With Week 14 nearly in the books and just one NFC game left on the slate - the Eagles hosting the Chargers on Monday night - the playoff picture is starting to take shape. And while Philly’s result won’t shake up the top of the standings (they’re locked into the No. 3 seed for now), the rest of the NFC is anything but settled.
Let’s break down where things stand heading into the final stretch - and what Sunday’s action told us about the contenders, the pretenders, and the teams still trying to find their footing.
NFC Playoff Picture Through Week 14
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3, 5-3 in NFC)
- Green Bay Packers (9-3, 7-2-1)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-4, 7-3)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6, 5-4)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3, 6-3)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4, 8-2)
- Chicago Bears (9-4, 6-3)
- Detroit Lions (8-5, 5-4)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6, 5-3)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1, 3-5-1)
Bears Go from First to Fighting for Their Lives
Just a week ago, the Bears were sitting atop the NFC. Now?
They're clinging to the seventh seed and staring down a potential Wild Card rematch with the Packers at Lambeau. That’s how fast things can swing in December.
Chicago gave Green Bay all it could handle on Sunday, putting up 315 yards on a defense that’s been one of the league’s toughest. But the Packers countered with 337 yards of their own, averaging a sharp 6.5 yards per play. That kind of offensive efficiency, combined with their defensive pedigree, is why Green Bay feels like the most complete team in the conference right now.
49ers Climb, but Eyes Are on Week 16
San Francisco jumped up to the sixth seed and, if the season ended today, would face the Eagles in the first round - a matchup with plenty of recent history. But the real intrigue lies two weeks ahead.
Their Week 16 opponent just lost its starting quarterback, which could dramatically shift the playoff calculus. For Kyle Shanahan’s squad, that could be the break they need to solidify their spot - or even climb higher.
Seahawks Roll, but It Wasn’t Always Pretty
Seattle’s 37-9 win over Atlanta looks like a blowout on paper, but it was a 6-6 slugfest at halftime. Then the Falcons did what the Falcons tend to do - unravel.
Credit to the Seahawks for capitalizing, especially with Darnold running the show efficiently. That offense has found its rhythm, and if the playoffs started today, they’d be headed to Tampa to face a Buccaneers team that’s looking more vulnerable by the week.
Bucs Staggering into the Stretch Run
Tampa Bay’s loss to the Saints only reinforced what’s been clear for a while: this team is limping toward the finish line. The offense is inconsistent, the defense isn’t scaring anybody, and now they’ve got two crucial games against Carolina that could decide the NFC South.
For teams hovering around the 6- and 7-seeds, there’s real incentive to climb up and draw the Bucs in the Wild Card round. That’s not a matchup that strikes fear right now.
Lions, Panthers, and Cowboys Still Lurking
Detroit sits just outside the playoff cut, but they’re still in the thick of it. Same goes for Carolina, who, thanks to those upcoming games with Tampa, essentially controls its own destiny in the division. And while Dallas is hanging on by a thread at 6-6-1, they’re not mathematically out of it yet - though they’ll need help and a strong finish to sneak in.
Rams Take the Top Spot, But Questions Remain
The Rams now sit atop the NFC after dropping 45 points on the Cardinals in a game that felt over before it started. Arizona looked checked out - a team with nothing to play for and even less energy. That kind of opponent can be dangerous late in the year, but not on Sunday.
As for the Rams, the offense hummed, but we didn’t learn much. The real test comes next week when they head to Seattle. That’s the kind of game that will tell us if Los Angeles is ready to hold onto the top seed - or if the door’s still wide open.
What’s Next
With four weeks to go, the NFC playoff picture is far from settled. Teams like the Bears and 49ers are still jockeying for position, while the Bucs and Panthers are locked in a divisional tug-of-war. The Packers are surging, the Rams are sitting pretty - for now - and the Eagles, despite a Monday night game still to play, are locked into a solid spot.
The stretch run is here. Buckle up.