NFC East
Odell Beckham Jr. will need a few more one-handed catches to help get the Giants into the postseason. (Getty)
1. Washington Redskins
Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: 4; Week 14 matchup: Won 24-21 vs. Chicago Bears; Playoff picture: You’re the real MVP, Chicago Bears kicker. For the second straight week the Bears failed to connect on a late-game field goal and their loss was Washington’s game as it maintained control of the NFC East. The Redskins would clinch the East with three wins.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Won 23-20 vs. Buffalo Bills; Playoff picture: This latest victory certainly helps the Eagles postseason chances. Philadelphia would clinch the East with three wins or could get some help with remaining wins against the Redskins and Giants; as long as Dallas loses as well.
3. New York Giants
Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Won 31-24 vs. Miami Dolphins; Playoff picture: They’re not dead yet. The Giants stayed in the hunt for the East after taking down Miami on the road on Monday night. It won’t get any easier for Big Blue though. They basically still need to win out to secure the division title and get the Carolina Panthers at home next week.
4. Dallas Cowboys
Record: 4-9; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 28-7 to Green Bay Packers; Playoff picture: That one hurt. The Dallas Cowboys couldn’t find a way to stop Green Bay’s ground game and may have lost their chances at a postseason run because of it.
NFC North
It hasn’t always been pretty, but the Green Bay Packers are still on top of the NFC North standings. (Getty)
1. Green Bay Packers
Record: 9-4; Current seed in NFC: 3; Week 14 matchup: Won 28-7 vs. Dallas Cowboys; Playoff picture: The Green Bay Packers still can’t clinch a playoff berth because of a worse conference record than the Buccaneers if they finish tied. Still, Sunday’s victory over Dallas did a good job of getting the Packers on the road to postseason glory.
2. Minnesota Vikings
Record: 8-5; Current seed in NFC: 6; Week 14 matchup: Lost 23-20 at Arizona on Thursday; Playoff picture: Despite the late-game miscues and overall disappointment of their Week 14 loss, the Vikings could clinch a playoff berth with just two more wins. But (and this is a big but) would lose a tie with the Buccaneers because of conference record.
3. Chicago Bears
Record: 5-8; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 24-21 to Washington Redskins; Playoff picture: Not being able to win at home will do in you. The Bears have only won once at Soldier Field this season, including another late-game miscue on Sunday, and it’s all but sealed their postsesaon fate.
4. Detroit Lions
Record: 4-9; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 21-14 to Detroit Lions; Playoff picture: The Lions have done a lot of Lions-type things this season. After the beat-down on the Eagles on Thanksgiving day, Detroit went on to give up a hail Mary pass to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in one of the most disappointing losses any team has notched this season. Jim Caldwell’s future isn’t secure at all this offseason.
NFC South
The Carolina Panthers could wrap up the season undefeated after already securing an NFC South title. (Getty)
1. Carolina Panthers
Record: 13-0; Current seed in NFC: 1; Week 14 matchup: Won 38-0 vs. Atlanta Falcons; Playoff picture: The Panthers wrapped up a first-round bye with a shutout victory at home on Sunday afternoon. Carolina can clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC postseason with a victory over the New York Giants next week.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 24-17 to New Orleans Saints; Playoff picture: The Buccaneers are on the bubble after falling at home to the Saints, but could still clinch a playoff berth. Tampa Bay needs three wins and two Seahawks and/or Vikings losses to get in thanks to conference records.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Record: 6-7; Current seed in NFC: In the hunt; Week 14 matchup: Lost 38-0 to Carolina Panthers; Playoff picture: Technically it’s not over. The Falcons hold the No. 8 position in the postseason standings because of a head-to-head win over the Eagles. Aside from that though, there’s not much room to move up.
4. New Orleans Saints
Record: 5-8; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Won 24-17 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Playoff picture: The Saints have already gotten rid of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan this season, but New Orleans still needs a bit of a makeover come the offseason. The Saints have given up at least 21 points every game since October 11. Expect the squad to go after a pass rusher in this year’s draft.
NFC West
The Seattle Seahawks late-season surge is enough to warrant Wild Card talk, and possibly a division title. (Getty)
1. Arizona Cardinals
Record: 11-2; Current seed in AFC: 2; Week 14 matchup: Defeated Minnesota 23-20 on Thursday; Playoff picture: The Cardinals clinched a postseason berth with the early-week victory, but didn’t secure the West title because the Seattle Seahawks won.
2. Seattle Seahawks
Record: 8-5; Current seed in NFC: 5; Week 14 matchup: Won 35-6 vs. Baltimore Ravens; Playoff picture: Despite some less-than-ideal injuries to rookie sensation Thomas Rawls, the Seahawks are very much in the playoff picture. Seattle would clinch a berth with two more wins, but need to gain some ground to overtake the Cardinals in the run to a West title.
3. St. Louis Rams
Record: 5-8; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Won 21-14 vs. Detroit Lions; Playoff picture: Another team that could be abandoning its city after this year, the Rams have been more than just a slight disappointment. The once vaunted defensive front has lost a bit of its edge in the past few weeks and Todd Gurley’s drop-off, after such an explosive start, has been frustrating to say the least.
4. San Francisco 49ers
Record: 4-9; Current seed in NFC: Not In; Week 14 matchup: Lost 24-10 vs. Cleveland Browns; Playoff picture: The 49ers have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2015-16 season and not in a good way. The team’s handling of quarterback Colin Kaepernick not only drew criticism, it made the front office look a bit petty and sent the squad to the bottom of the divisional standings. Don’t expect to see Kaepernick back in a San Francisco uniform next season, fans.
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NFL Standings & Playoff Picture After Week 14