There’s just one playoff spot up for grabs in the NFC, but plenty left to be decided in Week 17.
Most of the attention will be on the NFC South, where results from the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints will do much to decide the No. 2-No. 5 seeds, while the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons can lock up the No. 6 spot with a victory.
Here’s everything you need to know about the NFC heading into Week 17.
If the season ended today…
Wild Card Round
No. 6 Atlanta Falcons (9-6) at No. 3 Los Angeles Rams [y] (11-4)
No. 5 Carolina Panthers [x] (11-4) at No. 4 New Orleans Saints [x] (11-4)
Divisional Round
Lowest-seeded wild-card winner at No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles [yz*] (13-2)
Highest-seeded wild-card winner at No. 2 Minnesota Vikings [y] (11-3)
[x] Clinched playoff berth
[y] Clinched division title
[z] Clinched first-round bye
* Clinched home-field advantage
NFC teams still in the hunt
Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
Clinching scenarios
Graphic via NFL Research
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Game of the Week
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
Football fans have been gifted plenty of juicy NFC South matchups in the last month, and another one highlights the final day of the regular season.
For the Falcons, it’s simple: Beat the Panthers at home on Sunday and Atlanta is back in the playoffs. The defending NFC champions can also lose and clinch a spot in the dance if the Seahawks fall to the Cardinals, but no team wants to back into the post-season.
The Panthers, on the other hand, have already clinched a playoff berth. However, there’s still plenty to be gained with a win. Carolina can clinch the division with a victory in Atlanta AND a Saints loss in Tampa. With a win AND a combination of Saints, Rams and Vikings losses, Cam Newton and Co. can jump as high as the No. 2 spot and clinch a first-round bye.
Spoiler Alert
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks, Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
The Seahawks stayed alive last week with a crucial win in Dallas, but they’ll need to win AND hope the Panthers beat the Falcons in order to sneak into the NFC’s final playoff spot.
Thankfully, the Seahawks have Russell Wilson under centre.
Sunday’s game against division rival Arizona isn’t going to be a walk in the park for Seattle. This contest could be Bruce Arians’ final game in charge of the Cardinals, and Arizona have a stellar record in Seattle during the Arians era, going 3-1 in at CenturyLink Field in the last four seasons.
Other games to watch
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET
The Vikings are in control of the No. 2 seed in the NFC and can lock up a first-round bye with a victory against the Bears, who haven’t won in Minnesota since Jan. 1 2012.
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
The Saints hold all the cards in the NFC South and can wrap up their first division title since 2011 with a win against the Bucs, who despite being mired in a five-game skid have proven feisty of late with three straight three-point losses.
