With two weeks left in the regular season, the NFC playoff picture is starting to take shape, but a lot remains up in the air. Only two teams, the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, have clinched a playoff spot, leaving the other five seeds up for grabs. This is shaping up to be an exciting race that could go down to the final week.
The Lions and Eagles have dominated their respective divisions for most of the season, but both will need to fend off their emerging rivals to secure their position. Meanwhile, the NFC West and NFC South continue to change dramatically. The Los Angeles Rams managed to maintain their lead in the NFC West this week, but in the NFC South, the Atlanta Falcons retook the division lead from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had taken it ago just a few weeks.
The Falcons received some unexpected help in their quest for the division crown. The Dallas Cowboys, eliminated from the playoffs just before their Sunday Night Football game, decided to play spoiler. They pulled off a surprise win over the Buccaneers, knocking Tampa Bay out of the playoffs – for now.
With the NFC playoff race narrowing and the regular season winding down, here’s a closer look at how the standings are shaping up heading into the final weeks.
1. Detroit Lions (13-2, 1st in the NFC North)
As beat as the Lions were, they didn’t let their division rivals, the Chicago Bears, pass them in Week 16. In fact, they made history by posting their first 13-win season in the history of the franchise. Detroit remains undefeated against NFC North foes this season. However, a regular season finale against the Vikings awaits in a few weeks.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3, 1st in NFC East)
The Eagles’ 10-game winning streak came to an end in Week 16. Philadelphia was outscored 22-12 in the second half, with all of those points coming from Washington in the fourth quarter. It didn’t help matters that the Eagles lost Jalen Hurts to the concussion protocol and were forced to replace Kenny Pickett.
3. Los Angeles Rams (8-6, 1st in NFC West)
The Rams have scored fewer than 20 points in their last two games, but they have allowed just 15 points combined in that span, going 2-0 and are on a four-game winning streak overall. In Week 16, they traveled to New York to defeat the Jets, thereby increasing their lead in the division.
4. Atlanta Falcons (8-7, 1st in the NFC South)
Everything seemed to be going well for the Falcons in Week 16, including the promising debut of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.. Atlanta took a 34-7 victory over the Giants and took advantage of the Cowboys’ loss against the Buccaneers. With the victory and the defeat of Tampa Bay, the Falcons regained the lead in the NFC South, hold the tiebreaker due to their head-to-head advantage, according to ESPN.
5. Minnesota Vikings (13-2, 2nd in the NFC North)
Sam Darnold continued to shine and strengthen his MVP candidacy after leading the Vikings to a hard-fought victory in a hostile environment in Week 16. Minnesota edged the Seahawks 27-24, with Darnold delivering a touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson. . The Vikings are proving to be a major contender in the NFC playoffs.
6. Green Bay Packers (10-4, 3rd in NFC North)
The Packers hold on to the sixth seed, with a convincing win over the Saints on Monday Night Football. With the win, they clinched a spot in the NFC playoffs.
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7. Washington Commanders (10-5, 2nd in NFC East)
The Commanders made a strong statement with a crucial victory against the Eagles to keep their division’s hopes alive. Despite two interceptions, Jayden Daniels lit up the scoreboard with five touchdown passes, leading Washington to a thrilling 36-33 victory over Philadelphia. The Commanders remain steady at seventh in the NFC playoffs, but their hopes of winning the division crown are still alive.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7, 2nd in the NFC South)
After reclaiming the NFC South a few weeks ago due to the Falcons’ struggles, the Buccaneers gave it back to Atlanta. Baker Mayfield did everything he could to keep Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes alive and push the Falcons out of the NFC scene. However, costly turnovers caused by the Cowboys defense made the difference. Now, the Buccaneers must hope that something bad happens to Atlanta in the coming weeks to regain their place.
9. Seattle Seahawks (8-7, 2nd in the NFC West)
A touchdown pass from Geno Smith to AJ Barner with just over four minutes remaining seemed poised to seal a victory for the Seahawks. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, as the Vikings responded with a score on the ensuing drive. Seattle’s hopes were further dashed when they missed a field goal and threw an interception on their final drives. The Seahawks now need some luck to secure one of the top seven seeds in the NFC playoffs.
