The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will play one of the most important games of the entire Week 16 slate on Saturday.
The Packers enter this game against the Bears sitting in second place in the NFC North behind Chicago, but the margin between the two teams is slim.
It's pretty simple: if the Packers win, they move into first place, but if the Bears win, they maintain their grip on the division lead and create some more space between themselves and Green Bay.
Both teams have an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth this week, also, but that will require a win and a Detroit Lions loss or tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Another scenario that would allow both teams to clinch this week is a tie and a Lions loss, so keep that in mind if this games heads to overtime.
NFC North standings
1. Chicago Bears (10-4)
2. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1)
3. Detroit Lions (8-6)
4. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
The Vikings are already eliminated from playoff contention, and the Lions' hopes of winning the division are extremely slim, so this is basically a two-team race.
Neither the Bears nor Packers can clinch the division title on Saturday, so this race will be ongoing in Week 17 no matter what.
If the Bears win, they would maintain their grip on first place in the NFC North, and barring the Bears notching a tie over the final two games, tie-breakers won't play a part in deciding the division thanks to Green Bay's tie earlier in the year.
If the Packers win, they would take over first place in the division going into Week 17 and would lock up the head-to-head tie-breaker, but again, that won't be a factor unless the Bears tie one of their final two contests.
Because of that Packers tie, the Bears must ultimately finish with one more win than Green Bay to secure the division.
NFC playoff picture
| Rank | Team | Record |
| 1. | Seattle Seahawks | 12-3 |
| 2. | Chicago Bears | 10-4 |
| 3. | Philadelphia Eagles | 9-5 |
| 4. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7-7 |
| 5. | Los Angeles Rams | 11-4 |
| 6. | San Francisco 49ers | 10-4 |
| 7. | Green Bay Packers | 9-4-1 |
| 8. | Detroit Lions | 8-6 |
| 9. | Carolina Panthers | 7-7 |
| 10. | Dallas Cowboys | 6-7-1 |
| 11. | Minnesota Vikings | 6-8 |
| 12. | Atlanta Falcons | 5-9 |
| 13. | New Orleans Saints | 4-10 |
| 14. | Washington Commanders | 4-10 |
| 15. | Arizona Cardinals | 3-11 |
| 16. | New York Giants | 2-12 |
A win for Chicago would keep them in the No. 2 spot in the conference while also allowing them to keep pace with the Seahawks for the No. 1 seed, although the Bears only have a 6% chance to secure the first-round bye going into the game.
If the Bears lose, they would drop to the No. 7 seed going into Sunday but cannot fall any further than that, nor can they go any higher after Sunday's games.
If the Packers win, they move into the No. 2 seed for now, but a loss keeps them in the No. 7 spot while also giving the Lions an opportunity to gain ground. Green Bay cannot finish this week any lower than the No. 7 seed.
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