Just Two of Six Playoffs Spots Set in NFC
With just one week remaining in the NFL regular season, only two NFC playoff of spots have been determined. Roger Goodell, the NFC Commissioner had a vision a few years back that has now paid dividends.
Goodell was concerned that playoff teams benched their starters during the last couple of week of the regular season. The commissioner thus decided to schedule more games within the divisions over the final two or three weeks of the regular season.
A crazy Week 16 in the NFC will make most of the coaches in the conference keep their starters playing, as very little of the playoff picture has been determined. In the AFC, all four divisional winners were determined by the end of Sunday.
However, in the NFC, the only thing Week 16 determined was that the Carolina Panthers clinched a spot in the postseason to join the Seattle Seahawks. No NFC division winner was determined thanks to the Arizona Cardinals defeating the Seahawks in Seattle 17-10 on Sunday.
With wins this weekend, Seattle and Carolina will be the two top seeds in the NFC respectively, but must play full out on Sunday with starters to do so.
The New Orleans Saints fell to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday 17-13 giving up a late touchdown drive to the Panthers.
The loss now puts pressure on the Saints to win this weekend to earn a wildcard spot, as odds are Carolina will win the NFC South division.
If Carolina defeats Atlanta in Week 17, they will be the No. 2 seed and leave New Orleans as the No. 5 seed if they beat Tampa Bay.
Even more dramatic playing out is the NFC East, as Dallas came from behind to defeat the Washington Redskins to set up a winner take all Week 17 matchup between Dallas and the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East title. Win and enter the playoffs, lose and go home for a long winter and spring.
This is the third straight season the Cowboys will play for the NFC East title in Week 17 in an elimination game. Dallas has not had much luck however going 0-2 in the two previous seasons in this scenario.
Chicago could have clinched the NFC North Sunday night after both the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers lost. However, the Eagles routed the Bears. That has set up next week’s game between the Bears and Packers to decide the division winner at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Green Bay’s star quarterback Aaron Rodgers is doubtful for the game next week in Chicago. Rodgers’ fractured clavicle is proving to be more difficult to heal than originally thought.
Making things even more difficult for Green Bay is Clay Matthews their star linebacker broke his thumb of for the second time this season.
It seems that Goodell’s wish has come true and more teams will have to play starters in Week 17, especially teams in the NFC.
Stay tuned for what should be an exciting Week 17 that will give fans the six teams that qualify for the postseason in the NFC.
