The Green Bay Packers are in a spot plenty of teams would love to be in, but the margin is still thin enough that every result around them matters. Heading into Week 9, Green Bay and the rest of the NFC North would all be in the playoff field if the season ended today, and the league’s projections give the Packers about a 50-50 shot to get in.
The numbers are tighter at the top of the division, where Minnesota sits at 81 percent, Chicago at 82 percent and Detroit at 80 percent in the NFL’s simulations. Green Bay, meanwhile, is trying to hold off the only two teams really pressing for that final NFC wild-card spot: Seattle and Los Angeles.
Right now, the Packers have a full-game cushion over both clubs. On paper, it’s a close race, with the Seahawks carrying a 47 percent playoff chance and the Rams right behind them at 46 percent.
But the way the NFC is shaking out, the path is getting crowded fast. The likely setup is that the three wild-card spots will be claimed by teams from the North or West, while the South and East each send only one team.
That would leave two of Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Seattle and Los Angeles on the outside when it’s all said and done.
Green Bay also has a little help from the injury report, even if that’s not exactly the kind of help anyone celebrates. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold will miss next week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals with a quad injury and is considered week-to-week.
His backup, Drew Lock, is also dealing with an elbow injury. According to the NFL’s projections, Seattle’s playoff odds would fall from 47 percent to 29 percent if it loses this weekend.
The Rams are dealing with their own major setback. Cornerback Jaylen Watson, their big $51 million free agent signing, is set for shoulder surgery, as Sean McVay announced Wednesday, and he will not return this season. If Los Angeles loses to the Washington Commanders, its playoff chances would drop from 46 percent to 31 percent.
For Packers fans, it means the season has officially reached the stage where other teams’ scores matter just as much as Green Bay’s own. The Seahawks and Rams are the only real threats to knock the Packers out of the postseason picture for now, and early in Week 9, both clubs have already taken hits.
In Other News...
Packers Walk Into A Patriots Moment That Will Dominate This Week
The Week 9 trip to New England already had a little extra shine for the Packers, and now it has a broadcast wrinkle to match. Tom Brady is set to call a Patriots game at Gillette Stadium for the first time in his broadcasting career when Green Bay visits Foxborough, adding another layer of attention to a matchup that was already going to draw plenty of eyes.
Brady said he is excited to return to the stadium where so many of his biggest moments unfolded, while Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and others around the organization have been taking stock of the occasion. The conversation around the game has also drifted toward Rob Gronkowskis upcoming Hall of Fame induction, giving this week in Foxborough a distinctly Patriots flavor even before the teams take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Trade Buzz Just Raised The Stakes For This Defense
With the NFL trade deadline drawing near, Green Bay has started to look like a team that could be more than a bystander. The Packers have reason to explore help on defense, especially with Micah Parsons expected back from injury, and the idea of adding another proven edge presence has only sharpened the conversation around how aggressive they want to be.
One name that has surfaced in that discussion is Khalil Mack, a veteran pass rusher who would give Green Bay another disruptive piece if the Chargers decide to listen. Los Angeles has stumbled this season, which only adds to the intrigue around whether a player of Macks caliber could become available, and for the Packers the appeal is obvious: a chance to deepen a defense that could get a lot more dangerous if the right move is made. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Jacobs Puts Packers On Edge As NFL Wait Continues
Josh Jacobs situation has taken another turn as the Packers wait for the NFLs next move. The running back is already back in the middle of a difficult legal and league process after missing six games on the commissioner-exempt list following his May arrest, and recently released police records have now added fresh allegations from three women involving physical and verbal abuse.
For Green Bay, the uncertainty is the real issue. Jacobs has said he believes in his legal defense and expects to stay on the field for the rest of the season, but the NFL investigation is still ongoing, leaving the team to monitor a case that could continue to hang over its backfield. If the league eventually acts, any suspension would likely be applied against the games he has already missed, which only adds another layer to a situation the Packers would rather not have lingering into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]