The NFC’s New Standard: Seahawks, Eagles - and the Packers Trying to Catch Up
The NFC has a new bar to clear, and it’s wearing midnight green and navy blue. With back-to-back Super Bowl wins by the Philadelphia Eagles (2024) and Seattle Seahawks (2025), the power dynamic in the conference has shifted - and the rest of the NFC is chasing their shadow.
For the Green Bay Packers, that chase is personal. They managed to take down the Seahawks last season, but they’re still searching for answers against the Eagles, having gone 0-3 over the past two years. It’s a familiar story for Green Bay, echoing the early 2010s when the Packers struggled mightily against the then-dominant Seahawks and 49ers, going a combined 0-7 from 2012 to 2014.
What ties those dominant NFC teams together - past and present - is defense. More specifically, relentless pressure up front.
The Eagles and Seahawks didn’t just win titles; they imposed their will at the line of scrimmage. The Seahawks sacked Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye six times in their Super Bowl win, forcing three turnovers, including a game-sealing pick-six in the fourth quarter.
A year earlier, the Eagles defense did something similar to Patrick Mahomes, sacking him five times and picking him off twice in the first half - one of those also going back for six.
In both matchups, their AFC opponents didn’t find the end zone until the second half. That’s not just dominance - that’s demoralization.
What the Packers Need to Fix
If the Packers want to be more than just a playoff team - if they want to be the NFC’s next Super Bowl rep - they’ve got to address two glaring issues: the offensive line and the interior of the defensive line. The secondary has its concerns too, but in the NFC arms race, you don’t stand a chance if you’re getting bullied in the trenches.
Offensive Line: Who Steps Up?
The Packers' offensive line woes were laid bare in the 2024 Wild Card loss to the Eagles, and the front office responded accordingly. They invested heavily in the position over the last two offseasons. First-round pick Jordan Morgan and developmental tackle Anthony Belton were both starting by the end of last year, largely due to injuries, and both showed flashes.
Aaron Banks was brought in to solidify the left guard spot, but he didn’t quite live up to the big contract he signed. The Packers are hoping Banks, Morgan, Belton, and Zach Tom can form the backbone of a reliable unit in 2026.
But there are still question marks - especially at center. Sean Rhyan is set to hit free agency, and Elgton Jenkins, a veteran with a hefty cap hit, is coming off a major injury.
That leaves a critical hole in the middle of the line.
If the Packers can’t protect Jordan Love, it won’t matter how much talent they have at the skill positions.
Defensive Tackle: Can They Reload?
Trading for Micah Parsons was a game-changer, no doubt. He brought immediate juice to the pass rush and helped transform the defense.
But the cost was steep - veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark, the anchor of the interior, was sent the other way. That move left a noticeable void.
Devonte Wyatt stepped up early in the season and looked like a difference-maker inside, but once again, injuries derailed his availability. Parsons and Lukas Van Ness both chipped in as interior rushers in passing situations, but they too missed time.
Losing nose tackle T.J. Slaton hurt, especially against the run.
Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks held their own, but neither could replicate the production or presence of Clark, Wyatt, or Slaton. If the Packers want to slow down offenses like Seattle’s and Philly’s, they’ll need reinforcements.
Expect GM Brian Gutekunst to look hard at defensive tackles in both the draft and free agency.
Can Green Bay Close the Gap?
Despite a late-season slide that saw them finish behind the Bears in the NFC North and lose twice to Chicago in the final month, Green Bay enters 2026 with reasons for optimism. Key players who missed time - including Parsons, Tom, and tight end Tucker Kraft - are set to return.
And when this offense is healthy, it’s dangerous. Jordan Love showed flashes of high-level quarterback play when he had his full complement of weapons.
Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden, and Romeo Doubs gave defenses all they could handle. With Doubs likely heading elsewhere in free agency, the Packers are banking on Golden making a leap.
Pairing him with Watson, Reed, and Kraft could give Love the firepower he needs to take the next step.
But it all starts up front. If the offensive line can gel and the defensive interior can hold its ground, the Packers have a shot to not just chase the Eagles and Seahawks - but to join them at the top of the NFC.