The Green Bay Packers have already secured at least one playoff spot. Following the Lions’ loss last week, they clinched a berth in the NFC. However, they must avoid a loss against the Baltimore Ravens if they want to maintain a strong grip on the NFC North.
If the Packers lose to the Ravens, their path to the NFC North title becomes far more complicated. That result would represent one of the two outcomes required for Green Bay to lose control of the division, as the Chicago Bears would then need only one win against the San Francisco 49ers to secure the division crown.
It would be a major setback for the Packers, who enter their Week 17 matchup against the Ravens with a 9-5-1 record and without starting quarterback Jordan Love. His absence makes it even more difficult to avoid a loss in a game where securing the division title would significantly improve their playoff positioning.
NFC North standings and current situation
At the moment, the Bears firmly control the NFC North with an 11-4 record. The Packers are safely in the playoffs but sit second in the division. To keep their division hopes alive, they must win their final two games of the regular season. In addition to facing the Ravens, they will need a victory against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18.
Green Bay not only needs to win its final two games, a challenging task without Love and while entering Week 17 on a losing streak, but also must hope the Chicago Bears lose their final two NFL regular season games. Only under that scenario would the Packers emerge as NFC North champions.
The NFC North race is essentially settled, as the other two teams, the Vikings and the Lions, have already been eliminated. While Detroit appeared to be a potential threat at one point during the season, they were effectively knocked out by the middle of the year.