The Green Bay Packers are coming out of the bye week with an excellent chance of making the postseason in the NFC with eight games to go in 2024.
Based on three different playoff projectors, the Packers’ probability to make the postseason sits somewhere between 70 and 80 percent entering Week 11.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Packers (6-3) have a 72 percent chance of making the playoffs and could raise their probability to 79 percent with a win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
According to ESPN, the Packers sit at an 80 percent chance of making the playoffs based on the site’s “Football Power Index” projection over the final eight games.
According to the New York Times, the Packers have a 79 percent chance of making the postseason entering Sunday and can improve their chances to 85 percent with a win over the Bears.
With two division losses and three conference losses already, winning the NFC North or securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs is a long shot for the Packers at all three sites. Next Gen Stats gives the Packers a three percent chance of being the NFC’s No. 1 seed. ESPN gives the Packers a five percent chance of winning the division and three percent chance of getting a first-round bye (but a 10 percent chance to make the Super Bowl!). The New York Times gives the Packers a two percent chance of winning the division and one percent chance of being the No. 1 seed.
Of course, no team with six wins is a playoff lock — the Packers have a lot of work to do. But a 6-3 start, a chance to heal during the bye week and a manageable second half schedule have the Packers in a nice position entering the final eight weeks.
Can Matt LaFleur’s get off to a fast start with a win at Soldier Field on Sunday?
Making the playoffs is a goal but not the ultimate goal. The Packers need to get rolling and be playing their best football come January. Punching the ticket is a necessary first step, but winning the whole thing requires a well-oiled machine mixed with a little bit of good fortune.