At Least You Have Hockey Again, Detroit? (NFC Week 16)
One team's loss could get a lot of National Football Conference teams into the playoffs in Week 16
It's always the National Football Conference that has more insanity than the American Football Conference, isn't it? I am speaking as a Packers fan who has seen us involved in the most insane scenarios, while also benefitting from them at times, but even if I was a fan of an AFC team, I'd say this. The AFC scenarios for Week 16 are wild, but the ones for the NFC are borderline psychotic.
But before we get nuts, let's take a look at the NFC's playoff picture with just three weeks left in the season, shall we?
In the National Football Conference, the Los Angeles Rams are playoff bound and sit on top of the conference at 11-3. At #2, it's the Chicago Bears at 10-4. The Philadelphia Eagles sit at #3 at 9-5, and at #4, it's the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are barely leading the NFC South at 7-7. Regarding the Wild Cards, the Seattle Seahawks are 11-3, but sit at #5 due to the Rams having head-to-head over them (more on that later). The San Francisco 49ers are 10-4 and are currently at #6, and the Green Bay Packers are at #7 at 9-4-1.
Now, there's just a bit more behind the NFC playoff line than there is behind the AFC playoff line. Or is there really? The Lions are right behind the line, but they are 8-6--a game and a half out of a spot. After blowing it against the lowly New Orleans Saints, the Carolina Panthers remain behind the playoff line at 7-7, but again, just barely. And then there's the Dallas Cowboys. Oh boy. The crazy thing about this: two of the three teams behind the line can be eliminated this week. Even crazier than that: one of them is not the Panthers.
And staying on the subject of craziness, five NFC teams can clinch a playoff spot, with one of them earning the right to clinch a division. The scenarios are as follows:
Week 16 has an important division game in each of the NFC's four divisions. Again, crazy! The main one for me is Packers/Bears, hence why I'm lumping this together. Both teams can get into the playoffs this week, and both of them have the exact same scenarios. Whoever wins this game on Saturday will be in on Sunday if the Lions lose or tie. If this game ends tied (and I truly hope that doesn't happen), both teams will be in on Sunday if the Lions lose. As a matter of fact, if this game ends tied and the Lions lose, the Lions--who were 15-2 last year--will be eliminated. The Lions are in Pittsburgh on Sunday, which means that, one last time, Aaron Rodgers can get the Packers into the playoffs.
It's been tough for the Philadelphia Eagles this year, but let's face it; coming off winning a Super Bowl usually is. The Eagles have had a few hiccups, but they got the win they needed, and now they're in this position to clinch. Not only can the Eagles get back into the playoffs, they can win the NFC East. All they have to do is beat the lowly Washington Commanders on Saturday. If they tie, the Cowboys have to lose or tie. Even if the Eagles lose, a Dallas loss gets Philly the division. Oh, and these scenarios will also eliminate Dallas from playoff contention if any one of them comes true. The Cowboys host the Chargers on Sunday, so they can be eliminated before they take the field.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: God bless the stupidity of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings went 14-3 with Sam Darnold, and yeah, they were one and done last year, but still, 14 wins is something. But what do they do? They let Darnold go, and now he's in Seattle making something of himself and that team. As for the Vikings, they were eliminated on Sunday. Yeah. Seattle is 11-3, keeping in pace with the Rams in the NFC West. Speaking of, that's the Thursday Night game this week: Seahawks hosting the Rams. Seahawks control their own destiny. They win, they're in. They tie, they're in. Even if they lose this, they're in if Detroit loses or ties. The game is a very pivotal one for both teams. A Rams win will move them one win away from clinching the division, while a Seahawks win will move them a win and one more Rams loss away from winning the West.
Speaking of the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers, despite basically having a whole team out due to injuries, are still in the hunt. Not just for a playoff spot, they still have a shot at the division. They're 10-4, only one game behind the Rams and Hawks in the division. The Niners will be in Indy on Monday, but they can get in before they take the field. And guess how? Yes, a Lions loss. A Lions loss will put the Niners in before they take the field. If the Lions tie, the Niners will get in simply by avoiding losing. Otherwise, it's win and in for the Niners.
I have to mention this. It's crazy that one Lions loss can get at least three teams into the playoffs, maybe even four! We all knew that the Lions had nowhere else to go but down after winning 15 games last season, but them being behind the line this late, and facing elimination this week is a surprise to me. Seeing as how Detroit's only elimination scenario involves a Packers/Bears tie. I expect the Lions to stay alive for another week. Even so, the Lions are in big trouble. But the city of Detroit shouldn't fret. After all, it does look like the Red Wings are back to being good.
And even though there is no scenario connected, I have to mention this as well. The NFC South Comedy Show is now at Season Four, lasting longer than some Netflix and Peacock shows (including Poker Face, a cancellation that still upsets me). The division that no one wants to win has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers tied for first at 7-7, and guess what, folks? They finally face each other this week. Two head-to-head meetings in the final three weeks. Part I this week is in Charlotte, with both teams coming off embarrassing losses to the lower half of the already low division. The winner will move very close to winning the division. If it's Carolina, they can clinch the South with a win and a Bucs loss or tie next week. If it's Tampa Bay, they can clinch the South with a win in either of their final two games. Part II will take place in the final week in Tampa, and that game is the lead possibility for the season-ending Game 272 spot on NBC.
* * *
The NFC playoff picture is wild, and the many scenarios are even wilder. We could see just one spot left (the NFC South) after this week. That's just nuts. I do expect/hope that there will still be a few things remaining; we need some drama for Weeks 17 and 18, of course. I know this: the NFC will have one hell of a week this week!
About the Creator
Clyde E. Dawkins
I'm a big sports fan, especially hockey, and I've been a fan of villainesses since I was eight! My favorite shows are The Simpsons and Family Guy, etc.
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