Here is the outlook and scenarios for the NFL playoffs

The Green Bay Packers know they are in the NFL playoffs with a win on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints.

But there are other factors that will determine where the Packers will end up in the NFL playoffs. And there’s a highly unlikely scenario that they don’t make the playoffs at all.

Here’s what you should know:

What does the NFC playoff picture look like today?

Here are the current NFC playoff seeds if the season ended today:

Detroit Lions (13-2), NFC North champions
Philadelphia Eagles (12-3), NFC East champions
Los Angeles Rams (9-6), NFC West champions
Atlanta Falcons (8-7), NFC South winners
Minnesota Vikings (13-2), first wild card team
Green Bay Packers (10-4), second wild card team
Washington Commanders (10-5), third wild card team

There is still one big concern for the Packers

Green Bay’s chances of making the playoffs are 99%, and with no chance of winning the NFC North anymore, the Packers will head into the postseason as a wild-card team.

But perhaps the Packers’ biggest problem is staying ahead of Washington, which is 10-5 and a half-game behind Green Bay (10-4). Thanks to both teams’ records in NFC games, the tiebreaker between the two teams is in the Commanders’ hands.

To drop to No. 7, a team would almost certainly have to beat both Philadelphia and Detroit to advance to the NFC Championship Game, a tall order for any team.

As a No. 5 or 6 seed, Green Bay would face the seemingly far easier challenge of becoming either the NFC South champion (Atlanta if the season ends today) or the NFC West champion (Los Angeles if the season ends today) at the meeting on either Detroit or Philadelphia in the divisional round.

What do the Packers need to do to stay ahead of the Commanders?

The Packers need to match the Commanders’ results in their last three games.

After Monday night’s game against New Orleans, Green Bay plays at Minnesota (13-2) and at home against Chicago (4-11) on Sunday. The time and date will be determined the following weekend.

Washington just beat Philadelphia, hosts Atlanta (8-7) on Sunday and ends at Dallas (7-8).

Therefore, the Packers may need to win to stay ahead of the Commanders and retain the No. 6 seed.

Can the Packers snag the Vikings for the No. 5 pick?

Yes, it’s possible that Green Bay advances to the first wild card spot – by winning and Minnesota losing.

Both teams would be 13-4 and the Packers would have the tiebreaker. That would mean that the Vikings would not only lose to the Packers on Sunday, but also to the Lions the following weekend.

Bypassing Minnesota wouldn’t necessarily change much of the playoff picture; If the Vikings and Packers retain the 5th and 6th seeds, they will earn either the NFC South or NFC West champion, respectively.

Given that both the Vikings and Packers are strong teams, one cannot rule out a meeting between these two in the NFC Championship Game, which in this case would be played at the No. 5 seed’s home stadium.

Can the Packers miss the playoffs?

The 1% scenario in which the Packers are eliminated from the playoffs is if they lose and both Atlanta and Tampa Bay win their final two games.

All three teams would be 10-7, Atlanta would be the NFC South winner and Tampa Bay would hold the tiebreaker over Green Bay for a playoff spot.

Atlanta is in Washington on Sunday and hosts Carolina the following weekend. Tampa Bay hosts Carolina on Sunday and New Orleans the following weekend.

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