NFC playoff picture, Week 14: Saints, 49ers look for win

The NFC Playoff picture is taking shape. Save for the NFC East “winner,” we likely know the teams reaching the playoffs in the NFC.

New Orleans has already clinched the NFC South, while the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are making in out of the NFC West. Both can clinch their berths this weekend.

Here’s how the NFC playoff picture looks this weekend going into Week 14:

1. New Orleans Saints (10-2)
2. Seattle Seahawks (10-2)
3. Green Bay Packers (9-3)
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-7)
5. San Francisco 49ers (10-2)
6. Minnesota Vikings (8-4)
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7. Los Angeles Rams (7-5)
8. Chicago Bears (7-6)
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (5-7)

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The Saints are attempting to hold onto the top spot, but it won’t be easy. The 49ers are coming to the Big Easy for a contest rife with playoff implications. If San Francisco wins, it knocks the Saints out of the top seed. The 49ers would either take the No. 1 seed with a Seattle loss to Los Angeles on Sunday night, or if the Seahawks win, they would be in position to host throughout the playoffs.

Should the Saints win, they are in prime position to run the table. While the road to the Super Bowl went through the Superdome last year and New Orleans lost, it took one of the worst non-calls in history.

In Green Bay, the Packers are happily welcoming in the Washington Redskins. Washington has won two straight, but beating Aaron Rodgers is much different than taking down Kyle Allen and Jeff Driskel. If Green Bay does what is expected, it’ll move a step closer to clinching the NFC North and could be in position to snag a first-round bye.

Read: AFC Playoff Picture, Week 14 – Patriots, Chiefs Play Huge Game

Dallas already lost to Chicago on Thursday night, opening the door in the lousy NFC East for the Eagles. Should Philadelphia win at home over the 2-10 New York Giants, it would pull into a tie with the Cowboys (Dallas still holds the tiebreaker).

Minnesota looks to remain in the playoff picture and should do so with the Detroit Lions coming into town. Detroit has been trending downward for two months and while the Vikings have a short week after losing on Monday night to Seattle, this should be an easy win. If it is, Minnesota would have ample breathing room should the Seahawks beat the Rams at the L.A. Coliseum.

Despite sitting ninth in the conference, the Buccaneers can actually be eliminated this week. Tampa Bay would be taken out of the playoff conversation with a loss to the Indianapolis Colts or a Minnesota win over Detroit.