The Detroit Lions have caught the attention of the entire NFC after defeating the conference’s top team on Monday night, a result that keeps them firmly in the mix for the No. 1 overall seed. For the moment, they remain just behind in the division standings, but the win lifted them into the top wild card position going into the next week of play.

NFC North standings heading into Week 8

It’s worth mentioning that the Lions are the first NFC North team to reach five victories, meaning they still completely control their postseason fate.

The Green Bay Packers picked up a victory on Sunday to maintain their division lead for another week. They also climbed to the top of the entire conference, helped in part by Detroit’s Monday night win. YOU’RE WELCOME!

The Chicago Bears have been red-hot, taking four straight wins with their bye week mixed in. They haven’t tasted defeat in over a month — and that last loss, of course, came against Detroit.

The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, dropped their matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in a contest that wasn’t quite as tight as the final score suggested. They now sit even at 3-3.

1. Green Bay Packers (4-1-1)
2. Detroit Lions (5-2)
3. Chicago Bears (4-2)
4. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)

NFC playoff standings during Week 7

After the Packers at No. 1, things get tricky among the 5-2 teams. The 49ers and Rams faced off, with San Francisco taking control of the NFC West. Their 5-1 conference record gives them an advantage over both Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. The Eagles come next, holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Buccaneers, rounding out the top four division leaders.

The Lions and Rams each sit at 5-2, but Detroit’s 2-1 record against NFC opponents edges out Los Angeles’ 0-2 mark, giving the Lions the upper hand and the top wild card slot.

If the Seahawks win on Monday night, they would jump the Rams but still trail Detroit — ensuring the Lions hold the fifth seed heading into Week 8’s Sunday action.

1. Green Bay Packers (4-1-1)
2. San Francisco 49ers (5-2, win over LAR, 5-1 NFC)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2, 4-1 NFC, win over TB)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2, 3-2 NFC, loss to PHI)
5. Detroit Lions (5-2, 2-1 NFC)
6. Los Angeles Rams (5-2, loss to SF, 0-2 NFC)
7. Chicago Bears (4-2, 3-2 NFC)
8. Seattle Seahawks (4-2, 2-2 NFC)
9. Carolina Panthers (4-3)
10. Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1, 2-3-1 NFC)
11. Atlanta Falcons (3-3, 2-3 NFC, win over MIN)
12. Minnesota Vikings (3-3, 1-2 NFC, loss to ATL)
13. Washington Commanders (3-4)
14. Arizona Cardinals (2-5)
15. New York Giants (2-5)
16. New Orleans Saints (1-6)