NFC Playoff Picture, Week 15

The NFL playoffs are just around the corner, and though most New England fans seem to think the playoffs are just a formality this year, plenty of teams are still chasing that shiny Lombardi Trophy. With that in mind, here's a look at how the NFC playoff race is stacking up at this point in the season...

Seed	Team	Record	Div.	Conf.
1	Dallas Cowboys*	12-1	4-0	9-0
2	Green Bay Packers*	11-2	3-1	7-2
3	Seattle Seahawks*	9-4	5-1	8-2
4	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	8-5	4-0	7-2
5	New York Giants	9-4	3-2	7-4
6	Minnesota Vikings	7-6	2-3	5-5
--	New Orleans Saints	6-7	3-3	5-4
--	Washington Redskins	6-7	1-3	4-6
--	Arizona Cardinals	6-7	2-3	3-6
--	Detroit Lions	6-7	3-2	4-7

* - Clinched division title.

TIEBREAKERS:

None that matter

Remember when I said that I wasn't going to list any teams below .500 in the playoff race? Well, the NFC is so bad this year that I've had to suspend that rule for this week.

Sure, nobody in that morass of 6-7 teams is actually in a playoff spot, but they're all only one game away from knocking the Vikings off that perch upon which they've suddenly found themselves, thanks to some solid running and improved quarterback play from Tarvaris Jackson. Minnesota can't afford to let up, though, because there's a big multi-colored wall of suck coming after them, and they're all fighting for the same spot.

Why? Three divisions are done and dusted in this conference. Dallas, Green Bay and Seattle have all clinched, and Tampa Bay has a two-game lead, a tiebreaker on the Saints and the Falcons, 49ers and Panthers left on the schedule. The division races are over, and so's the race for the first Wild Card position, as the Giants have a 2-game lead on the Vikings with three to go.

So the chase is on for that last Wild Card spot, which is an opportunity to prove that you suck less than the rest of these losers -- until you realize you'll probably end the season losing in Seattle. Don't give up hope, though, 6-seed winner, because maybe, just maybe, you'll end the season losing in Dallas instead, and that's gotta count for something.

THIS WEEK'S IMPACT GAMES (All Times Eastern):

Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints (SUN, 1:00 PM, FOX). This may be the game most worth watching, because it's practically a playoff game for both these teams. The loser can pretty much kiss all hopes of the playoffs goodbye.
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants (SUN, 8:15 PM, NBC). It's easy to say this one means more to the 'Skins than it does to the Giants, but hey, it's the NFC East, and there's more hate here than a at Klan rally. Expect brutality.
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings (MON, 8:30 PM, ESPN). Hard to believe the Bears have been reduced to the role of spoiler in this one. It's even harder to believe that Kyle Orton is getting the nod for Chicago. Lock up the liquor cabinet.
Detroit Lions @ San Diego Chargers (SUN, 4:15 PM, FOX). The Lions have lost five straight and have become desperate. Still, the last thing they need is a trip to an AFC team's house. Will they be as demoralized as Baltimore was last Sunday night?
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (SUN, 1:00 PM, FOX). I smell a division clincher, people. Look alive.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys (SUN, 4:15 PM, FOX). This will have very little impact on the playoff race, but again, it's the NFC East, and I'm sure the Cowboys would love to crush the Eagles even further.
Green Bay Packers @ St. Louis Rams (SUN, 1:00 PM, FOX). Seriously, why aren't the Packers favored by 27?
Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers (SUN, 1:00 PM, FOX). I'm going to watch this game so that you won't have to. Donations are welcome.

Bookmark this page and visit it every Tuesday at noon EST for the latest NFC playoff picture. Click here for the latest AFC playoff picture.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-11-2007 @ 12:50PM

Peter said...

As a Minnesota fan, I'm having a hard time deciding who I'd rather win in some of these games. I want Arizona to take care of New Orleans, who I think is a more legitimate threat, but what about Redskins-Giants? At first it makes sense to root for the Giants as Minnesota has a tiebreaker over NY in head-to-head, but if I have faith in the Vikings beating the 'Skins in week 16, then why not root for 'em and hope to overtake big blue for the #5 spot? I'd much rather see Minnesota travel to Greenbay than Dallas if they get past wildcard weekend, but that requires the #6 seed (almost certainly the Giants in this scenario) to also win on the road. (sigh)

It's all so confusing.

12-11-2007 @ 4:47PM

jim said...

Peter relax it's not your year!

12-11-2007 @ 5:43PM

tobrien28 said...

peter

you may have the tiebreaker but the Giants have a TWO GAME LEAD!!

12-11-2007 @ 8:24PM

brett favre lover said...

well peter, i'll take minnesota at greenbay. because greenbays already beat'em LOL

12-12-2007 @ 9:57AM

hey Favre lover, don't you remember 2004? The Packers swept Minnesota in the regular season and the 8-8 Vikings came in to Green Bay and embarassed your team, winning 31-17. To quote you: "LOL."

You might recall Randy Moss pretending to moon the fans and Joe Buck having a heart attack in the announcing booth.

12-12-2007 @ 12:47PM

nyc said...

Different team, Peter

12-12-2007 @ 12:51PM

Also, to the author:

What team is your favorite? Even if it's NE, no team wins every year. And sometimes your teams are good, but flawed. So if you don't have a realistic shot of winning the Super Bowl, or even an outside shot, you think the teams and fans should just quit?

Even if you get crushed in the Wild Card Round, you did better than 20 other teams, no?

12-12-2007 @ 12:52PM

Dave said...

nyc: I'm a Steelers and Panthers fan, which may explain why my tone was a little more hopeful in the AFC Playoff Picture than in this one. No, fans shouldn't give up hope until their teams' season ends, but I just happen to think the AFC is much stronger in the 3-6 seeds than the NFC right now.

12-12-2007 @ 2:33PM

nyc:

two things. 1) the author has a very fine blog you might considering checking out (he might not be allowed to put his own URL up on the fanhouse, so I'll give you a hint: daves[this sport]blog)

2) I know it's a different team than in 2004. In fact, they're both different teams, so that observation has absolutely no impact on the point I was making: a team can sweep a division rival in the regular season and still fall to the same team in the playoffs. Precedent set.

I'd argue that even the Vikings team that lost to the Packers earlier THIS season is a different team now. It's all moot if Minnesota doesn't get deep enough into the playoffs to play Green Bay again, but if they do, I wouldn't be that surprised if the Packers lost in the third game this year.

12-14-2007 @ 8:16PM

well peter, no i dont remember the 2004 season. i could have cared less about football then. i'm 12 years old i mean come on. why would a girl in '04 at the age of 8-9 years old give a dang about football? i play football now. because its the best sport ever. but it doesnt matter what you say to me. i'll love the packers either way. the paackers will go all the way. and your little "lavender boys" up in minnesota are going down.

12-15-2007 @ 9:53PM

Mrbline said...

IF Minnesota doesn't choke in December, I would rather see their road through the playoffs stay on artificial turf. Has anyone else noticed that Peterson has trouble on grass?

Don't count them out in Dallas so easily.

12-18-2007 @ 10:41AM

Shack said...

Adrian does not have trouble on turf unless you consider 224yds, in Chicago, trouble.

AD is still learning. The SF game exposed a weakness he will overcome. He hits the hole without hesitation and doesn't let the play develope. SF did a great job of run blitzing. Meeting him in the hole -vs- trying to tackle him after the line of scrimmage. Now others are using this against him. Chester is more patient and exposes this well. ie. his 84 yd TD in SF on a saftey blitz. A good student like Adrian will have this down pat by playoff time.

I don't care who the Vikes play in the playoffs, being there is a huge step for this young team. A Win would be outstanding.

12-18-2007 @ 10:43AM

Sorry, Trouble on "Grass"