The Green Bay Packers lost their only real shot at winning the NFC North when they dropped three division games earlier this season. They lost to the Minnesota Vikings in Week Four (at Lambeau Field) and to the Detroit Lions twice. At 10-4, Green Bay would be a top-two team in every other division in the NFL. As it stands, the Lions are 13-2 and the Vikings are 12-2 (and currently playing the Seattle Seahawks).
Going into the Week 16 games on Sunday, the Packers needed several things to happen if they were to clinch a postseason berth before they play the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. Unfortunately, none of them did.
The Green Bay Packers Have Been Eliminated from the NFC North Chase
In order to win the NFC North after dropping a game to the Vikings and two to the Lions, Green Bay needed both teams to lose out until Week 18 when they play each other. They then needed that game to end in a tie. Meanwhile, the Packers would have had to win out for any of that to matter.
With Detroit’s 34-17 win over the overly incompetent Chicago Bears on Sunday, though, the Packers are now mathematically eliminated from the division race.
Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 26 of 40 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns, but lost a fumble on a strip sack. All told, Chicago turned the ball over twice and simply could not stop the Lions offense.
The Bears, of course, fired their head coach, Matt Eberflus, earlier this season. It certainly looks like whoever takes over in 2025 is going to have their work cut out for them.
The Green Bay Packers Got No Help from the New York Giants
Even though they did not have any realistic shot at winning the division after their losses to Detroit and Minnesota, the Packers still could have clinched a Wild Card spot on Sunday if the New York Giants defeated the Atlanta Falcons, who are also fighting for a spot in the postseason.
Unfortunately, the Giants are one of the utter embarrassments of the NFL and hardly put up any sort of fight against Atlanta. They lost 34-7 thanks in large part to quarterback Drew Lock throwing two pick-sixes and losing a fumble.
The Packers can still punch their ticket to the NFL Playoffs this week, though. All they need to do is beat the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.
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