What needs to happen for the Packers to get the No. 1 seed

The Green Bay Packers are 9-3 and have their eyes set on the franchise’s fifth Lombardi Trophy.

Aaron Rodgers is having one of the best seasons of his career and Green Bay’s offense is capable of scoring with anyone in the NFL. Despite some uneven outings along the way, the Packers have the look and the record of a championship contender.

The only question is what will their path to a potential championship look like? Will the NFC’s road to the Super Bowl go through the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, or will the No. 1 seed be in New Orleans or on the West Coast?

Anything can happen with four games to go, so what needs to happen for the Packers to get the top seed?

10-2 New Orleans Saints

Well, Green Bay is going to need the Saints to lose at least one more time if it wants the No. 1 spot.

The good thing for the Packers is that they already have the tiebreaker over New Orleans after a 37-30 Week 3 victory over the Saints. That win will not matter if New Orleans keeps on winning, though, so Green Bay will have to do some schedule watching.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is out with multiple broken ribs and won’t return until at least Week 15, so New Orleans will stick with Taysom Hill in the meantime.

Hill has not been perfect, but he and the Saints’ new-look offense has guided the team to a 3-0 record without Brees. More importantly, New Orleans has stifled its opponents as of late — allowing 16 points or less in its last five games — and now boasts the second-best defense in the NFL.

Remaining Schedule

Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3:25 p.m. CST

Week 15: vs. Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 3:25 p.m. CST

Week 16: vs. Minnesota Vikings on Friday, Dec. 25 at 3:30 p.m. CST

Week 17: at Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 12 p.m. CST

Outlook

On paper, the Saints should go 3-1 in this stretch. They face a free-falling Eagles team and a Panthers team that has been feisty but will have nothing to play for in Week 17. Kansas City will obviously be a challenging matchup and Minnesota is certainly a tough out, so a split of those two seems likely.

9-3 Green Bay Packers

Green Bay is poised to win the NFC North and *if the season ended today* would be the No. 2 seed.

However, with a seven-team playoff bracket in effect this season, the No. 2 seed no longer gets a bye. Instead, the second-best team will host the third wild card team in the first week of the playoffs.

The Packers surely would like to watch the first round of the playoffs from their couch, so how might that happen?

Green Bay needs to make up one game (as mentioned above they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker). That means going 4-0 if the Saints lose one game or 3-1 if the Saints lose two.

Remaining Schedule

Week 14: at Detroit Lions on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3:25 p.m. CST

Week 15: vs. Carolina Panthers on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 7:15 p.m. CST

Week 16: vs. Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Dec. 27 at 7:20 p.m. CST

Week 17: at Chicago Bears on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 12 p.m. CST

Outlook

The Packers have a very good chance to finish the regular season 13-3 or 12-4. Green Bay has not lost to a sub-.500 team this season and it plays three teams with losing records. The game against the Titans on Sunday Night Football could prove to be extremely crucial in the playoff race.

9-4 Los Angeles Rams / 8-4 Seattle Seahawks

The Rams and the Seahawks both have four losses (Los Angeles having played, and won, Thursday), which puts them on the outside looking in when it comes to the No. 1 seed.

For Los Angeles or Seattle to get the top spot, one of the two teams would need to win out AND have the Saints lose twice to NFC teams AND have the Packers lose at least once to one of the NFC teams they play. The Rams and Seahawks meet again this season, so only one would be able to reach 12-4.

Basically, if Los Angeles/Seattle, Green Bay and New Orleans all finish 12-4, the only way the NFC West champ gets the top seed is if the Saints and Packers both end up 12-4 and have a worse conference record than the Rams or Seahawks.

Rams Remaining Schedule

Week 14: Rams defeated New England Patriots 24-3

Week 15: vs. New York Jets on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 3:05 p.m. CST

Week 16: at Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 27 at 3:05 p.m. CST

Week 17: vs. Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 3:25 p.m. CST

Seahawks Remaining Schedule

Week 14: vs. Jets on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 3:05 p.m. CST

Week 15: at Washington Football Team on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 12 p.m. CST

Week 16: vs. Rams on Sunday, Dec. 27 at 3:05 p.m. CST

Week 17: at San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 3:25 p.m. CST

Outlook

It would take a lot for the Rams or Seahawks to get the No. 1 seed, but a 12-4 NFC West champ could jump past a 12-4 Green Bay if the Packers slip up against the Lions, Panthers or Bears.