Honestly, if you're a Packers fan, you’ve probably spent the last few hours checking the weather in Seattle or eyeing flight prices to Santa Clara. It’s what we do. We look ahead because, in Green Bay, the standard isn’t just "making the dance." It’s winning the whole thing.
But here is the weird thing about the 2026 postseason. The Packers actually already played their Wild Card game. They lost 31-27 to the Chicago Bears on January 10th. It was a heartbreaker. Leading 21-3 at halftime and then watching the lead evaporate in the fourth quarter at Soldier Field is the kind of stuff that keeps Jordan Love up at night.
So, when people ask what happens if the packers win today, they are usually looking at a hypothetical timeline or maybe they’re just waking up from a week-long nap. If the Packers had won that game against the Bears, the entire NFC playoff bracket would look completely different right now. We’d be talking about a massive showdown in the Pacific Northwest instead of a "what-if" scenario.
The Immediate Result: A Date with the Seahawks
If Green Bay had walked out of Chicago with a victory, their reward would have been a trip to Lumen Field. As the No. 7 seed, the Packers are permanently locked into the "lowest seed" slot. This means they always play the highest remaining seed in the next round.
Since the Seattle Seahawks clinched the No. 1 seed with a 14-3 record, they earned a first-round bye. They’ve been sitting at home, resting, and waiting for the dust to settle. A Packers win today (hypothetically speaking, on Divisional Weekend) would have sent them straight into the Seahawk’s nest for a Sunday evening kickoff.
Why the Seahawks Matchup Matters
- The Crowd Factor: Seattle is notoriously loud. Jordan Love has handled noise well, but the playoffs are a different animal.
- The Revenge Narrative: Remember the 2014 NFC Championship? Packers fans certainly do. Every time these two meet in January, those ghosts come out to play.
- The Health Gap: Seattle used their bye week to get healthy. Green Bay, meanwhile, would be coming off a physical divisional rivalry game.
The Micah Parsons Effect
You can't talk about the 2025-2026 Packers season without mentioning the defense. The trade for Micah Parsons was supposed to be the "all-in" move that mirrored the Charles Woodson or Julius Peppers eras.
It worked. Sorta.
The defense became a turnover machine. But when Parsons went down with a season-ending ACL tear late in the year, the identity changed. If the Packers win today in a world where Parsons is healthy, they are arguably the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Without him, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has had to get creative with blitz packages and "simulated pressures" to hide the lack of a true game-wrecker on the edge.
The Road to Levi's Stadium
Let's say they beat Seattle. What’s next?
The path to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara goes through the winner of the other NFC Divisional game. Right now, that’s the Los Angeles Rams and the Chicago Bears (who moved on after beating Green Bay).
If the Packers were still alive, a win today would put them one game away from the Super Bowl. They would either travel back to Chicago for a rematch—which would be the ultimate redemption story—or they’d head to sunny Los Angeles.
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Potential NFC Championship Matchups
- At Chicago Bears: A fourth meeting in one season. This is rare. It’s gritty. It’s basically a backyard brawl with higher stakes.
- At Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford against Jordan Love. This would be a shootout. The Rams have been a juggernaut this year, ranking top five in both offensive and defensive DVOA.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About Seeding
There is a common misconception that the No. 7 seed is just "happy to be there." That’s not how Matt LaFleur coaches.
The Packers have been the No. 7 seed for three consecutive years. That’s a bizarre stat. It shows a level of consistency, but also a frustrating ceiling. If they win today in a hypothetical bracket, they would be the first No. 7 seed in NFL history to reach a Conference Championship. It would be a total legacy-defining moment for Jordan Love, proving that he can carry the torch just as well as Favre or Rodgers did.
What You Should Do Next
Even though the "real-world" Packers are heading into an offseason of questions, the logic of the NFL playoffs remains the same. If you're tracking the rest of the 2026 road to the Super Bowl, here is how you can stay ahead of the curve:
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- Watch the Rams vs. Bears game tonight: This is essentially the "Packers bracket." See how Caleb Williams handles the pressure of the Divisional round, because that’s the level Love needs to reach next year.
- Audit the Cap: The Packers have some tough decisions coming up with the salary cap and Matt LaFleur’s coaching staff. Check the latest updates on OverTheCap to see how they can keep this core together.
- Focus on the Draft: Since the season is technically over, the focus shifts to the 2026 NFL Draft. Look for the Packers to target edge rush depth to protect themselves against another Micah Parsons-style injury disaster.
The reality is that "what happens if the packers win today" is a question of "what could have been." But in the NFL, the line between a Super Bowl run and a quiet January is usually just four points and a fourth-quarter collapse.