Monday night update: The Packers throttled the Saints on Monday night to clinch their playoff spot. Green Bay can’t win their division, so they’ll be playing for wild card positioning from here on out.
How the Packers clinched a playoff berth in Week 16
The Green Bay Packers are on the playoff doorstep. We break down how they clinched a spot in the 2025 NFL Playoffs in Week 16.
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
Sunday 1 p.m. window update: The Packers will have to punch their playoff ticket themselves on Monday. They could have clinched with a Falcons loss coupled with a loss by either the Rams or Seahawks. However, the Falcons beat the Giants 34-7 and the Rams beat the Jets 19-9. The Seahawks result has no bearing. If the Packers beat the Saints on Monday, they will clinch a playoff berth.
Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season draws to a close when the Green Bay Packers welcome the New Orleans Saints to Lambeau Field for Monday Night Football.
But by the time that game kicks off, the Packers might have already clinched a playoff berth.
Sitting at 10-4 the Packers are two games behind the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North, with both of their rivals already locking up postseason spots. But the Packers can join them this weekend, and as noted above they can potentially clinch a playoff spot before Monday night rolls around.
Here are Green Bay’s playoff scenarios heading into Week 16.
Packers playoff berth clinching scenarios
There are two ways the Packers can clinch a playoff spot before Monday Night Football.
First, if the Atlanta Falcons lose or tie against the New York Giants, and the Los Angeles Rams lose or tie against the New York Jets, then the Packers will have locked up a playoff spot.
- Falcons loss/tie AND Rams loss/tie
Second, if the Falcons lose or tie against the Giants, and the Seattle Seahawks lose or tie against the Minnesota Vikings, then the Packers are in the playoffs.
- Falcons loss/tie AND Seahawks loss/tie
However, should neither scenario come to fruition on Sunday, then the Packers can punch their postseason ticket themselves with a win or a tie against the Saints on Monday Night Football.
- Packers win
NFC standings entering Week 16
Here are the NFC standings heading into Week 16.
1. x-Detroit Lions (12-2, win over MIN, 8-1 NFC)
2. x-Philadelphia Eagles (12-2, 7-2 NFC)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6, 6-3 NFC)
4. Los Angeles Rams (8-6, win over SEA, 5-5 NFC)
5. x-Minnesota Vikings (12-2, loss to DET)
6. Green Bay Packers (10-4)
7. Washington Commanders (9-5)
8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
9. Atlanta Falcons (7-7, 7-3 NFC)
10. Arizona Cardinals (7-7, 3-6 NFC)
11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8, win over DAL)
12. Dallas Cowboys (6-8, loss to SF)*
13. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
14. Chicago Bears (4-10) — eliminated
15. Carolina Panthers (3-11) — eliminated
16. New York Giants (2-12) — eliminated
Teams with an asterisk (*) have been eliminated from divisional contention
Teams with an (x) have clinched a playoff spot
Teams with a (y) have clinched their division
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