The frozen tundra isn't feeling particularly hospitable this week. If you’ve spent any time in a Green Bay pub lately, you’ve likely heard the same weary debate echoing off the walls: How did this happen? The 2025-26 season felt like it was finally the year the King of the North returned to claim the throne. Instead, the final Green Bay Packers division standings show a team that finished second, stuck behind—of all teams—the Chicago Bears.
It’s been a weird year. Honestly, a 9-7-1 record is the kind of stat line that makes you squint. That lone tie against Dallas back in September feels like a fever dream now. One minute the Packers were sitting pretty at 5-1-1, looking like a juggernaut. Then the wheels didn't just come off; they basically disintegrated.
Breaking Down the NFC North Hierarchy
Green Bay finished the regular season with a .559 winning percentage. On paper, it’s a winning season. In reality? It’s the fourth straight year the Packers have failed to win the NFC North. That hurts.
The Chicago Bears took the division with an 11-6 record, fueled by a resurgence under Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams. Behind the Packers, things were incredibly tight. Both the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions finished 9-8. It was a cluster of mediocrity and flashes of brilliance that kept the division undecided until the final weeks of December.
The Numbers That Matter
- Final Record: 9-7-1
- Division Record: 4-2 (Swept the Lions, split with Bears and Vikings)
- Conference Record: 7-4-1
- Final Seed: 7th Seed in the NFC
The Packers actually held a tiebreaker advantage over their division rivals for a while because of that 4-2 divisional mark. They swept Detroit for the first time since 2020. They beat Minnesota at Lambeau in late November. But it wasn't enough to overcome a disastrous December collapse.
What Went Wrong with the Green Bay Packers Division Standings?
You can’t talk about this season without talking about the "what ifs." The Packers were 9-3-1 heading into a Week 15 matchup against the Denver Broncos. They were leading the division. Fans were booking playoff hotels. Then, Micah Parsons—who had been a defensive revelation—went down with a torn ACL.
The collapse was instant. Green Bay lost their final four games of the regular season. Without Parsons' pass rush, a defense that ranked 11th in points allowed suddenly looked like a sieve. They surrendered the division lead to Chicago after an embarrassing loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, which officially handed the crown to the Bears.
The Offensive Identity Crisis
Jordan Love wasn't the problem, but he wasn't always the solution either. He finished the season with 26 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. That’s efficient. In fact, his EPA (Expected Points Added) per play was +0.29, ranking him second in the entire NFL behind only Drake Maye.
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However, the running game was... let’s say "inconsistent." Josh Jacobs averaged a modest 2.9 yards per carry in several key matchups, including the Wild Card loss. When the passing game got bogged down, the offense didn't have a second gear. Losing Tucker Kraft to a torn ACL against Carolina in November also removed a vital safety net for Love in the red zone.
The Heartbreak in the Wild Card Round
Being the 7th seed meant a trip to Soldier Field. After blowing a 21-3 halftime lead, the Packers lost 31-27. It was a poetic, if cruel, end to a season defined by missed opportunities.
Matt LaFleur’s squad finished 16th in points scored and 11th in points against. They were a "good" team that couldn't figure out how to be "great" when the lights were brightest. The loss of Parsons was clearly the tipping point, but elite teams usually find a way to pivot. This year, the Packers just didn't have the depth to survive it.
Lessons from the 2025-26 Campaign
If you're looking for a silver lining, Xavier McKinney stayed elite, earning second-team All-Pro honors. The youth in the receiving corps—Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks—showed that the window is still wide open.
But the standings don't lie. Second place is just the first loser in a town like Green Bay. To jump back to the top of the NFC North in 2026, the front office has to address the defensive depth and find a way to keep Jordan Love from having to do everything himself.
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Next Steps for the Offseason:
- Prioritize Edge Depth: The Parsons injury proved the defense is one snap away from disaster.
- Evaluate the Run Game: Whether it's the scheme or the personnel, 3.0 yards per carry won't win a division.
- Clean up the Late-Game Scenarios: Blowing an 18-point halftime lead in the playoffs is a coaching and leadership failure that needs an honest autopsy.
The Packers are in that dangerous middle ground: too good to get a top-10 pick, but not consistent enough to secure a home playoff game. Until they can finish a season as strong as they start one, they’ll keep looking up at the top of the standings.