The Arizona Cardinals upset the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at CenturyLink Field, helping simplify the Green Bay Packers’ path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs over the final two weeks.
While once unlikely, the Packers now have a legitimate chance to clinch the top seed in the conference for the first time since 2011.
Here is the Packers’ three-step checklist to ensuring home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs:
1. Packers beat Minnesota Vikings on Monday night
2. Packers beat Detroit Lions next Sunday
3. Seahawks beat or tie San Francisco 49ers next Sunday night
If all three happen, the 13-3 Packers would have more wins than both the Seahawks and 49ers and win any potential tiebreaker with the New Orleans Saints via conference record.
The Packers are 7-1 at home this season. They can clinch the NFC North and at least one home playoff game by beating the Vikings on Monday night, and they can clinch nothing less than the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye by beating both the Vikings and Lions to end the season.
NFC standings entering Monday night
1. San Francisco 49ers (12-3)*
2. New Orleans Saints (12-3)*
3. Green Bay Packers (11-3)*
4. Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)
5. Seattle Seahawks (11-4)*
6. Minnesota Vikings (10-4)*
In the hunt: Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
*: clinched playoff berth
