Season 70 NFC Playoff Race
by AST1N | 3 years ago | 0 Comments
Let’s take a look at the NFC Divisional Races and the Wild Card showdowns and scenarios, shall we?
NFC East
This is a two-team battle between the 9-5 Giants and the 8-6 Footballers. I think the Cowboys sitting at 6-8 are probably just a bit too far out of it, although a strong finish and some collapsing of other teams could sneak them in. The division will either be the Giants or WFT, and it could seriously come down to a Week 18 showdown for the division.
Giants (9-5) - @PHI, @CHI, vs. WFT
Footballs (8-6) – @DAL, vs. PHI, @NYG
Cowboys (6-8) – vs. WFT, vs. ARI, @PHI
Projection:
*WAS: 11-6
NYG: 11-6
DAL: 8-9
NFC West
Well this is an absolute shit show. There is no good way to say it other than every week is a playoff game for these guys, and somehow they all still keep losing. The Rams, who just lost to the Seahawks, have a brutal finishing schedule and I am ready to write them off and give them the lowest odds of winning the division. They have the team that could sneak those games out, but it will take 3 great performances.
SEA (7-7) – vs. CHI, vs. DET, @ARI
SF (6-7) – vs. ATL, @TEN, vs. HOU, @LAR
ARI (6-8) – vs. IND, @DAL, vs. SEA
LAR (6-8) - @MIN, @BAL, vs. SF
Projection:
*SF: 9-8
SEA: 9-8
ARI: 7-10
LAR: 6-11
NFC North
With 3 games left and a 2 game lead, it would be a catastrophic failure if the Vikings don’t end up with the division. It could happen, but I don’t think it will. The division should have some WC chances from the other 3 teams, so not all is lost. The Bears started the season off very well, but these last 3 games are brutal.
MIN (9-5) – vs. LAR, @GB, vs. CHI
GB (7-7) – vs. CLE, vs. MIN, @DET
CHI (7-7) - @SEA, vs. NYG, @MIN
DET (6-8) - @ATL, @SEA, vs. GB
Projection:
*MIN: 12-5
GB: 8-9
DET: 8-9
CHI: 7-10
NFC South
We have a wonderful battle between the NFC’s two best teams AND both coaches happen to be related to one another. The Saints are a potential WC team, except they get to trot out Taysom Hill at QB the next two games. Terrible timing for that. I actually think the Bucs are the better team and I give a very slight nod to Roc as the better coach. Saying they are going to split their games is an easy cop out, so I will be bold with my take that the BUCS WIN BOTH GAMES and win the division.
CAR (12-2) – vs. TB, @NO, @TB
TB (11-3) - @CAR, @NYJ, vs. CAR
NO (7-7) – vs. MIA, vs. CAR, @ATL
Projection:
*TB: 14-3
CAR: 13-4
NO: 8-9
So where does that put us come playoff time?
- TB (14-3)
- MIN (12-5)
- WAS (11-6)
- SF (9-8)
- CAR (13-4)
- NYG: (11-6)
That leaves us one spot between the following:
SEA: 9-8
GB: 8-9
DET: 8-9
DAL: 8-9
NO: 8-9
ARI: 7-10
CHI: 7-10
LAR: 6-11
Every game is going to matter. These projections will very well be wrong in a lot of spots, so it really could go to anyone on the list. The 7 seed has potential to be a tie breaking mess, especially if Kelly struggles down the stretch and the Seahawks win the division and the 49ers join the big list of 8-9 teams. At that point, tiebreakers might go out the window and the game decides who they like the best.
All I know is that the next three weeks will be full of impactful games and it’s a great time to be a RedZone fan!