Thus far, there is only one division in the NFL with all four teams making the playoffs if the season ended today: the NFC North.

The Minnesota Vikings lead the way with a 5-0 record, which would make them the No. 2 overall seed in the NFC bracket at the moment. Then, the rest of the division makes up the three wild card teams, seeds five through seven in the following order: the Green Bay Packers (4-2), the Chicago Bears (4-2) and the Detroit Lions (3-2). Every inter-division game between those four squads holds high-stakes ramifications on the conference's playoff picture, with both division and conference tiebreakers up for grabs. 

That makes the Packers' Week 7 trip to Ford Field to face the Lions one of the league's most important matchups of the week. So, where could this showdown between two high-flying offenses, led by Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love and Detroit quarterback Jared Goff, be decided? Let's take a closer look. 

How Packers can stop Jared Goff

Wide receiver Christian Watson and wide receiver Matthew Golden are the first duo in Packers history with 500-plus receiving yards each in the first six games of a season. Along with Love, they wouldn't seem to have too much of an issue with the Lions' leaky defense, which is allowing the third-most points per game (29.6) this season. Detroit is also allowing the highest rate of opponent touchdowns per drive (37%), and its defensive passing expected points added (EPA) per game (-19.0) is the second worst by any team through the first five games of a season, ahead of only the 2005 San Francisco 49ers, who went 4-12. 

That's why the matchup between Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, wide receiver Jameson Williams and tight Sam LaPorta against the Packers defense will likely decide Sunday afternoon's game. It's a battle that could tilt either way. 

Goff is off to a historically great start to the season as just the second quarterback in NFL history with 1,400-plus passing yards (1,485) and no turnovers through the first five games of a season, along with Drew Brees in 2018. However, Goff will be challenged by a Packers defense that is allowing the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (193.3) in the entire league and is playing its best ball right now. 

Green Bay's offense, hitting its stride with a patched-up offensive line, has allowed its defense to play with more energy since it doesn't have to be on the field as often, and it's paying off. The Packers lead the NFL in scoring defense (11.3) and takeaways (9) during the team's three-game winning streak since Week 4.

Goff's secret weapon

Where they will really pose a challenge to Goff is on tight-window throws (less than one yard of target separations). Per the NFL's Next Gen Stats, Goff is throwing into a tight window on just under a fifth of his throws, 19.4%, which is the fifth-highest rate in the league this season and his highest since his rookie year with the Rams in 2016, when he threw when an NFL-high 25.9% of his throws were into tight windows. What's interesting about Goff's willingness to squeeze the football into tight windows this season hasn't really changed when the Lions are tied or leading (19.6%) or trailing (19.2%).

Goff has completed 13 of his 37 tight-window throws for 115 yards and two touchdowns, with St. Brown making up the bulk of that production. The duo has connected on five of 16 tight-window throws for 34 yards and both of Goff's tight-window throw touchdown passes this season. Green Bay's defense is tied for the most tight-window interceptions so far, with three, so it would be more than happy for Goff to try them when a tight window opportunity arises.

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There's also a chance Goff may be attempting a higher volume of tight window throws on Sunday because Lions three-time Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs has historically struggled against the Packers, more so than any of his other NFC North opponents. In six games against Green Bay, Gibbs is averaging 48.2 rushing yards per game with a 3.9 yards per carry average and just one touchdown. Compare that to his 12 games against the rest of the division, and his numbers look a lot different: He has a 75.3 rushing yards per game average with a 5.2 yards per carry average and 12 rushing touchdowns in NFC North division games not against the Packers.

Whoever wins the battle on Goff's tight-window throws between St. Brown and the rest of the Lions' pass catchers and the Packers' secondary will likely decide the outcome of this crucial Week 7 showdown in the NFC North.