Green Bay Packers Jump Up To The NFC’s No. 2 Seed

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 30-16, Sunday. And in the process, they jumped up to the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

Now, with four games remaining, the race for the conference’s No. 1 seed figures to be a thrilling one.

New Orleans, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, defeated Atlanta, 21-16. The Saints won their ninth straight game and improved to 10-2.

Green Bay improved to 9-3 and is the No. 2 seed.

Seattle, which began the day as the No. 2 seed, lost to the New York Giants and dropped down to the No. 5 seed.

The Los Angeles Rams and Seahawks are both 8-4, but the Rams are the No. 3 seed because they defeated Seattle on Nov. 15.

If the Packers and Saints finish in a two-way tie for the NFC’s top spot, Green Bay would claim the No. 1 seed due to its win over New Orleans in Week 3. The Packers face just one team with a winning record the rest of the way, though, making such a scenario quite possible.

Here’s how the race between the NFC’s top teams shapes up over the next four weeks.

New Orleans (10-2)

Home games (2): Kansas City, Minnesota

Road games (2): Philadelphia, Carolina

Opponent’s combined record: 23-23-1

Opponent’s winning percentage: .500

Analysis: The Saints have won nine straight games and are one of the NFL’s hottest teams. New Orleans is 3-0 with backup quarterback Taysom Hill and should get starter Drew Brees (fractured ribs) back in Week 14 or 15.

New Orleans has an enormous game looming against Kansas City on Dec. 20 in what could be a Super Bowl preview. The Saints should be heavy favorites in their other three games.

Green Bay (9-3)

Home games (2): Carolina, Tennessee

Road games (2): Detroit, Chicago

Opponent’s combined record: 22-26

Opponent’s winning percentage: .458

Analysis: Green Bay will be favored in each of its final four games and would pass New Orleans if they end in a two-team tie.

The Packers’ toughest remaining test is a home game with Tennessee on Dec. 27. Green Bay figures to be at least a touchdown favorite in its other three games.

Los Angeles Rams (8-4)

Home games (3): New England, New York Jets, Arizona

Road games (1): Seattle

Opponent’s combined record: 20-28

Opponent’s winning percentage: .417

Analysis: The Rams have three of their final four games at home and could make a late run. If the Rams can spring an upset at Seattle, they could win the division and maybe even steal the NFC’s top seed.

Seattle (8-4)

Home games (2): New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams

Road games (2): Washington, San Francisco

Opponent’s combined record: 17-29

Opponent’s winning percentage: .370

Analysis: The Seahawks have, by far, the easiest schedule of the teams challenging for conference supremacy. But Seattle’s loss to the Giants Sunday could be one that makes their playoff path much harder than it needed to be.