NFC playoff picture still cloudy, but hopes still high for teams on the fringes

By Star Tribune staff Star Tribune

December 24, 2022 — 9:12pm

Entering Week 16, four of the seven NFC playoff berths had been claimed, and the team with the best chance of clinching the fifth, the Giants, lost to the Vikings on Saturday. In fact, most of the teams in the wild-card race didn't do much to help themselves. Even the Eagles, with a chance to secure the No. 1 seed, fell short.

Only the No. 1 seed gets a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The matchups on wild-card weekend Jan. 14-16 are: 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5.

Here are the current NFC playoff seedings:

Division leaders/winners

1. Eagles (13-2): Clinched a playoff berth, but missed out on a chance to clinch the NFC East title and the No. 1 seed by losing to the Cowboys on Saturday. Quarterback Jalen Hurts missed this week's game and could be out next week too. Up next: vs. New Orleans.

2. Vikings (12-3): Won the NFC North and clinched at least one home playoff game. Can finish no lower than the No. 3 seed, but need to hold off the 49ers to keep the No. 2 seed. Have a slim chance at No. 1 seed; would need to win their last two games and have Philadelphia lose its last two games. Up next: at Green Bay.

3. 49ers (11-4): Won the NFC West last week. Stayed in striking distance of the Vikings with a victory over Washington on Saturday. Hold the conference-record tiebreaker over the Vikings, meaning if San Francisco finishes with the same record as the Vikings, it will get the higher seed. Up next: at Las Vegas.

4. Buccaneers (7-8): Their 19-16 overtime victory Sunday night at Arizona left them a game ahead of Carolina and New Orleans — both 6-9 — in the woeful NFC South, which could be won by a team with a losing record. Up next: vs. Carolina.

Wild cards

5. Cowboys (11-4): Already secured a playoff spot and stayed in the hunt for the NFC East title by defeating the Eagles on Saturday. Up next: at Tennessee.

6. Giants (8-6-1): Stayed in the No. 6 spot despite falling to the Vikings, thanks to losses by the teams behind them in the wild-card race. Up next: vs. Indianapolis.

7. Commanders (7-7-1): Need to match the win total of the teams behind them the rest of the way to keep their spot. Up next: vs. Cleveland.

Next three

8. Seahawks (7-8): Have lost five of six to fall out of playoff position. Need at least one more win over their final two games than the Commanders and a better or equal record than the Lions. Up next: vs. N.Y. Jets.

9. Lions (7-8): Could have vaulted into playoff position with a win against Carolina and some help on Saturday, but gave up 570 yards, including 320 on the ground, in a 37-23 loss. Up next: vs. Chicago.

10. Packers (7-8): Shut out Miami in the second half of a 26-20 victory on Sunday for their third victory in a row, leaving them a reasonably clear path to the playoffs — a path that includes beating the Vikings. Up next: vs. Vikings.