The Green Bay Packers are entering their Week 11 bye with an 8-2 record and sole possession of first place in the NFC North. They’re also currently holding the No. 2 seed in the conference, setting up Matt LaFleur’s team to make a legitimate run at a first-round bye over the final six weeks of the season.
The current NFC North and NFC standings:
NFC North
1. Packers (8-2)
2. Vikings (7-3)
3. Bears (4-5)
4. Lions (3-5-1)
NFC
1. 49ers (8-1)
2. Packers (8-2)
3. Saints (7-2)
4. Cowboys (5-4)
5. Seahawks (8-2)
6. Vikings (7-3)
7. Rams (5-4)
8. Eagles (5-4)
9. Panthers (5-4)
10. Bears (4-5)
The Packers play four of their final six games on the road, beginning in Week 12 at 49ers. With a win, the Packers can take over control of the No. 1 seed in the conference.
The team’s final six games include only two games against teams currently possessing a winning record:
Week 12 at 49ers (8-1)
Week 13 at Giants (2-8)
Week 14 vs. Redskins (1-8)
Week 15 vs. Bears (4-5)
Week 16 at Vikings (7-3)
Week 17 at Lions (3-5-1)
The Packers are 3-0 in the NFC North but finish with three straight games within the division, including back-to-back road games. It’s looking increasingly more likely that the Week 16 game in Minnesota will determine the division winner.
According to the New York Times playoff predictor, the Packers have a 95 percent chance at making the postseason and a 57 percent chance of winning the division. A win over the 49ers in Week 12 would boost the team’s chances of securing a first-round bye to almost 80 percent.
