The NFC will be stacked come playoff time. Any of the top eight teams could legitimately vie for the championship, if they make it into January. So, are there any teams currently in line to make the postseason that could fall out of the NFC playoff picture, and are any teams on the outside looking in who are getting hot enough to contend for one of the seven spots?
NFC standings
- Philadelphia Eagles, 8-2, NFC East
- Los Angeles Rams, 8-2, NFC West
- Chicago Bears, 7-3, NFC North
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-4, AFC South
- Seattle Seahawks, 7-3, NFC West
- Green Bay Packers, 6-3-1, NFC North
- San Francisco 49ers, 7-4, NFC West
- Detroit Lions, 6-4, NFC North
- Carolina Panthers, 6-5, NFC South
- Dallas Cowboys, 4-5-1, NFC East
- Minnesota Vikings, 4-6, NFC North
- Arizona Cardinals, 3-7, NFC West
- Atlanta Falcons, 3-7, NFC South
- Washington Commanders, 3-8, NFC East
- New Orleans Saints, 2-8, NFC South
- New York Giants, 2-9, NFC East
NFC division leaders
The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles again look like the best team in the NFL. Despite drama surrounding A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith not getting a surplus of targets, and the fact that Saquon Barkley hasn't been as dominant as he was during his 2,000-yard season, the Eagles still look borderline unbeatable.
The Los Angeles Rams just won a marquee matchup over the Seattle Seahawks. Their impressive victory thrusts them into division leadership of the NFC West. The Rams have the second cheapest defense in the NFL, but the unit does what it takes to win games. On offense, the receiver pair of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams is unstoppable.
To many fans' surprise, the Chicago Bears are leading the NFC North, arguably the best division in football. They've accomplished this despite a -6 point differential on the season. Unlike last year, the Bears are finding ways to win close games. The team hasn't even reached their fullest potential yet.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fading, as they've lost two straight games. The team got off to a hot start despite suffering through a number of injuries, but the injury bug has finally started to take its toll. Reinforcements will be needed to keep their season alive. Luckily, returns from Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin are right around the corner. It also helps that there isn't much competition in the NFC South.
Wild Card teams
Despite their recent loss, the Seahawks are still well primed to win their division. The team has one of the best defensive units in the NFL, and a bounce-back game can be expected from Sam Darnold. He threw four interceptions against the Rams, but for the most part, he has looked borderline elite in Seattle.
The Green Bay Packers are currently in the six-seed for the NFC playoff picture. The Micah Parsons trade has paid off, but the team needs more out of Jordan Love. As it stands, the last team that would make the postseason is the San Francisco 49ers. They seem to finally be getting on the right side of injury issues, but they've already lost some key players for the year. Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are some of the best players in the NFL, so overcoming their season-ending injuries will be easier said than done.
In the hunt
The Detroit Lions are currently on the outside looking in of the NFC playoff picture. That comes as a shock to many, as they are considered one of the best teams in the NFL. Their offense, in particular, is dominant. The team is top 10 in both points and points allowed, so it has to be assumed that they will be just fine.
The Carolina Panthers have the same amount of wins as the division rival Buccaneers do. Bryce Young has looked like a draft bust more often than not during his career, but there have been times when the former number one pick has shown flashes of living up to his potential. That was the case during a Week 11 win over the Atlanta Falcons, in which Young had 419 passing yards.
The Dallas Cowboys are also coming off an impressive victory. They destroyed the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. Their offense is playoff caliber, but the defense still has a way to go, even after the Quinnen Williams trade. The Minnesota Vikings are technically in the hunt, too, although a playoff push seems unlikely, considering how streaky J.J. McCarthy has been.
Outside looking in
The Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons will both be going forward with new quarterbacks. Jacoby Brissett has taken over for Kyler Murray. The quarterback on injured reserve has probably played his last down for Arizona. Kirk Cousins is also taking over for the injured Michael Penix Jr. To make matters worse for the Falcons, Drake London was hurt in Week 11, too.
The Washington Commanders' season has been disastrous. A big year was expected after Jayden Daniels won the Rookie of the Year award and led the Commanders to the playoffs last season. Daniels has dealt with injuries in his own right, and like the other NFC bottom dwellers, the Commanders are dealing with their leader being stuck on the sideline. Daniels dislocated his elbow and may be out for the season as well.
The New Orleans Saints and New York Giants are both deploying rookie quarterbacks. There is hope for the future, but there is very little optimism for this season for either of the two-win teams at the bottom of the NFC standings.
