NFL Playoff Scenarios: Projecting Green Bay Packers' Road to Lombardi Trophy

One important tidbit became official this weekend: The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go through Lambeau Field.

The Green Bay Packers are now locked into the No. 1 spot and as long as they keep winning, teams will have to come to Lambeau Field. 

But beyond that, let's take a look at who the Packers are going to have to deal with to get back to the Super Bowl, and win.

NFC Divisional Round—vs. Detroit Lions

This will come about by way of the Lions winning at Lambeau Field in Week 17.

The Packers will have nothing to play for in that game, which will allow the Lions to lock up the No. 5 seed. That will put the Lions against the NFC East champion, and they will beat either. 

Their fate in this round won't be so kind.

The Lions don't have the kind of defense to beat the Packers when they're clicking. With a healthy Greg Jennings, the Packers' offense will be clicking. More importantly, their defense will make opportunistic turnovers. 

They will have a hard time stopping Calvin Johnson, but nowhere near hard enough to make them sweat in this one.

Prediction: Packers 34, Lions 20

NFC Championship Game—vs. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers, not the New Orleans Saints will get the honor of playing the Packers for the NFC crown. While the Saints are the hotter team, their game will be in San Francisco, which is a huge advantage for the 49ers. 

While it's San Francisco rather than New Orleans to win in Green Bay, they won't. The Packers' offense is too strong for the 49ers to settle for field goals against. The 49ers do have a spectacular defense, but too much will be on them in this one. 

The NFC Championship Game will be very much in doubt for the first three quarters. But by the end of it, the Packers will emerge victorious. 

Prediction: Packers 24, 49ers 13

Super Bowl XLVI—vs. New England Patriots

The Patriots will win the AFC crown be default. The Ravens won't be a good team on the road, the Steelers will rely too much on a beaten up Ben Roethlisberger and the Texans best team is on IR. 

Once there, they won't be backing into anything. This game will be a legendary quarterback shootout and will threaten the record for points scored of 75 that the 49ers and Chargers put up in Super Bowl XXIX. 

Ultimately, the Packers' will be too much. Their defense is capable of stopping good offenses on occasion. The same is not true for the Patriots. 

Prediction: Packers 41, Patriots 31

Follow @mdixon1985