The Packers are chasing that with six straight, becoming the 11th team since the merger to following a season-opening loss with at least six straight wins. The Saints won 10 straight after losing their opener that season. The Saints won that game, but lost the rematch in the NFC title game that season. This marks the first time since 2018 when the Rams played the Saints that both teams entered on winning streaks of at least six games. The Cardinals have won seven straight, while the Packers have won six in a row since a season-opening loss to New Orleans. The Cardinals and Green Bay Packers head into their Thursday night game on impressive streaks. The droughts for two other division leaders are slightly shorter, with the AFC West-leading Raiders seeking their first playoff bid since 2016 and the NFC East-leading Cowboys (5-1) looking to get back for the first time since 2018.Īt least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 17 of the last 18 years. In 16 of the past 18 seasons, a team has gone from last to first. The Cardinals (7-0) last made the postseason in 2015.ĪFC North leading Cincinnati (5-2) also hasn't made the playoffs since 2015, and finished last in the division the previous three years.
Half of the division leaders are teams that didn't make the playoffs in 2020, led by the NFL's sole remaining undefeated team in NFC West-leading Arizona.
