being the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 8, 6-6), Arizona Cardinals (No. 9, 6-6), and Los Angeles Rams (No. 10, 6-6).
So, it's not really a question of if Green Bay will clinch a playoff spot, but when.
More Packers news and analysis
manual