The NFC is crazier than Courtney Love. In a year that screams parity from the hilltops in the NFL, there are still 20 teams with a legitimate chance to make the postseason. In the AFC, 10 teams have records above .500 and two others at 5-5. The NFC only has seven teams with winning records, but thanks to the raging dumpster fire known as the NFC South, two of those squads will be home come January.
With 11 weeks in the books, here is how the NFC playoff picture stacks up:
1. Arizona Cardinals (9-1)
2. Detroit Lions (7-3)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (7-3)
4. Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
5. Green Bay Packers (7-3)
6. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)
In the hunt (in order): San Francisco 49ers (6-4), Seattle Seahawks (6-4), New Orleans Saints (4-6)
Before we move on, let’s take a brief moment to examine the Falcons, who are proving by the second it is better to be lucky than mediocre. Atlanta has not won a game outside its division, which might as well be made into the sixth college football power conference.
When looking at the total picture, the 49ers and Seahawks are incredibly outside the playoffs. Thought to be the two best teams in football before the season, there is almost no chance that both make the postseason. Seattle and San Francisco play each other on Thanksgiving in Levi’s Stadium before having a rematch Week 15. Barring a miracle, it will take 10 wins and some tiebreakers to earn a spot. Getting to 10 wins is going to be a stretch for Seattle, who also sees the Cardinals twice and the Eagles on the road.
The NFC North has a tie at the top, with Detroit holding the tiebreaker over Green Bay thanks to a Week 3 win over the Packers. The Lions have the more daunting schedule, having to face the Patriots and Packers on the road. Green Bay sees New England at Lambeau Field and gets to host the rematch against Detroit in Week 17. Look for the Packers to earn a bye.
In the NFC East, the Cowboys and Eagles are in an all-out brawl for the division crown. The foes play twice, with their first meeting in Dallas on Thanksgiving and the rematch two weeks later. The schedules are evenly matched, with each playing one other team above .500 (Cowboys host Colts, Eagles host Seahawks). A slight advantage has to be with Dallas, who isn’t starting a backup quarterback for the foreseeable future. Then again, Tony Romo’s back….
Arizona seems to be heading toward home-field advantage, although a tough stretch lays ahead. The Cardinals have two contests against Seattle and face the 49ers and Chiefs. Can Drew Stanton take care of business against the Falcons and Rams, and split the other four games? If so, the road to the Super Bowl runs through the desert.
