4 Things Learned From Packers' Narrow Loss at Detroit

Packers Will Be a Wild Card Team

The Packers gave the Lions all they could handle in a thrilling showdown, but a combination of critical moments swung the game Detroit’s way.

Key Lions conversions, a handful of Packers mistakes, and a sprinkle of officiating controversy allowed Detroit to escape with a last-second field goal and a 34-31 victory.

That loss drops the Packers to 9-4, making their chances of winning the NFC North slim to none. Green Bay is now three games behind Detroit with no head-to-head tiebreaker, having lost both matchups to the Lions this season. Add in their three division losses—a pivotal tiebreaker—and the road to a division title is effectively closed.

The only mathematical path for Green Bay to claim the division would require them to win out, Detroit to lose out, and the Minnesota Vikings to fall to the Chicago Bears. Needless to say, that’s a long shot.

The good news is the Packers are well-positioned to secure a playoff spot as a Wild Card team. With their 9-4 record, Green Bay remains in control of its postseason destiny.

Now, it’s all about positioning. The Wild Card race could determine whether the Packers face the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons or a powerhouse like the Philadelphia Eagles. Climbing to the top Wild Card spot and earning a matchup in Atlanta feels critical, given the disparity in quality between the Falcons and the NFC East-leading Eagles.

While the NFC North may be out of reach, the Packers are very much alive in the playoff picture, and how they finish the regular season will determine just how far they might go.