Packers get No. 2 seed behind 49ers, first-round bye in NFC playoffs

DETROIT – Apparently, the Green Bay Packers can not have all the nice things.

Hours after the Packers clinched a first-round bye and top-two seed in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers ensured that seed would not be higher than two. By virtue of their 26-21 win at the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night, the 49ers (13-3) clinched the NFC’s top overall seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Packers (13-3) will host a second-round game Sunday, Jan. 12 at 5:40 p.m. CST.

Green Bay would have been the NFC’s top seed with a 49ers loss. Instead, they will keep their wild-card bye and home-field advantage for the divisional round in two weeks, but they are not ensured of home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If the Packers and 49ers both advance to the NFC Championship game, kickoff will be in San Francisco.

A month ago, the Packers lost 37-8 to the 49ers in San Francisco.

Now, the Packers will play the NFC’s highest-remaining seed after the wild-card round.

The highest-seeded team entering the wild-card round is the No. 3 New Orleans Saints (13-3), who will play the No. 6 Minnesota Vikings (10-6). The No. 4 Philadelphia Eagles (9-7 and NFC East champs) will host the No. 5 Seahawks (11-5) next week.

It's too early to say which team the Packers will host in the second round because the NFL reseeds after each round. It could be the Saints, Seahawks or Eagles (if the Vikings advance, they will play the 49ers).

"I think the NFC is wide open," Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said of the postseason. "You have six really good football teams and I think home-field advantage can be very important. Green Bay is a tough place to come and play, although we haven't over my time had the distinct advantage as far as our win-loss record. I feel like this team can utilize the cold better than some of those other teams that relied on heavy passing games. We're a little more balanced this year."