When the Packers made their blockbuster trade for pass rusher Micah Parsons right before the 2025 NFL season, they were hoping to field a championship-caliber defense. The problem is going into Week 11, they lack the necessary complementary offense to win their division.
The Packers' two-game losing streak following Monday night's frustrating 10-7 home loss to the current NFC top seed Eagles has dropped them to 5-3-1. It's also dropped Green Bay a half-game behind both Detroit (6-3) and Chicago (6-3) in the NFC North division race.
In dropping consecutive games at Lambeau Field, the Packers have scored a combined 20 points the past two weeks vs. The visiting Panthers and Eagles. Meanwhile, the first-place Lions are up to scoring more than 34 points in a game for a fifth time this season after a romping 44-22 win at Washington on Sunday. The now second-place Bears have rebounded again to win two straight, combining to score 71 points in comeback victories over the Bengals and Giants.
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Jordan Love and the Packers are now down to scoring on average 23.6 points per game this season. That puts them in the middle of the pack with Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Both Love and Rodgers are struggling to keep their teams in contention to win the NFC North and AFC North, respectively, without having many reliable receiving options.
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The Packers still pounded on the ground well with running back Josh Jacobs against the Eagles. But Love, sacked three times in the final game of Week 10, didn't have enough playmakers to help vs. A tough secondary. The team already lost go-to tight end Tucker Kraft to a season-ending knee injury in Week 9 and then top (by default) wide receiver Romeo Doubs leaving Week 10's game early with a chest injury.
The Lions are the No. 2 scoring offense in the NFL, averaging 31.4 points per game. After a slow start, the Bears are up to No. 8, at 26.6 points per game. The Packers are trending in the opposite direction at the worst possible time.
For the Packers to win the NFC North and host at least one playoff game, they need to dig deep to find more passing pop despite a limited receiving corps for Love. In the current state, with no help on its way after standing pat at the trade deadline, Green Bay may be stuck hoping to win more low-scoring, grind-it-out games with plenty more of Jacobs running the ball to complement the defense.
Here's an updated look at the division standings and why the Packers are in danger of fading hard behind the Lions and Bears in the stretch run of the division race:
NFC North standings after Week 10
Here's how one of the NFL's toughest divisions currently in 2025:
- Detroit Lions 6-3 (1-2 division record)
- Chicago Bears 6-3 (0-2 division record)
- Green Bay Packers 5-3-1 (1-0 division record)
- Minnesota Vikings 4-5 (2-0 division record)
'Only two games separates the Lions-Bears virtual tie from the last-place Vikings, who went 14-3 and finished second in the division last season. Detroit and Chicago are each a half-game up on Green Bay.
With those marks, it's also clear there that are several division games are ahead with some surprise round-robin results early.
The Lions have played every team in the division once, losing at the Packers and vs. Vikings but beating the Bears. They play all three in the second half (Weeks 13, 17 and 18). The Bears have lost to the Lions and Vikings but have yet to play the Packers. The Packers still have five division games left, long after beating the Lions at home in Week 1. The Vikings still have a shot of going 6-0 in the division which can boost them in further tightening the race.
Detroit and Chicago have clear offensive firepower with their balanced and explosive attacks. Jared Goff and Caleb Williams have deep receiving support systems in stark contrast to Love and can play more effectively their teams' respective strong running games. The Vikings' offense has sputtered for much of the season without second-year QB J.J. McCarthy, who has had inexperience-related struggles of his own.
Green Bay's offense needs to try to "get well" with the Giants' shaky defense on the road next in Week 11, its third straight home game. But then it has four division games in five weeks, with the other matchup coming against the brutal Broncos defense in Denver. That includes the road rematch at the Lions, the pair of games against the Bears and a home game vs. The Vikings, whom the Packers will also see on the road in Week 18.
The Packers' offense is lacking, and so is the confidence that Green Bay will get back ahead of either Detroit or Chicago the rest of the way.
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