The 2022 NFL season has reached its most challenging point, and all of Week 16’s events had a big impact on the postseason picture. We now have a better idea of which teams will advance to the playoffs and which ones are still in contention after Week 16’s AFC matchups are over. The NFC playoff picture field appears to be rather congested right now, as was to be expected. With three more playoff slots available, four clubs have already secured official spots in the playoffs. Still competing for those postseason spots are eight NFC clubs. Here we’ll discuss what the NFC playoff picture looks like after the exciting and crucial games from Week 16.
The Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys have all earned their spots in the 2023 NFL Playoffs as of this writing. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, and Chicago Bears are the four teams who have been officially out of playoff contention.
After Week 16, it feels like a decent moment to assess which NFC clubs are living in postseason nightmares and which ones are entering the last week of the year. Let’s examine the NFC playoff picture as it stands right now to determine whether any changes can be predicted over the upcoming few weeks.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-2, 1st in NFC East)
Yes, star QB and MVP candidate Jalen Hurts is currently out with an injury, but this is still a formidable Eagles squad. Sure, they took an L to the Cowboys in Week 16, but it was a one-score game with Gardner Minshew putting up over 350 yards. Do we expect them to win at least one game against the Saints and the Giants to finish the regular season? Yes. Does that mean they clinch home-field advantage in the playoffs? Yes. Are they the team to beat in our NFC playoff picture? Absolutely.
Stick together.@Haason7Reddick | #FlyEaglesFlypic.twitter.com/yrAcVbmxVP
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 25, 2022
2. Minnesota Vikings (12-3, 1st in NFC North)
After losing to the Lions in Week 15, the Vikings went right back to work and recorded back-to-back wins over the Colts and Giants. The quartet of Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and KJ Osborn continues to be an unheralded gem in the NFC. That’s why this team will be dangerous in the playoffs. Nobody expects them to go far, and that’s just how they want it. A big test against the Green Bay Packers arrives in Week 17, though.
3. San Francisco 49ers (11-4, 1st in NFC West)
Getting eight straight wins is always a good thing. That’s especially as the season winds up and the postseason beckons. As such, the 49ers are among the hottest and most dangerous teams around right now in our NFC playoff picture. Not even a season-ending injury to QB2 Jimmy Garoppolo has derailed the Niners’ train as they chug along. They are, after all, still unbeaten with Brock Purdy starting in place of Jimmy G. He’s beaten the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Tom Brady, and Geno Smith in that stretch.
4. Dallas Cowboys (11-4, 2nd in NFC East)
Boy, did the Cowboys need that Week 16 win over the Eagles. It was just the antidote to a bitter Week 15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Of course, one bounce-back win does not really make a contender. That means the Cowboys need to be much more consistent down the road. They have the Tennessee Titans and Commanders next, both of which the Cowboys should beat. Well, at least that’s on paper.
5. New York Giants (8-6-1, 3rd in NFC East)
After a hot streak in the first half of the season, the Giants have been on a roller-coaster ride. They have lost five of eight games since Week 7 and just look out of sorts more often than not. Their latest loss to the Vikings might be a preview of what awaits them even if they limp into the postseason. That, by the way, is not a sure thing yet. The Giants just don’t look that big in our NFC playoff picture.
6. Washington Commanders (7-7-1, 4th in NFC East)
We do not think Commanders fans believe that Taylor Heinicke is HIM. And after back-to-back losses to the Giants and 49ers, we also do not believe this team will hold on to their top six spot in the NFC. Remember that Deshaun Watson and the Browns await in Week 17, who are eager to spoil. And the Commanders end the regular season at home against the Cowboys, who are eager to move further up in the standings.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8, 1st in NFC South)
We do not know if Tom Brady is happy to be on the best team in the league’s worst division this season. Still, if that’s what it takes to stay alive and make the playoffs, then we feel the GOAT will take it. Does that mean the Bucs are going to be any good in the postseason? Of course not. We all have faith in Brady, sure, but we’re not sure the talent around him can keep up.
8. Seattle Seahawks (7-8, 2nd in NFC West)
Is the Geno Smith honeymoon over? Three straight losses will do that, yes? Still, at least the Seahawks are doing much better than the Denver Broncos, right? Seattle needs to win its last two games (Jets and Rams) to even have a sniff of the playoffs. That’s not entirely impossible, but an injury to Tyler Lockett will surely make it very difficult.
9. Detroit Lions (7-8, 2nd in NFC North)
Even in this position, we can say the Lions have already overachieved this season. Still, now that they’re oh-so-close to their first playoff berth since 2016, the Lions surely want to go as far as they can. Losing in Carolina this past weekend was a big bummer, though. Who saw that coming? I don’t think even Panther fans did. Now the Lions need to get to work against the Bears and their old nemesis, the Packers, just to stay alive.
10. Green Bay Packers (7-8, 2nd in NFC North)
And speaking of the Packers, who knew they’d still be relevant in late December, right? About a month ago, even the Wisconsin faithful had written them off after they were at 4-8. And suddenly here we are Everything the Packers could do they did — beating the Bears, Rams, and Dolphins. And everything that was beyond their control has kind of happened, too. If they win against the Vikings and Lions to close out the regular season, this could be the most dangerous team in the NFC Playoffs.
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