New Delhi, Nov. 11 -- Green Bay keeps winning without escaping last place. Carolina keeps losing without surrendering first. Entering Week 10, the Packers' 6-3 record leaves them at the bottom of the NFC North, while the Panthers lead the NFC South at 3-5.

The contradiction is more than an awkward standings graphic. Under the NFL's postseason format, winning a division secures a place among the conference's top four seeds, ahead of wild-card qualifiers whose records may be considerably better.

With the second half of the season approaching, the two races illustrate how differently the same goal can be priced: Green Bay is chasing three winning rivals, while Carolina remains ahead of its division despite three consecutive defeats.

Why t...