The Green Bay Packers have won two straight games to get back into the playoff chase in the NFC, but the oddsmakers believe they still have a huge uphill climb to qualify.
Green Bay has +650 odds to make the playoffs, according to DraftKings on December 20th. The Packers are 6-8, which is 1.5 games behind the Washington Commanders for the No. 7 seed in the NFC.
The Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks are both 7-7, so the Packers would need to bypass those teams as well in order to qualify for the postseason. Green Bay is No. 13 in Football Outsiders’ team efficiency, so it would be a worthy postseason entrant, but with only three games remaining it is understandable why the Packers’ playoff odds are so long.
Green Bay also has a tough schedule down the stretch with games against the Dolphins, Vikings and Lions.
Here are the odds of each NFC team making the playoffs with three spots remaining:
- Giants -750
- Buccaneers -400
- Lions +125
- Seahawks +175
- Commanders +225
- Panthers +500
- Packers +650
- Saints +1400
- Falcons +2000
The New York Giants got a huge boost in their playoff odds with a win over the Commanders on Sunday, which moved them up to the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Washington is now an underdog to qualify for the postseason despite currently holding the last playoff spot.
The Lions and Seahawks are very much in the mix to grab a berth, which would have been a surprising notion at the start of the year.
Meanwhile, the NFC South remains an embarrassment, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still the heavy favorites to win the division and make the playoffs, even if it comes with a losing record.
In the AFC, the Jacksonville Jaguars are surging, and their odds have shortened as they attempt to catch the Tennessee Titans in the AFC South.
Jacksonville is now listed at +125 to make the playoffs as it sits one game behind Tennessee in the standings. The teams will face off in the season finale. The Titans’ odds to make the postseason currently sit at -150.
Here are the odds to make the playoffs in the AFC at DraftKings:
- Chargers -1000
- Dolphins -280
- Titans -150
- Jaguars +125
- Jets +400
- Patriots +500
- Raiders +2000
- Steelers +2800
- Colts +10000
The Los Angeles Chargers have played well lately and are now sitting pretty in the playoff chase. The Dolphins are also expected to make it, although they are no longer shoo-ins on the heels of a three-game losing streak.
The AFC seems pretty well settled, as the current outsiders are all longshots to usurp one of the teams sitting in the top seven seeds. The Jets have the best shot among that group and boast a stellar defense, but the erratic performance of quarterback Zach Wilson has kept them at .500 on the year.
