NFL playoff picture: How the Packers can clinch a playoff berth in Week 16

NFL playoff picture: How the Packers can clinch a playoff berth in Week 16

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Last week the Green Bay Packers were forced to watch a team clinch a playoff spot on the other sideline.

This week, the Packers can be that team celebrating, but those celebrations might have to wait until Sunday.

Green Bay’s loss to the Denver Broncos last week meant that Bo Nix and company were the first AFC playoff team to clinch a playoff spot. This week, however, the Packers have two pathways to booking a spot in the postseason themselves, starting with their game Saturday night against the Chicago Bears.

Here is how the Packers can clinch a playoff spot in Week 16.

Green Bay Packers playoff berth clinching scenarios

Green Bay has two different pathways to a playoff spot in Week 16.

First, with a win over the Bears on Saturday night, and a Detroit Lions loss or tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon, the Packers are in the playoffs.

However, if the Packers tie the Bears on Saturday, Green Bay still clinches a playoff spot if the Lions lose to the Steelers.

The Packers are slight underdogs according to FanDuel, with the Bears favored at home by -1.5 points. The Lions are 6.5-point favorites over the Steelers.

NFC standings entering Week 16

Here are the full NFC standings heading into the weekend, updated with Seattle’s thrilling overtime win over Los Angeles on Thursday Night Football:

x – Team has clinched a playoff spot
e – Team has been eliminated from playoff contention

NFC North standings entering Week 16

Here are the full NFC North standings entering Week 16:

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Deadspin | A’s, Brewers meet again in Las Vegas after show-stopping opener Jun 8, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the ninth inning at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images LAS VEGAS — Both scheduled starting pitchers have a pretty good idea of what to expect when the Milwaukee Brewers face the Athletics on Tuesday night in the second game of a three-game series at Las Vegas Ballpark, the hitter-friendly home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate, the Aviators. Left-hander Robert Gasser (0-2, 4.73 ERA) will start for the Brewers against right-hander J.T. Ginn (3-3, 2.74) of the A’s, who are using this series in Las Vegas to connect with the community. The Athletics currently play their home games in West Sacramento, Calif., but will move to Las Vegas permanently when their new climate-controlled stadium opens there in 2028. On Monday, the Brewers rallied for a wild 15-14 victory in 12 innings in a 4-hour, 14-minute game that featured 11 home runs, including seven by the A’s. The teams combined for 34 hits. “The most bizarre game I’ve ever had in Major League Baseball in 11 years,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said afterward. “I never saw anything like it.” Milwaukee, which trailed 8-4 after three innings, tied the score at 10-10 in the ninth. The Brewers then scored four in the 10th, boosted by William Contreras’ three-run homer, only to see the A’s rally with four runs in the bottom of the inning behind homers from Nick Kurtz, his second of the game, and pinch hitter Jonah Heim. After neither team scored in the 11th, automatic runner Christian Yelich stole third in the 12th and slid home ahead of the throw on Brice Turang’s fielder’s choice bouncer. Milwaukee’s Chad Patrick took the mound in the home half of the 12th and stranded the tying run at third base to earn the save. “I’ve played here and I’ve seen it,” said Patrick, who played at Las Vegas Ballpark when he was in the A’s system. “It’s definitely crazy. I don’t know if it’s necessarily made for big league hitters, but it’s still baseball.” Tyler Soderstrom homered twice for the A’s, who also got solo homers from Zack Gelof and Shea Langeliers. Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers also homered for the Brewers. Milwaukee, which started its current six-game road trip with a three-game sweep at Colorado, moved a season-high 18 games above .500 (41-23). The Brewers lead the National League Central by 5 1/2 games over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals. For the A’s, Ginn made his first three appearances of 2026 out of the bullpen before joining the rotation. He is 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA over his past six starts, holding opponents to a .172 batting average. In his most recent start, he allowed one run — a homer by Pete Crow-Armstrong — in six innings of two-hit ball against the Cubs, leaving with a 6-1 lead, but did not get the decision in a 7-6 loss on Thursday. “Ginn was exceptional again,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said afterward. “One pitch to Crow that he left up, but outside of that, I thought he had a dominating performance tonight.” Ginn also has experience pitching at Las Vegas Ballpark during his minor-league career. He was 4-3 with 5.72 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2024 and was 1-0 with a 2.11 ERA in five starts in 2025. Ginn is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Milwaukee. Despite a loss his last time out, Gasser is coming off his best start. He allowed one run on five hits in five innings, taking the loss in a 1-0 defeat against San Francisco on Wednesday. He has never faced the Athletics in his 10 career outings. The series with the Brewers will be followed by three games against Colorado in Las Vegas. –Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media #Deadspin #Brewers #meet #Las #Vegas #showstopping #openerJun 8, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the ninth inning at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

LAS VEGAS — Both scheduled starting pitchers have a pretty good idea of what to expect when the Milwaukee Brewers face the Athletics on Tuesday night in the second game of a three-game series at Las Vegas Ballpark, the hitter-friendly home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate, the Aviators.

Left-hander Robert Gasser (0-2, 4.73 ERA) will start for the Brewers against right-hander J.T. Ginn (3-3, 2.74) of the A’s, who are using this series in Las Vegas to connect with the community. The Athletics currently play their home games in West Sacramento, Calif., but will move to Las Vegas permanently when their new climate-controlled stadium opens there in 2028.

On Monday, the Brewers rallied for a wild 15-14 victory in 12 innings in a 4-hour, 14-minute game that featured 11 home runs, including seven by the A’s. The teams combined for 34 hits.

“The most bizarre game I’ve ever had in Major League Baseball in 11 years,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said afterward. “I never saw anything like it.”

Milwaukee, which trailed 8-4 after three innings, tied the score at 10-10 in the ninth. The Brewers then scored four in the 10th, boosted by William Contreras’ three-run homer, only to see the A’s rally with four runs in the bottom of the inning behind homers from Nick Kurtz, his second of the game, and pinch hitter Jonah Heim.

After neither team scored in the 11th, automatic runner Christian Yelich stole third in the 12th and slid home ahead of the throw on Brice Turang’s fielder’s choice bouncer.

Milwaukee’s Chad Patrick took the mound in the home half of the 12th and stranded the tying run at third base to earn the save.

“I’ve played here and I’ve seen it,” said Patrick, who played at Las Vegas Ballpark when he was in the A’s system. “It’s definitely crazy. I don’t know if it’s necessarily made for big league hitters, but it’s still baseball.”

Tyler Soderstrom homered twice for the A’s, who also got solo homers from Zack Gelof and Shea Langeliers. Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers also homered for the Brewers.

Milwaukee, which started its current six-game road trip with a three-game sweep at Colorado, moved a season-high 18 games above .500 (41-23). The Brewers lead the National League Central by 5 1/2 games over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals.


For the A’s, Ginn made his first three appearances of 2026 out of the bullpen before joining the rotation. He is 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA over his past six starts, holding opponents to a .172 batting average.

In his most recent start, he allowed one run — a homer by Pete Crow-Armstrong — in six innings of two-hit ball against the Cubs, leaving with a 6-1 lead, but did not get the decision in a 7-6 loss on Thursday.

“Ginn was exceptional again,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said afterward. “One pitch to Crow that he left up, but outside of that, I thought he had a dominating performance tonight.”

Ginn also has experience pitching at Las Vegas Ballpark during his minor-league career. He was 4-3 with 5.72 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2024 and was 1-0 with a 2.11 ERA in five starts in 2025.

Ginn is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Milwaukee.

Despite a loss his last time out, Gasser is coming off his best start. He allowed one run on five hits in five innings, taking the loss in a 1-0 defeat against San Francisco on Wednesday.

He has never faced the Athletics in his 10 career outings.

The series with the Brewers will be followed by three games against Colorado in Las Vegas.

–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Brewers #meet #Las #Vegas #showstopping #opener">Deadspin | A’s, Brewers meet again in Las Vegas after show-stopping opener Jun 8, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the ninth inning at the Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images LAS VEGAS — Both scheduled starting pitchers have a pretty good idea of what to expect when the Milwaukee Brewers face the Athletics on Tuesday night in the second game of a three-game series at Las Vegas Ballpark, the hitter-friendly home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate, the Aviators. Left-hander Robert Gasser (0-2, 4.73 ERA) will start for the Brewers against right-hander J.T. Ginn (3-3, 2.74) of the A’s, who are using this series in Las Vegas to connect with the community. The Athletics currently play their home games in West Sacramento, Calif., but will move to Las Vegas permanently when their new climate-controlled stadium opens there in 2028. On Monday, the Brewers rallied for a wild 15-14 victory in 12 innings in a 4-hour, 14-minute game that featured 11 home runs, including seven by the A’s. The teams combined for 34 hits. “The most bizarre game I’ve ever had in Major League Baseball in 11 years,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said afterward. “I never saw anything like it.” Milwaukee, which trailed 8-4 after three innings, tied the score at 10-10 in the ninth. The Brewers then scored four in the 10th, boosted by William Contreras’ three-run homer, only to see the A’s rally with four runs in the bottom of the inning behind homers from Nick Kurtz, his second of the game, and pinch hitter Jonah Heim. After neither team scored in the 11th, automatic runner Christian Yelich stole third in the 12th and slid home ahead of the throw on Brice Turang’s fielder’s choice bouncer. Milwaukee’s Chad Patrick took the mound in the home half of the 12th and stranded the tying run at third base to earn the save. “I’ve played here and I’ve seen it,” said Patrick, who played at Las Vegas Ballpark when he was in the A’s system. “It’s definitely crazy. I don’t know if it’s necessarily made for big league hitters, but it’s still baseball.” Tyler Soderstrom homered twice for the A’s, who also got solo homers from Zack Gelof and Shea Langeliers. Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers also homered for the Brewers. Milwaukee, which started its current six-game road trip with a three-game sweep at Colorado, moved a season-high 18 games above .500 (41-23). The Brewers lead the National League Central by 5 1/2 games over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals. For the A’s, Ginn made his first three appearances of 2026 out of the bullpen before joining the rotation. He is 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA over his past six starts, holding opponents to a .172 batting average. In his most recent start, he allowed one run — a homer by Pete Crow-Armstrong — in six innings of two-hit ball against the Cubs, leaving with a 6-1 lead, but did not get the decision in a 7-6 loss on Thursday. “Ginn was exceptional again,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said afterward. “One pitch to Crow that he left up, but outside of that, I thought he had a dominating performance tonight.” Ginn also has experience pitching at Las Vegas Ballpark during his minor-league career. He was 4-3 with 5.72 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2024 and was 1-0 with a 2.11 ERA in five starts in 2025. Ginn is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Milwaukee. Despite a loss his last time out, Gasser is coming off his best start. He allowed one run on five hits in five innings, taking the loss in a 1-0 defeat against San Francisco on Wednesday. He has never faced the Athletics in his 10 career outings. The series with the Brewers will be followed by three games against Colorado in Las Vegas. –Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media #Deadspin #Brewers #meet #Las #Vegas #showstopping #opener

There’s no good way to interview someone the size of Victor Wembanyama post-game, unless the man is sitting down. When you’re 7-4 your entire existence is spent adapting to the world around you, so I don’t blame him when he doesn’t feel like stooping down after a basketball game to make life easier on reporters. Still, it has a tendency to create some hilarious moments, as we saw on Monday night when ESPN’s Lisa Salters was reduced to a disembodied arm on camera.

#Victor #Wembanyama #interviewed #disembodied #arm">Victor Wembanyama got interviewed by a disembodied arm There’s no good way to interview someone the size of Victor Wembanyama post-game, unless the man is sitting down. When you’re 7-4 your entire existence is spent adapting to the world around you, so I don’t blame him when he doesn’t feel like stooping down after a basketball game to make life easier on reporters. Still, it has a tendency to create some hilarious moments, as we saw on Monday night when ESPN’s Lisa Salters was reduced to a disembodied arm on camera.The internet tells me that Lisa Salters is an unconfirmed 5-2, but still this is pretty hilarious. Would it have killed ESPN to take a couple of steps back so both Wemby and their reporter could both be in the shot at once? It wouldn’t have taken away from the moment considering that Wembanyama is a literal giant, and it’s gotta be better than just having a random arm invading the frame. #Victor #Wembanyama #interviewed #disembodied #arm

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