NFC playoff picture, Week 13: Rams-Cardinals meet
The NFC playoff picture offers some clarity in terms of who gets in, although we could see chaos with a few certain results.
Five weeks stand between the current moment and the start of the NFL playoffs on Jan. 9. With that in mind, here’s how the NFC playoff picture looks as we enter Week 13 action come Sunday afternoon:
1. New Orleans Saints (9-2)
2. Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
3. Green Bay Packers (8-3)
4. New York Giants (4-7)
5. Los Angeles Rams (7-4)
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
7. Arizona Cardinals (6-5)
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8. Minnesota Vikings (5-6)
9. Chicago Bears (5-6)
10. San Francisco 49ers (5-6)
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The biggest game is unquestionably out West, where the Rams and Cardinals clash in the desert. Los Angeles is one game ahead of Arizona for second place in the division, with the two still slated to meet twice. Should the Rams win, they move two games in front while putting the Cardinals in a very tenuous position to even reach the postseason.
Should the Cardinals lose and the Vikings beat the lowly, one-win Jacksonville Jaguars, they would jump ahead of Arizona for the final spot in the playoff picture. San Francisco and Chicago, while they would still be outside the top seven seeds, would also pull into a virtual tie for the final spot. The 49ers host the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, while the Bears welcome in the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
In such a scenario, all would be 6-6 but the Vikings would win the completed tiebreaker.
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Meanwhile, the Saints are on the road for a second date with the Atlanta Falcons. This is the second time the rivals will clash in the past three weeks, giving Atlanta another crack at Taysom Hill. A win for the Saints would be their ninth straight.
In Seattle, a pair of division leaders meet when the Giants invade the Emerald City. Colt McCoy is expected to start at quarterback for Big Blue, as normal starter Daniel Jones is listed as doubtful after suffering a hamstring injury last weekend in Cincinnati.
Finally, the Packers are looking to run their record to 9-3 as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly is a half-game out of first place in the miserable NFC East, despite the offense looking atrocious all season. Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz leads the league in turnovers, something which could lead to a Green Bay rout if the trend continues.
