The NFC playoff picture acquired extra attention-grabbing with the San Francisco 49ers’ 33-19 to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night time.
San Francisco is one in every of 4 groups alive for the No. 1 seed, which ensures home-field benefit all through the convention playoffs and a bye for the wild-card spherical. Listed here are the 4 groups within the working for prime seed, ranked from most to least more likely to get the No. 1 slot. (Information are by way of Week 16.)
1. San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
Remaining schedule: at Washington (4-11), vs. Los Angeles Rams (8-7)
Shedding to Baltimore — an AFC group —will not depend towards San Francisco’s document in opposition to convention opponents, which might work to its benefit in tiebreakers. Regardless of Monday night time’s setback, the 49ers ought to nonetheless be thought of the favourite for the highest seed within the NFC due to head-to-head wins over Dallas and Philadelphia and a positive schedule to finish the common season. Washington, which has misplaced six straight, is hopeless, and the Rams have misplaced nine straight regular-season video games to the 49ers.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-4)
Remaining schedule: vs. Arizona (3-12), at New York Giants (5-10)
Whereas the Eagles have the simplest remaining schedule of any group, they’re nonetheless wanting up on the 49ers resulting from San Francisco’s 42-19 win at Philadelphia in Week 13. Profitable out and clinching the NFC East is not the exhausting half for the Eagles. Hoping that San Francisco loses no less than one in every of its subsequent two is what Philadelphia wants for the No. 1 seed, which appears unlikely.
3. Detroit Lions (11-4)
Remaining schedule: at Dallas (10-5), vs. Minnesota (7-8)
The Lions clinched their first division championship in 30 years with a 30-24 win at Minnesota Sunday. Detroit has the toughest remaining schedule of the 4 primary NFC contenders. The Lions face a tricky take a look at Saturday night time in opposition to a Dallas group that hasn’t misplaced at residence since Week 1 of 2022, and their Week 18 matchup in opposition to Minnesota might be do-or-die for the Vikings, who nonetheless have slim playoff hopes. Nonetheless, Detroit has a greater shot than Dallas on the No. 1 seed.
4. Dallas Cowboys (10-5)
Remaining schedule: vs. Detroit (11-4), at Washington (4-11)
Even when the Cowboys win Saturday to assert a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Lions, previous errors might doom their possibilities on the NFC East, not to mention the No. 1 seed. Dallas has yet another loss than Philadelphia and would wish the Eagles to lose no less than one in every of their subsequent two to have a shot on the division title. Moreover, the Cowboys have been blown out by San Francisco 42-10 in Week 5. Which means that Dallas would wish the 49ers to lose out to have any shot on the No. 1 seed.