The Green Bay Packers got off to a fast start Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field and held strong for a 20-15 victory against Washington Redskins, keeping them well in the conversation for earning home-field advantage in the 2019 NFL playoffs.
The Packers (10-3) took over the No. 2 seed in the NFC after the San Francisco 49ers handed the New Orleans Saints a last-minute loss Sunday afternoon. They will now close out their regular season with three straight games against their NFC North, during which they will have a long-shot opportunity to seize the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Here’s a breakdown of the current NFC playoff picture after the Packers’ win over the Redskins (3-10) along with an updated look at Green Bay’s playoff scenarios.
*Note: All data and percentages included here are courtesy of Playoff Status.
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Updated Look at the NFC Playoff Picture
Disclaimer: All projections will be updated live with relevant Week 14 final results
The Saints (10-3) seemed to be headed for a win with an early lead Sunday afternoon, which would have kept them in sole possession of the conference’s top seed with a win after last week becoming the first NFL team of the season to clinch its division. But the 49ers (11-2) clawed their way back and won 48-46 on a Robbie Gould field goal in the final seconds, bumping the Saints down to the No. 3 seed.
The win puts the 49ers (11-2) back into the top spot for at least a few hours, but the Seattle Seahawks (10-2) now have an opportunity to control the No. 1 seed if they can win out for the remainder of their season, starting with Sunday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. They defeated the 49ers earlier this season and will face them again in Week 17’s regular-season finale in Seattle.
Right now, the Dallas Cowboys (6-7) maintain the No. 4 seed after Thursday night’s loss to the Chicago Bears by the grace of being divisional leaders. The Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) are still in a position to challenge them in the NFC East, but winning Monday night against the New York Giants (2-10) won’t get them all the way there. The Cowboys beat the Eagles earlier this season, but the rivals will also meet again Week 16 in a matchup that could decide which of them makes it to the postseason.
With either the 49ers or Seahawks destined for the top wild-card spot, the Minnesota Vikings (9-4) control their fate as the second wild-card team with a two-game advantage over any of the others in the chase, including the Los Angeles Rams (7-5) and the Chicago Bears (7-6).
The Vikings’ win keeps them in a spot to challenge the Packers for the NFC North title with the two are slated to meet in prime time in Week 16.
How the Packers Can Still Earn the No. 1 Seed
After the Saints’ loss, the Packers still have a 1 percent chance of obtaining the NFC’s top seed and its corresponding home-field advantage, but the road to getting there will require forces beyond their control.
To lock up the No. 1 seed, the Packers need to both win the rest of their games and watch the 49ers and Seahawks each lose two more before the end of the season, which is made tricker with Seattle set to host San Francisco in Week 17. The Saints still have a 7 percent chance of finishing as the top seed if they win out, but the Packers winning out would neutralize that as they hold a conference-record tiebreaker over the Saints.
Thanks to that advantage, the Packers will be guaranteed the No. 2 seed — and a first-round bye — if they win their final three games. They would also hold a divisional-winner tiebreaker over whichever NFC West team ends up finishing second this season.
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Packers Playoff Picture: Updated Postseason Outlook After Week 14’s Win