December wasn’t kind to the Green Bay Packers. They dropped three of their four games down the stretch, but thanks to results elsewhere, they still did enough to punch their ticket to the postseason.
Green Bay traveled to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, and attention turned to whether the finale carries any seeding implications and who the Packers could end up facing in the playoffs.
Where Will the Packers Be Traveling in the Postseason?
The Packers officially clinched a playoff spot on Christmas, courtesy of the Vikings’ win over the Detroit Lions. That result guaranteed Green Bay at least a Wild Card berth. Had Detroit won, the Packers would have needed a victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 to secure their spot, something they ultimately failed to do.
This marks the sixth playoff appearance in seven seasons under head coach Matt LaFleur. It also continues a strong résumé for Jordan Love, who has now guided Green Bay to the postseason in all three seasons he has started.
Green Bay’s Week 16 loss to Chicago proved costly. That defeat gave the Bears firm control of the NFC North entering the final two weeks of the season. When the Packers followed it up with a loss to Baltimore, their remaining hopes of winning the division were officially extinguished.
Heading into the regular-season finale, the Packers sat as the No. 7 seed in the NFC, and that positioning is locked in regardless of whether they win or lose against the Vikings. With nothing to gain in the standings, Green Bay has elected to rest several starters, including Love.
The Packers ultimately lost 16-3 against the Vikings, but their star players will have enough rest to make an impact in the Wild Card round. While their seed is set, the opponent is not. That will be determined by the results around the NFC on Sunday.
Final pic.twitter.com/cDRvluoAwG
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) January 4, 2026
Green Bay will be closely monitoring the Detroit Lions’ matchup at Chicago, as well as the Washington Commanders’ trip to Philadelphia. If the Bears win or the Eagles lose, the Packers will head to Chicago for Wild Card Weekend. However, if the Bears lose and the Eagles win, Green Bay will be traveling to Philadelphia.
According to PFSN’s Playoff Predictor, the Packers have a 67.01% chance of opening the postseason in Chicago and a 32.99% chance of facing the Eagles. Should Green Bay advance past the Wild Card round, a road trip to Seattle could be waiting in the Divisional Round, with the Seahawks having already secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Neither potential Wild Card opponent presents an easy path for Green Bay. Both the Bears and Eagles defeated the Packers during the regular season. Compounding the challenge is a Green Bay defense that has been battered by injuries late in the year, undermining what had been the team’s most consistent strength.
Love, who once looked like a legitimate early MVP candidate, has also cooled off in recent weeks and has been dealing with health concerns of his own. Taken together, those factors make a deep postseason run an uphill battle, but the Packers are in, and once January football begins, anything can happen.
