With a victory tonight, the Green Bay Packers can clinch the NFC’s No.1 seed. Rasul Douglas and the Green Bay Packers need one more victory to secure the NFC’s top spot. ASSOCIATED PRESS With a victory over Minnesota tonight, the Green Bay Packers will clinch the NFC’s top seed and a first-round bye.
- The Packers (12-3) and Vikings (7-8) play at Lambeau Field at 7:20 p.m. (CST).
- Green Bay received a boost when second-seeded Dallas lost to Arizona, dropped to 11-5, and fell to the fourth spot in the conference.
- The Los Angeles Rams (12-4) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4) earned the No.2 and No.3 seeds, respectively, in the NFC playoffs.
The Packers own tiebreakers over both the Rams and Buccaneers, so with one more victory, they will secure the No.1 seed. After testing positive for COVID on Friday, Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins will miss the game. The Vikings will play journeyman quarterback Sean Mannion, who has failed to throw a touchdown pass in his seven-year career.
- The Packers, who had been a 6.5-point favorite for the majority of the week, skyrocketed to a 13-point favorite when the Cousins news surfaced.
- Since Brett Favre came in 1992 and overturned a generation of losing football in the NFL’s smallest city, this would be the fourth time Green Bay has secured the NFC’s top seed.
In 1996, the Packers advanced to the Super Bowl as the top seed, however in 2011 and 2020, Green Bay fell short as the top seed. Here is a summary of Green Bay’s performances as the No.1 seed over the past few seasons:
How can the Packers obtain the top seed?
GREEN BAY – With the Cardinals’ victory over the Cowboys earlier on Sunday, the Packers can secure the No.1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a victory over the Vikings at Lambeau Field in prime time. The Cowboys’ loss decreased their record to 11-5, and if the Packers (12-3) win their 13th game, the Cowboys won’t be able to catch them with one game remaining in the regular season.
Green Bay has the tiebreaker over the two NFC clubs with 12 wins: the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Only the top-seeded club in the playoffs receives a first-round bye. The top seed also receives home-field advantage as long as it remains in the tournament. Also on Sunday, as the Eagles and 49ers won their games to advance to 9-7, the Vikings, with a record of 7-8, are attempting to save their season.
If Green Bay defeated Minnesota, the Vikings would be eliminated from postseason contention.
Are the Packers a lock for the top seed?
Green Bay has secured the No.1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Sunday Night Football’s 37-10 victory against the Vikings (7-9) and the Cowboys’ 25-22 defeat to the Cardinals earlier in the day gave the Packers the only first-round bye and home-field advantage (13-3).
- In Week 15, with a 31-30 victory over the Ravens, they had already claimed the NFC North crown.
- With Green Bay’s victory, Philadelphia has clinched a playoff spot while Minnesota has been eliminated.
- The Eagles defeated the Redskins 20-16 on Sunday morning.
- Aaron Rodgers passed for 288 yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-38 attempts.
Davante Adams, the veteran quarterback’s favorite target, grabbed one touchdown pass on 11 grabs for 136 yards, while Allen Lazard got the other touchdown pass. On 14 carries, AJ Dillon added 63 yards and two scores. The Vikings did not score until the final play of the third quarter, when backup quarterback Sean Mannion connected with K.J.
Osborn scored from 14 yards out with two seconds remaining. Mannion, who was reinstated from the reserve list on Friday, will start because Kirk Cousins tested positive for COVID-19, according to head coach Mike Zimmer. Mannion completed 22-of-36 passes for 189 yards and one score on the day. The victory improved the Packers’ record to 39-9 under Matt LaFleur, earning him the most victories in his first three seasons as a head coach.
LaFleur was tied with George Seifert, who led the San Francisco 49ers to a 38-10 record from 1989 to 1991. Following the game, the league announced the first-ever Week 18 Saturday and Sunday night games. On Saturday at 4:30 p.m., the Chiefs (11-5) will travel to Denver to face the Broncos (7-9).
If the Packers win, do they clinch the top seed?
The Green Bay Packers secure the No.1 seed with one week remaining.
Why did Green Bay receive top seed?
With one week remaining in the NFL regular season, there are just three available playoff spots. However, there is still plenty to be determined in Week 18 of the NFL. In the decisive last week before the NFL playoffs, division championships, playoff berths, and seeding will be at stake for many teams this week.
- The Green Bay Packers (13-3) secured the No.1 seed in the NFC with their Week 17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
- The Tennessee Titans surpassed the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC to secure the top playoff spot in that conference.
- Each conference’s top seed receives a bye in the playoffs, while the other division winners receive the Nos.2 through No.4 seeds.
The Nos.5, 6, and 7 seeds are awarded to the non-division champions with the best records. NFL Week 18 predictions and picks: 
Chiefs vs Broncos; Cowboys versus Eagles; Packers versus Lions. Jaguars against. Colts | Redskins vs. Giants | Bears vs. Vikings Titans against. Texans | Steelers vs. Ravens | Bengals vs. Browns Patriots vs Dolphins; Panthers versus Buccaneers; Jets versus Buffalo Bills Rams vs 49ers | Saints versus Falcons versus Cardinals versus Seahawks Chargers vs.
How do they maintain the turf at Lambeau Field?
Please do not touch the grass! You will not find more gorgeous Kentucky bluegrass anyplace else. It is astonishing that it remains this beautiful, green, and weed-free during the early months of winter in Wisconsin. Moreover, it receives an amazing amount of punishment.
Obviously, I’m talking to the playing field of Green Bay’s Lambeau Stadium. Whether you manage grass in a bustling park, a college campus, or a sports field, you might understand the proverb “Grass Grows by the Inch, but Dies by the Foot.” In this instance, 300-pound football players’ feet. As we emerged from the Packers locker room tunnel, Grant, our tour guide and a lifelong season ticket holder, admonished us firmly, “Don’t touch that grass.” If every visitor grabbed a portion of the field, there would be none left by the end of the season.
A small group of green industry journalists were able to tour the field due to Grant, our drill-sergeant guide who was both brusque and engaging, and The Ariens Company, whose headquarters are located nearby in Brillion, Wisconsin. At Lambeau Field, you may dine in an upscale restaurant, book parties and corporate gatherings, visit the Green Bay Packers Museum, the Packers Pro Shop, or take a Field Tour, like we did.
But ultimately, the tens of thousands of visitors to historic Lambeau Field are interested in the field’s beauty. Allen Johnson, the sports field manager at Lambeau for the past 21 years, has worked tirelessly and devotedly to keep it in pristine condition and a variety of ways unique. Photo: Ronnie Hall In 2007, the Packers erected a fully new playing surface, as well as a new drainage and heating system.
It was a massive endeavor. All current field levels were eliminated so that they could be recreated one by one. The construction of the new field began with the compacting and grading (with a 0.6 percent slope) of a clay sub-grade level, which included drain tile, irrigation pipe, and thermostat wire for the heating system.
The heating system was then outfitted with 5.5 inches of pea gravel and 43 kilometers of 3/4-inch pipe. As the regular football season concludes in December and January, the subterranean heating system can maintain a root-zone temperature over 55 degrees to prevent the ground from freezing. However, the third layer of the field is what gives the turfgrass its resilience.
A massive machine wove around 20 million DD GrassMaster synthetic fibers onto the surface of the 12 inches of root-zone sand and Kentucky bluegrass turf. About three percent of the field is comprised of fibers that stretch roughly seven inches below the surface, are visible approximately one inch above the surface, and are evenly distributed every three-quarters of an inch.
- But how can turfgrass be maintained during Green Bay’s short, frequently gloomy fall and winter days? You utilize grow lights, obviously.
- Each evening, a field is illuminated with grow lights to simulate sunshine for the Kentucky bluegrass.
- Lambeau Field, now in its 61st year, is on the bucket list of virtually every NFL fan, and it is easy to see why.
The Packers, located in the smallest city in professional football (estimated population 106,000), are one of the most illustrious football teams in history, having won 10 NFL Championships and five Super Bowls. As previously said, Lambeau Field offers enough activities to cover a whole afternoon. 
How do the Cowboys hold a tiebreaker advantage over the Packers?
Current Playoff Landscape – Wisconsin’s Green Bay Packers* (12-3, NFC North champs, next vs. Vikings) The Dallas Cowboys (11-4, NFC East champs, next vs. Cardinals) Los Angeles Rams* (11-4, NFC West leaders, visit the Baltimore Ravens next. Next up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4, NFC South champions) are the New York Jets.
- Arizona Cardinals* (10-5, Wild Card, against.
- Cowboys up next.
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-7, Wild Card, travel to Washington next) San Francisco 49ers (8-7, Wild Card, next vs.
- Texans) The Cardinals’ defeat over the Colts on Saturday night was the lone defeat among the top five NFC teams this week.
- With the Rams’ victory over the Vikings, Los Angeles now has the division lead.
However, the Packers’ victory preserved their one-game advantage over the rest of the conference. By virtue of their conference record, Dallas continues to maintain the tiebreaker among division leaders. The Rams get the third seed over the Buccaneers by virtue of their Week 3 victory.
How can the Packers win the division?
How the Packers can win the NFC North this week GREEN BAY, Wis. — With a dominating four-game lead, it appears like the Green Bay Packers will win their third consecutive NFC North title. The Packers enter Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with a record of 10-3.
- The Minnesota Vikings, who are in distant second place, with a record of 6-7 heading into Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bears.
- These are the two methods to win the NFC North division championship: One: a win against the Ravens.
- That cannot be assumed.
- Baltimore is 8-5 and in first place in the difficult AFC North thanks in part to their 5-1 home record.
Two: A defeat for Minnesota to the Bears. Even that is not a guarantee. The Vikings will be refreshed and reasonably healthy after their mini-bye, but they are 0-3 on grass this season. This week, the Packers can secure their third straight postseason berth.
- Interestingly, according to the league, none of the possibilities necessitate a Green Bay victory.
- These are the five scenarios for clinching a playoff spot: One: New Orleans loses or ties at Tampa Bay (10-3) AND San Francisco loses at home against Atlanta (7-6). (6-7).
- Two: a defeat or tie for New Orleans against Tampa Bay AND a tie between Washington (6-7) and Philadelphia (6-7).
Three: a New Orleans loss at Tampa Bay, a Los Angeles Rams loss at home against Seattle (5-8), and a draw between San Francisco and Atlanta. Four: A San Francisco loss to Atlanta AND a draw between Washington and Philadelphia. Five: A Rams home defeat to Seattle AND a tie between San Francisco and Atlanta AND a tie between Washington and Philadelphia.
Obviously, the Packers have ambitions beyond NFC North championships and postseason participation. They are aiming for the top seed in the NFC playoffs, which would provide them the only first-round bye and home-field advantage. The Packers own the top seed. To retain it, they must continue to win. Green Bay, Tampa Bay, and Arizona are all 10-3, while Dallas trails by one game at 9-4.
The Packers have the tiebreaking advantage based on their conference record. In NFC play, they are 8-2 while Arizona and Tampa Bay are 6-3. Additionally, the Packers have the head-to-head tiebreaker against Arizona. The final conference schedules for the top four teams: At Baltimore (8-5), vs Cleveland (7-6), versus Minnesota (6-7), and at Detroit (1-11-1).
Total: 22-29-1. Away-at-home: 2-2. No.2 Tampa Bay: vs New Orleans (6-7), at Carolina (5-8), at New York Jets (3-10), versus Carolina (5-8). Total: 19-33. Away-at-home: 2-2. Zero wins recorded. No.3 Arizona: versus Detroit (1-11-1), vs Indianapolis (7-6), versus Dallas (9-4) and against Seattle (5-8). Total: 22-29-1.
Away-at-home: 2-2. Two winning records: No.4 Dallas: at. the New York Giants (4-9), vs. the Washington Redskins (6-7), vs. the Arizona Cardinals (10-3) and at the Philadelphia Eagles (6-7). Total: 26-26. Away-at-home: 2-2. Setting benchmarks: 1. : How the Packers can win the NFC North this week
Have Packers clinched first-place seeds?
Packers defeat Vikings, clinch top seed in NFC playoffs; Adams’ 5-yard reception on the drive sets new team record with 116 catches in a single season. Dillon grabbed a 9-yard catch to convert a second-and-5 situation and drive Green Bay into the red zone against Minnesota.
Third-and-3, Rodgers scrambled 5 yards to put the Packers in goal-to-go position. Dillon then took over, rushing in from 7 yards out with 8:41 remaining to make the score 37-10. The 11-play, 70-yard drive took 6 minutes and 19 seconds to complete. On Minnesota’s following series, rookie Kellen Mond replaced Mannion, and the Vikings went three-and-out.
With 7:18 remaining in regulation, Jordan Love replaced Aaron Rodgers with rookie running back Patrick Taylor in the backfield. Taylor gained 18 yards on six attempts, while Love went 2-of-4 for 19 yards prior to the punt by Green Bay.
How is the NFL’s top seed determined?
More than three Clubs – (Note: If two clubs remain tied after one or more clubs are eliminated during any phase, the two-club format’s Step 1 is repeated. If three clubs remain tied following the elimination of a fourth club at any level, the tiebreaker begins again at Step 2 of the three-club structure.
Before moving to step 2, use division tiebreaker to remove all except the highest-ranked team in each division. The initial seeding inside a division following application of the division tiebreaker remains unchanged for all subsequent procedures required to determine the two Wild-Card entrants. Face-to-face sweep.
(Applies only if one club has defeated every other club or if one club has lost to every other club.) The team having the highest win-loss-tie % in games played inside the conference. Best win-loss-tie percentage in at least four common games. The ability to win in all games.
- Schedule difficulty in all contests.
- The conference team with the highest combined rating in points scored and points allowed in all games.
- The squad with the best overall rating in points scored and points conceded throughout all games.
- Best net points in conference games.
- Best net points in all games.
The highest scoring touchdowns in all games. Coin toss Once the first Wild Card team has been determined, the method is repeated to determine the second and third Wild Card teams (i.e., eliminate all but the highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to Step 2).
- In cases involving three teams from the same division, the original seeding of the teams remains unchanged for further applications of the tiebreaker if the top-ranked team in that division earns a Wild Card slot.
- In each tie-breaking phase, only one team progresses to the playoffs.
- Remaining clubs with identical records revert to the initial phase of the appropriate division or Wild Card tiebreakers.
If, for example, two clubs remain deadlocked following elimination of all other clubs, the method returns to Step 1 of the two-club model to select the winner. When one club wins the tiebreaker, the remaining clubs revert to Step 1 of the two-club or three-club model as appropriate.
- Since teams may have played an uneven number of games, the best won-lost-tied % is the decisive element when comparing records versus common opponents among tied teams.
- To decide home-field preference among division champions, Wild Card tiebreakers are utilized.
- To decide home-field priority for Wild Card qualifiers, use division tiebreakers (if the teams are from the same division) or Wild Card tiebreakers (if the teams are from separate divisions) (if teams are from different divisions).
To identify the conference team with the best combined rating in points scored and points allowed, add a team’s position in both categories and the club with the lowest score wins. For instance, if Team A ranks first in points scored and second in points allowed, their combined rating would be 3.
- Team B’s combined rating is a “4” if it ranks third in points scored and first in points allowed.
- Team A wins the subsequent tiebreaker.
- If two teams are tied for a position, each receives the ranking as if it were their own.
- For instance, if Team A and Team B are tied for first place in points scored, each team receives a rating of “1” in that area, and if Team C is third, their ranking remains “3.” 1.
Clubs not participating in the playoffs shall draft in reverse standings order from first to eighteenth. Clubs playing in the postseason must pick their players according to the following guidelines: (A) The losers of the Wild Card games will pick between the 19th and 24th slots depending on their proportion of wins-losses-ties in reverse standings order.
B) The losers of the Divisional playoff games will pick between the 25th and 28th spots depending on their proportion of wins, losses, and ties in reverse standings order. (C) The losers of the Conference Championship Games will choose 29th and 30th based on their proportion of wins, losses, and ties in reverse standings order.
The Super Bowl champion will pick last and the Super Bowl loser will select second-to-last.3. Ties in any grouping shall be resolved by calculating the aggregate won-lost-tied percentage of each club’s regular-season opponents and providing preferential selection order to the club whose regular-season opponents had the lowest aggregate won-lost-tied percentage.4.
- If a tie still exists, employ the proper divisional, conference, or interconference tie-breaking process.
- A) For Divisional or Conference ties, follow the instructions on the preceding page.
- B) For Interconference ties, complete the steps below: Head-to-head matchup; (b) best won-losttied percentage in common games, minimum of four; (c) strength of victory in all games; (d) best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games; (e) best net points in all games; (f) best net touchdowns in all games; and (g) a coin flip.
(ii) Ties between THREE OR MORE clubs from different conferences will be broken using (a) divisional tiebreakers to determine the lowest-ranked team in a division, (b) conference tiebreakers to determine the lowest-ranked team within a conference, and (c) interconference tiebreakers to determine the lowest-ranked team in the league.
This procedure will be repeated until the draft order is determined. After the selection order for the first round has been set, clubs initially involved in a tie will switch spots between rounds. In situations of ties initially involving three or more clubs, the club at the top of a tied segment in a given round will shift to the bottom of the segment for the subsequent round, while all other clubs in the segment will move up one position.
This rotation will persist for the duration of the draft.
What must the Packers accomplish to win the division?
How the Packers can secure the NFC North championship the next week The Green Bay Packers will have the opportunity to claim the NFC North championship next week thanks to the Minnesota Vikings’ unexpected setback in Detroit on Sunday. What needs to happen? If the Vikings lose at home against the Steelers on Thursday night, the Packers can win the division by defeating the Bears at Lambeau Field in primetime on Sunday night.
The Vikings are currently 5-7 after a Week 13 loss at Ford Field by a score of 29-27. If Matt LaFleur’s squad beats the Bears and improves to 10-3, it will be hard for Minnesota to catch the Packers if the Vikings suffer a defeat against the Bears. The Packers won the NFC North championship on December 13 of last season.
The following Sunday is December 12th. Even if neither result occurs next week, the Packers are still a heavy favorite to win the division. The team’s magic number to win the NFC North is two, indicating that any combination of Packers victories and Vikings losses totaling two would be sufficient for the Packers to win the division.
For instance, the Packers may secure the division title with two more victories, two more defeats by the Vikings, or one of each, which will be the case next week. The Packers have won the division the past two years in a row.2011-2014 was the last time the Packers won the NFC North in three consecutive seasons.
Green Bay has won the division seven times in the last decade. How the Packers may capture the NFC North championship next week
How are top playoff seeds chosen in the NFL?
Participation by active teams –
| Team | Appearances |
|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 35 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 34 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 33 |
| New York Giants | 32 |
| Cleveland / St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams | 31 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 30 |
| Baltimore / Indianapolis Colts | 29 |
| Boston / New England Patriots | 28 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 28 |
| Chicago Bears | 27 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 27 |
| Cleveland Browns | 25 |
| Houston Oilers / Tennessee Titans | 25 |
| Boston / Washington Redskins / Washington Football Team / Washington Commanders | 25 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 24 |
| Oakland / Los Angeles / Las Vegas Raiders | 23 |
| Miami Dolphins | 23 |
| Denver Broncos | 22 |
| Buffalo Bills | 21 |
| San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers | 19 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 19 |
| Detroit Lions | 17 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 15 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 14 |
| New Orleans Saints | 14 |
| New York Jets | 14 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 13 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 12 |
| Chicago / St. Louis / Arizona Cardinals | 11 |
| Carolina Panthers | 8 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 7 |
| Houston Texans | 6 |
- Since the NFL playoffs began in 1933, the Green Bay Packers have won nine NFL championships before to the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowl victories afterward.
- ^ Prioritize: a b c d e f g Includes appearances in the American Football League postseason. In accordance with the terms of the AFL–NFL merger, all AFL history, playoffs, and records were integrated into the NFL.
- ^ Advance to: a b Excludes his participation in the 1932 NFL Playoff Game. Officially recorded as an additional regular season game by the NFL
- The NFL does not recognize the postseason appearances and records of the Cleveland Browns from 1946 through 1949, when they were a member of the All-America Football Conference.
- Jump to: a.b. Originally known as the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens relocated to Baltimore in 1996. The Browns name, colors, and team history/records were left for a future Cleveland Browns franchise, but the team, personnel, and staff of the previous Browns team were permitted to transfer to Baltimore under an agreement with the city of Cleveland. Therefore, the Ravens are deemed to have began play in 1996, but the present Cleveland Browns are believed to have entered the NFL in 1950, been dormant from 1996 to 1998, then resumed play in 1999 as a new franchise.
