The playoff race in the NFC is entering the final four weeks of the 2024 season, and the Green Bay Packers — despite a loss to the Detroit Lions last Thursday night — remain in a solid position.
Per the playoff simulator at the New York Times, the Packers currently have a 98 percent chance of making the playoffs and would go up over 99 percent with a win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in Week 15.
The NFC playoff race continues to gain clarity. The Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles both clinched, the Minnesota Vikings are all but guaranteed of a playoff spot and the Seahawks strengthened their grip on the NFC West. The Packers, meanwhile, are all but eliminated in the NFC North race and will have to settle for securing the No. 5 or No. 6 seed as a wildcard.
In a way, the Packers are in a weird spot. Matt LaFleur’s team doesn’t have much to play for in terms of playoff positioning, although avoiding a road trip to Philadelphia is valuable. The Packers are also almost guaranteed of a playoff spot — just one more win could clinch it. They won’t have much in terms of external postseason pressure to play their best football over the final four games.
If the season ended today, the Packers — as the No. 6 seed — would go to Seattle to play the Seahawks, currently the No. 3 seed. So Sunday night’s matchup in Seattle could very well end up as a first-round playoff preview.
What else happened in the NFC playoff race this past week? The Los Angeles Rams scored a big upset win over the Buffalo Bills to improve to 7-6, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers jumped over the fading Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South and the San Francisco 49ers kept their slim hopes alive with a big win over the Chicago Bears.
NFC playoff standings entering Week 15
1. Detroit Lions (12-1, clinched playoff spot)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-2, clinched playoff spot)
3. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
5. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)
6. Green Bay Packers (9-4)
7. Washington Commanders (8-5)
8. Los Angeles Rams (7-6)
9. Atlanta Falcons (6-7)
10. Arizona Cardinals (6-7)
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-7)
12. Dallas Cowboys (5-7, play Monday night vs. CIN)
13. New Orleans Saints (5-8)
14. Chicago Bears (4-9)
15. Carolina Panthers (3-10)
16. New York Giants (2-11, eliminated)
Packers final 4 regular season games
Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
Week 16: vs. New Orleans Saints (5-8)
Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings (11-2)
Week 18: vs. Chicago Bears (4-9)
Overall record: 28-24