possible NFC playoff rivals

nittany ram wrote:

Actually a pretty good chance the Rams could face Seattle in the first round…

Link: http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/263493/nfl-playoff-picture-updated-seeds-after-week-16>

NFC

Current Wild Card Round matchups

6. Falcons at 3. Rams, 5. Panthers at 4. Saints.

1. Eagles, 2. Vikings have byes, will host Divisional Round games.

Seeding breakdown

1. xyz-Philadelphia Eagles (12-2 | DIV: 5-0 | NFC: 10-1 | first place in NFC East)

Remaining games: vs. Raiders, vs. Cowboys

In his first game as Carson Wentz’s replacement Nick Foles went 24-for-38 for 237 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles became the first team in the NFL to lock up a first-round bye. The Vikings are still right on their heels, but Philadelphia now needs only one win or one Minnesota loss to clinch the top seed in the NFC. The defense looked a little shaky giving up 29 points to the Giants, but a late stand in the red zone showed that the unit can step up at the most important times to help secure a victory.

2. xy-Minnesota Vikings (12-3 | DIV: 4-1 | NFC: 9-2 | first place in NFC North)

Remaining games: at Packers, vs. Bears

Minnesota got a victory at frigid Lambeau Field—never an easy feat—to get within one win of securing a first-round bye. The Vikings are now huge fans of the Raiders and Cowboys, because if Minnesota beats the Bears and either of those two teams beat the Nick Foles-led Eagles, Minnesota will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That’d put them just two home wins away from becoming the first team in NFL history to play a home Super Bowl—all with Case Keenum at quarterback. Who’d have thunk.

3. xy-Los Angeles Rams (11-4 | DIV: 4-1 | NFC: 7-4 | first place in NFC West)

Thanks to another other worldly performance from Todd Gurley, the Rams clinched their first NFC West title since 2003. First-year head coach Sean McVay has to be the favorite for coach of the year, as he’s turned around a moribund offense into one of the league’s most dynamic units. Los Angeles cannot pass the Vikings and get a first-round bye because they lost to Minnesota this year, so even if the Vikings lose and the Rams win (and both teams finish with four losses), Minnesota would get the edge.

4. x-New Orleans Saints (11-4 | DIV: 4-1 | NFC: 8-3 | first place in NFC South)

Remaining games: at Buccaneers

New Orleans avenged a Week 15 loss to the Falcons on Sunday by controlling the game from start to finish. Carolina’s victory means the Saints still probably need to win next week in order to clinch the NFC South,

5. x-Carolina Panthers (11-4 | DIV: 3-2 | NFC: 7-4 | second place in NFC South)

Remaining schedule: at Falcons

Carolina sputtered for three-and-a-half quarters, but the defense got a stop when it needed it most and Cam Newton led his first game-winning drive in two seasons to clinch a playoff berth. Carolina still has a chance to win the division with a win in Atlanta and a New Orleans loss at the Bucs, but the Panthers are facing a Falcons team that needs a victory to get into the playoffs. That game should be one of Week 17’s best matchups. Carolina can finish no worse than fifth in the NFC.

6. Atlanta Falcons (9-6 | DIV: 3-2 | NFC: 8-3 | third place in NFC South)

Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers

Whether it was a Super Bowl hangover or just plain old mediocre football, the Falcons stumbled to a 4-4 start before getting themselves back into playoff contention. It’s been an up-and-down season for Dan Quinn’s squad, but entering Week 17 their situation is clear as day: Win and in. If the Falcons beats the Panthers, they’ll be the third NFC South team to reach the playoffs, but should they lose, they’ll need the Lions and Seahawks to follow suit to avoid missing the playoffs the season after reaching the Super Bowl.

The @Vikings are the only team in the NFL this season that ranks in the Top 10 in pass offense (246.4 YPG), rush offense (121.3 YPG), pass defense (198.6 YPG allowed), and rush defense (85.3 YPG allowed).

5 of the previous 17 teams to rank Top 10 in all 4 won the Super Bowl.

— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 21, 2017

3rd Seed? I’m so in. I was hoping / dreaming of a Wild Card this year. The fact that we are getting a home playoff game puts them well ahead of where I thought we’d be.

House money from here on out.

2017 will mark the first time in the Super Bowl era that the Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, Packers, and 49ers all missed the playoffs.

The last time all 5 of those teams missed the postseason was in 1964.

— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 25, 2017