With one week left in the NFL regular season, the NFC playoff seeds are coming down to the wire. Certain divisions have been clinched while others remain up for grabs. There’s going to be a tight race for one division title. And two other teams that know they will be in the playoff still have to determine whether they will be playing at home or on the road. Let’s take a look at the NFC playoff seeds.
NFC West Playoff Seeds
The San Francisco 49ers are the most set in stone of any team in the NFC. Last year’s conference runners-up have clinched the number one seed and first-round bye for this year’s playoffs.
The Los Angeles Rams clinched a playoff spot with their win over the New York Giants. The question for the Rams is whether they will be the sixth or seventh seed. Los Angeles ends the year with San Francisco who already has the first-round bye locked. A Rams win or tie locks Los Angeles in the number sixth seed. The Rams could fall to seventh if they lose, and the Packers beat the Bears.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have a chance to be the third team from the NFC West in the playoffs, but it’s a tough hill to climb after losing to Pittsburgh in week 17. Seattle must beat the Arizona Cardinals in the season finale. While the Cardinals have struggled all year, they are fresh off a win over the Philadelphia Eagles and may want to play spoiler on Seattle’s season. Even if the Seahawks win, they’ll still need the Packers to lose to the Bears to secure the number seven seed.
NFC East Playoff Seeds
The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles both clinched playoff spots already. These two teams are just trying to determine who will be the division champion and who will be a wild card team. The Cowboys hold the tiebreaker, so a Dallas win over Washington locks the Cowboys into the two seed and the Eagles into the five seed. However, a Dallas loss to Washington and an Eagles win over the Giants would vault Philadelphia to the two seed and drop the Cowboys to the five seed.
There is a scenario where the NFC East champion falls to the three seed. If Dallas and Philadelphia both lose, Dallas still wins the division. However, in this scenario, if Detroit beats Minnesota, the Lions will pass the Cowboys for the number two seed, despite Detroit’s tough loss to Dallas in week 17.
NFC North Playoff Seeds
The Detroit Lions won their first division title in 30 years ensuring no worse than the three seed. While Detroit will most likely stay in that three seed, we’ve already discussed the slim possibility they could climb to the number two seed.
Things get tougher when it comes to the other two teams in the division still alive for the playoffs. Green Bay remains in a win and get in scenario. If the Packers beat the Bears, they will guarantee the number seven seed at a minimum. As mentioned earlier, Green Bay could pass Los Angeles for the sixth seed if the Rams lose to the 49ers. The Packers could make the playoffs with a loss if Seattle, New Orleans and Minnesota all lost along with a Tampa Bay win. However, a loss would most likely eliminate the Packers from playoff contention.
The Minnesota Vikings have the hardest road to the playoffs. Minnesota is sitting tenth in the NFC following their loss to Green Bay in week 17. The Vikings need to beat Detroit, and they need a lot of help. Minnesota needs Green Bay, Seattle and New Orleans to all lose to clinch that seventh and final playoff spot.
NFC South Playoff Seeds
The weirdest division in the NFL still has three teams vying for the division title. The easiest path seems to belong to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Tampa beats Carolina, they clinch the division and the number four seed. If they lose, they will need Green Bay, Seattle and Minnesota to all lose as well to clinch the seven seed.
The New Orleans Saints have a harder road but not an impossible one. The Saints can clinch the four seed with a win over Atlanta and a Tampa loss to Carolina. Should Tampa win the division, New Orleans could clinch the final playoff spot with a win over Atlanta and losses by Green Bay and Seattle.
While the Atlanta Falcons have the hardest road, there’s is the easiest to decipher. The Falcons must beat the Saints and will need the Panthers to beat the Buccaneers to clinch the division. Anything else and the Falcons are eliminated from playoff contention.
Playoff Predictions
With the 49ers having nothing to gain, I predict the Rams will beat San Francisco to secure the number six spot. I expect Dallas and Philadelphia to both win locking Dallas in as the division champions and preventing Detroit from improving their playoff positioning. The Buccaneers should handle the lowly Panthers and clinch the South. I also think the Packers will take care of business against the Bears. That would leave the seeding as:
- San Francisco 49ers (Bye)
- Dallas Cowboys vs. 7. Green Bay Packers
- Detroit Lions vs. 6. Los Angeles Rams
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. 5. Philadelphia Eagles
It’s going to a wild final weekend to the regular season. You can also check out the AFC playoff seeding breakdown.
Want to partner with us? Contact us now.
Join the Fantom Sports Discord!
Read us on the Newsbreak App.