Saturday’s win over the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s results around the NFC – most notably the losses of the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams – really simplified Green Bay Packers’ path to the conference’s No. 1 seed.
The Packers (11-3) can now take first place in one of three fairly easy ways during the final two weeks of the 2020 season:
Win Chicago Bears on Week 17
2. Win Tennessee Titans in week 16 AND Los Angeles Rams win Seattle Seahawks in week 16
3. Win Tennessee Titans in Week 16 AND San Francisco 49ers win Seattle Seahawks in Week 17
There are ways for the Packers to lose both games and still be # 1, but the scenarios bring many different results and are somewhat impractical to consider.
Of course, the Packers can win and guarantee the number 1 seed. All teams in the NFC except the Packers currently have at least four defeats.
In scenarios where the Packers beat the Titans but lose to the Bears, Matt LaFleur’s team needs at least one loss from the Seahawks to make sure there is no tie.
According to the New York Times playoff simulator, the Packers now have an 82 percent chance of being the No. 1 seed.