Current:Home > reviewsHow Packers can make the NFL playoffs: Scenarios, remaining schedule and more for Green Bay -VitalWealth Strategies
How Packers can make the NFL playoffs: Scenarios, remaining schedule and more for Green Bay
TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-07 19:50:37
The Green Bay Packers have had a roller-coaster of a year, but with one game left in the regular season, there's still a path to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Titletown.
At 8-8, the Packers head into Week 18 in the No. 7 spot in the NFC standings, meaning right now, Green Bay is heading into the playoffs.
The path to a playoff spot in the final week of the season is simple: win and in. But even if the Packers are unable to pick up a victory to end the regular season, there's still a chance they make the playoffs, as long as some other teams also lose.
Here's what Green Bay needs to make the playoffs:
Packers playoff scenarios
The easiest path the Packers could create for themselves is to beat the Chicago Bears in the regular-season finale. Finishing at 9-8, the Packers would guarantee themselves a playoff spot and wouldn't have to worry about any other results.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
The Packers are currently the No. 7 seed in the standings, but they could become the sixth seed in the playoffs. Here's how:
- Packers win AND Rams lose
If the Packers lose or tie to the Bears, that's where things get tricky, as it'll involve results with the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the odds go down significantly with a tie, these are the paths Green Bay would need to still make the playoffs if it ties with Chicago:
- Packers tie AND Seahawks loss or tie AND Saints loss or tie OR
- Packers tie AND Seahawks loss AND Buccaneers loss OR
- Packers tie AND Seahawks tie AND Buccaneers loss or tie OR
Should Green Bay lose to Chicago, the result of the game won't matter as long as these results work in the Packers' favor:
- Vikings loss or tie AND Seahawks loss AND Buccaneers loss OR
- Vikings loss or tie AND Seahawks loss AND Saints loss
Packers remaining schedule
The Packers' final game is at home against NFC North rival Bears. Green Bay beat Chicago to open the season, although the Bears have gotten hot recently, winning four of their past five games.
Will the Packers make the playoffs?
Facing its greatest nemesis, Green Bay has a great shot to make the playoffs.
The Packers head into the matchup against the Bears as three-point favorites, according to BetMGM odds. Green Bay played one of its best games of the season in the Week 17 win over the Minnesota Vikings, and beat the Bears by 18 points in the regular-season opener. The New York Times playoff scenario simulator currently gives Green Bay a 68% chance of making the playoffs.
If Green Bay is unable to beat Chicago, it drastically changes the probability. Seattle is facing an Arizona Cardinals team that is coming off a big win, but already lost to the Seahawks earlier this season. Tampa Bay is also facing the NFL-worst Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans enters its matchup against the Atlanta Falcons winners of three of its past four games.
In short: As long as Green Bay is able to beat Chicago for the 10th consecutive time, all will be well in Wisconsin. No win, and it might be time to prep for the NFL draft.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- What polling shows about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ new running mate
- Gal Gadot Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 4 With Husband Jaron Varsano
- Bachelor Nation’s Chris Harrison Returning to TV With These Shows
- Wayward 450-pound pig named Kevin Bacon hams it up for home security camera
- USA men's volleyball mourns chance at gold after losing 5-set thriller, will go for bronze
- Woman and daughter, 11, fatally shot in SUV in Massachusetts; police arrest man, search for another
- Amid Louisiana’s crawfish shortage, governor issues disaster declaration
- Caitlin Clark's potential WNBA contract might come as a surprise, and not a positive one
- Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
- Show stopper: Rare bird sighting prompts Fountains of Bellagio to pause shows Tuesday
Ranking
- Tropical weather brings record rainfall. Experts share how to stay safe in floods.
- Senate committee advances bill to create a new commission to review Kentucky’s energy needs
- Fewer fish and more algae? Scientists seek to understand impacts of historic lack of Great Lakes ice
- Progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón advances to runoff
- Tropical rains flood homes in an inland Georgia neighborhood for the second time since 2016
- Here are the women chosen for Barbie's newest role model dolls
- After Ohio train derailment, tank cars didn’t need to be blown open to release chemical, NTSB says
- Kansas could soon make doctors ask patients why they want abortions and report the answers
Recommendation
Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
Senate committee advances bill to create a new commission to review Kentucky’s energy needs
White House, Justice Department unveil new plan to protect personal data from China and Russia
Stock market today: Asian shares trade mixed after Wall Street recovers
USA women's basketball live updates at Olympics: Start time vs Nigeria, how to watch
What is the State of the Union? A look at some of the history surrounding the annual event
Alyssa Naeher makes 3 saves and scores in penalty shootout to lift USWNT over Canada
See Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine's steamy romance in trailer for 'The Idea of You'