NFC playoff picture, Week 17: Rams-Cardinals play

The 2020 NFL season is down to Week 17, and the playoff races in the NFC are both wild and furious, with every seed remaining up for grabs.

Four playoff spots have been clinched in the NFC. Three to go.

In the conference, the Packers, Saints and Seahawks have all clinched their respective divisions. However, none have shored up which seeds they will be going into the final weekend.

In the NFC East, it remains a three-team race to the finish, while the wild card picture has three teams — the Rams, Bears and Cardinals — fighting for two spots.

Here’s how things look in the NFC playoff picture going into Week 17:

1. Green Bay Packers (12-3)
2. New Orleans Saints (11-4)
3. Seattle Seahawks (11-4)
4. Washington Football Team (6-9)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6)
6. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
7. Chicago Bears (8-7)
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8. Arizona Cardinals (8-7)

Let’s start with the NFC East. Washington travels to Philadelphia on Sunday night. If the Football Team wins, they will not only win the division but host a Wild Card game next weekend. However, should Washington lose, the winner of the tilt between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys will win the division and be the No. 4 seed. Pretty simple stuff.

As for the wild card picture, the Rams and Bears both face a win-and-in situation. Los Angeles would lock up at least the sixth seed with a win over Arizona, and could move up to the No. 5 slot if the Buccaneers fall to the Atlanta Falcons. Should Tampa Bay win, it’s locked into the fifth seed. Should the Bears win, they are the sixth seed if the Cardinals win, and the seventh if the Rams emerge victorious.

As for the Cardinals, a victory over Los Angeles has it in the playoffs. Arizona would be the sixth seed if the Bears lose, and a seventh if they win.

Finally, seeding for the top three teams. If the Packers win over Chicago at Soldier Field, they have the first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. However, with a loss and wins by both the Seahawks and Saints, New Orleans moves into the top spot while the Seahawks and Packers follow them, in that order.

The only path Seattle has for a first-round bye is both Green Bay and New Orleans falling to the Bears and Carolina Panthers respectively, while the Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers.