GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers wouldn't even be in the playoffs if the postseason started today, and they still haven't gained any ground on the Detroit Lions in the NFC North.

The Packers currently hold the No. 7 spot in the NFC standings and, of course, only the top six -- the four division winners plus two wild-card teams -- make the playoffs. At 6-3, the Packers still trail the Lions (7-2) by a game in the division and would lose the tiebreaker with the Seattle Seahawks for the final wild-card spot.

Yet here they are, back in the top five of the latest ESPN NFL Power Rankings for the first time since Week 3 of 2013 after their 55-14 rout of the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Combine that with the fact that the Lions squeaked by the Miami Dolphins Sunday, and it explains why the Packers, at No. 5, have jumped ahead of the Lions, who held their spot from last week at No. 6. The Packers were No. 8 last week.

Here's a look at the NFC playoff seedings as of today, with the team record and ESPN Power Ranking in parenthesis:

• 1. Cardinals (8-1, 2)

• 2. Lions (7-2, 6)

• 3. Eagles (7-2, 4)

• 4. Saints (4-5, 19)

• 5. Cowboys (7-3, 8)

• 6. Seahawks (6-3, 9)

In the rest of the NFC North, the Bears (3-6) slipped six spots to No. 27 after their loss to the Packers, meaning the Vikings (4-5) finally moved ahead of Chicago and up to No. 21.

Click here for the full ESPN NFL Power Rankings and see my rankings below:

Rob Demovsky's ballot

1. Patriots

2. Broncos

3. Cardinals

4. Eagles

5. Cowboys

6. Packers

7. Lions

8. Colts

9. Seahawks

10. Chiefs

11. Browns

12. Steelers

13. Ravens

14. 49ers

15. Chargers

16. Dolphins

17. Bengals

18. Bills

19. Saints

20. Vikings

21. Panthers

22. Texans

23. Rams

24. Falcons

25. Redskins

26. Bears

27. Giants

28. Titans

29. Jets

30. Jaguars

31. Buccaneers

32. Raiders