Packers' recent surge hasn't helped them make up ground on their NFC North rivals

Winning five of their last six games hasn't enabled the Green Bay Packers to make up any ground in the rugged NFC North.

The Packers (6-3) are in last place in their division despite having won twice as many games as they've lost. According to Sportradar, this is the first time every team in a particular division has owned a winning percentage of at least .667 this far into a season.

Since 1970, the only other time every team in a division has been at least three games above .500 was the AFC North through Week 12 of the 2014 season.

“There’s not a lot of room for error in our division right now, and that’s just the reality of it,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said Monday, a day after the Packers' 45-27 victory at New England. "And I think it puts a healthy kind of pressure on you, to make sure that you’re present each and every day, and you’re pouring everything you can into this thing.

“Because the one thing that is definitely true about our league is, anybody can beat anybody. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, when you’re playing, where you’re playing, you’ve got to bring it. And if you don’t, you will get beat.”

The Packers certainly have been bringing it lately. They produced arguably their best performance of the season Sunday by dominating the reigning AFC champions on the road.

Jordan Love, who has an NFL-leading 2,618 yards passing, threw for 372 as Green Bay scored the first 17 points and eventually led by as many as 28. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden combined for 335 yards receiving as they continued their transformation into one of the NFL's top wideout tandems.

“You can’t let one game kind of lull you to sleep,” quarterback Jordan Love said after the game. “It was a great performance tonight, but you know it’s all about getting back to work and having a good game plan. But, yeah, this is what we talk about: stacking wins, get rolling as a unit, and that’s what we did.”

Now they need to keep it up, or risk falling further behind in the NFL's toughest division.

Defense and running game. Green Bay forced four turnovers Sunday and has 19 takeaways this season to rank second in the NFL, behind Tampa Bay’s 21. The Packers sacked Drake Maye four times and have 10 sacks over their last two games.

A rushing attack that ranks last in the NFL performed better than expected Sunday. The Packers rushed for 129 yards – 43 more than their previous season high – on 32 carries. Kaleb Johnson rushed for a career-high 68 yards and scored his first touchdown.

It’s hard to find anything to quibble about after such a dominant performance. The Packers did allow New England to rush for 94 yards on 16 attempts for an average of 5.9 yards per carry.

Watson, who had a career-high 171 yards receiving, has 879 yards receiving this season to rank third in the NFL. … Golden’s 164 yards receiving also were a career high. Golden is fourth in the NFL with 783 yards receiving. … S Xavier McKinney picked off two passes Sunday. He has five interceptions this season to tie Tennessee’s Amani Hooker for the NFL lead.

After playing every offensive snap in a victory over Carolina a week earlier, OG Aaron Banks was on the field for just 69.7% of the Packers’ plays Sunday as he was in more of a time share with Kevin Zeitler. LaFleur said Monday that Banks was dealing with a groin issue.

RB Josh Jacobs fractured his right ring finger and will undergo surgery. There's no indication on how much time he will miss. ... LB Ty'Ron Hopper left Sunday's game with a chest injury. LaFleur said he's optimistic that it won't be a major issue.

7 for 160 — Watson and Golden were the fifth pair of teammates in NFL history to have at least seven catches for 160 yards and a touchdown in the same game. The others were the Los Angeles Rams’ Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch and Tom Fears in 1951, Cincinnati’s T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson in 2004, the New York Giants’ Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks in 2012 and Miami’s Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in 2022.

The Packers get a chance to avenge a season-opening 39-22 loss at Minnesota when they host the Vikings on Sunday afternoon.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Green Bay Packers defensive ends Brenton Cox Jr. (57) and Dani Dennis-Sutton (51) sack New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second half of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) catches a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) celebrates as he runs up the field after throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Watson during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle won the American League Rookie of the Year award Monday night after a stellar all-around season that sets him up to be a franchise cornerstone for the next decade.

McGonigle — who played most of the season at just 21 years old — had a .278 batting average and .806 OPS with 18 homers, 72 RBIs, 28 doubles and 12 stolen bases while splitting time between third base and shortstop. He's the first Tigers player to win the award since pitcher Michael Fulmer in 2016 and the first Tigers infielder since Lou Whitaker in 1978.

The Tigers thought enough of McGonigle's potential that they signed him to a $150 million, eight-year deal in April, just a few weeks into his rookie season. He backed up that confidence by making the All-Star team and helping the Tigers remain in the playoff race for much of the summer.

McGonigle received 28 of 30 first-place votes and finished with 204 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America conducted before the postseason.

The other two AL finalists were Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick and Boston Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle. Messick came in second, earning the other two first-place votes and 122 points after going 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts.

Tolle was third with 54 points. He had a 9-6 record with a 3.03 ERA and 171 strikeouts.

The National League winner will be announced later Monday night.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

FILE - Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Sept. 22, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

FILE - Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick throws against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning in Game 5 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in Cleveland, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

FILE - Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle runs out a double against the Washington Nationals during the third inning of a baseball game, Sept. 23, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)