Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers fell to the No. 7 seed in the NFC after losing to Denver on Sunday.
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What a difference an hour, or so, can make.
There was one point Sunday afternoon where the Green Bay Packers had a nine-point lead on the Denver Broncos. And with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks both losing, the Packers were in hot pursuit of the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
By the time the day was over, the Packers had plummeted to the No. 7 seed.
Denver rallied to defeat Green Bay, 34-26, while the Rams and Seahawks both had comeback wins.
That dropped the Packers (9-4-1) to second place in the NFC North, ½-game behind Chicago (10-4) and into seventh place in the conference.
“I mean, the season ain’t over,” Packers safety Xavier McKinney said. “So (expletive), we’ve still got work to do and we’ve still got obviously with this loss, it puts us in a different spot. But we’ve still got a chance to do what we want to do – win the division and make a big run in the playoffs.”
Here’s a look at the NFC playoff picture with remaining strength of schedule.
1. Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
Schedule: at Seattle (11-3), at Atlanta (5-9), vs. Arizona (3-11)
Opponent’s record: 19-23
Opponent’s win percentage: .452
Summary: The Rams travel to Seattle Thursday, where the winner has the inside track for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
2. Chicago (10-4)
Schedule: vs. Green Bay (9-4-1), at San Francisco (10-4), vs. Detroit (8-6)
Opponent’s record: 27-14-1
Opponent’s win percentage: .655
Summary: The Bears have the third-hardest remaining schedule among current playoff teams.
3. Philadelphia (9-4)
Schedule: at Washington (4-10), at Buffalo (10-4), vs. Washington (4-10)
Opponent’s record: 18-24.
Opponent’s win percentage: .429
Summary: Of the seven teams currently in the playoffs, the Eagles have the easiest remaining schedule.
4. Tampa Bay (7-7)
Schedule: at Carolina (7-7), at Miami (6-7), vs. Carolina (7-7)
Opponent’s record: 20-21
Opponent’s win percentage: .488
Summary: The Buccaneers are slumping down the stretch, having lost five of their last six games.
5. Seattle (11-3)
Schedule: vs. Los Angeles Rams (11-3), at Carolina (7-7), at San Francisco (10-4)
Opponent’s record: 28-14
Opponent’s win percentage: .667
Summary: The Seahawks’ have the second-hardest remaining schedule among current playoff teams.
6. San Francisco (10-4)
Schedule: at Indianapolis (8-6), vs. Chicago (10-4), vs. Seattle (11-3)
Opponent’s record: 29-13
Opponent’s win percentage: .690
Summary: The 49ers have a demanding stretch run, but have also won four straight games.
7. Green Bay (9-4-1)
Schedule: at Chicago (10-4), vs. Baltimore (7-7), at Minnesota (5-8)
Opponent’s record: 22-19
Opponent’s win percentage: .537
Summary: The Packers are at Chicago Saturday, where the winner becomes the odds-on favorite to win the division.
8. Detroit (8-6)
Schedule: vs. Pittsburgh (7-6), at Minnesota (5-8), at Chicago (10-4).
Opponent’s record: 22-18
Opponent’s win percentage: .550.
Summary: The Lions, the No. 1 seed in the NFC last season, are on life support simply to reach the postseason.
9. Carolina (7-7)
Schedule: vs. Tampa Bay (7-7), vs. Seattle (11-3), at Tampa Bay (7-7).
Opponent’s record: 25-17
Opponent’s win percentage: .595.
Summary: The Panthers and Tampa Bay — tied for the divisional lead — meet twice in the next three weeks.
10. Dallas (6-6-1)
Schedule: vs. Minnesota (5-8), vs. Los Angeles Chargers (9-4), at Washington (4-10), at New York Giants (2-12).
Opponent’s record: 20-34.
Opponent’s win percentage: .370.
Summary: The Cowboys have an extremely soft schedule, but may have dug themselves too deep of a hole to escape.