by Wes Long · Published · Updated
On the NFC side of the playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers have clinched the NFC West and the Detroit Lions have cliched the NFC North. The Philadelphia Eagles could clinch the NFC East with a win this weekend, with the NFC South could come down to the final game of the season for three teams still alive.
Let’s take a look at NFC clinching scenarios for week 17.
The Philadelphia Eagles can win the NFC East with a win this weekend over the Arizona Cardinals IF the Dallas Cowboys lose or tie against the Detroit Lions.
The Dallas Cowboys can still win the division if the Eagles drop both of their remaining games and the Cowboys win out. Or the Cowboys can still win the division if the Eagles drop one of their remaining two games and the Cowboys win out and then win the tie breaker would be winning percentage in the NFC East.
Tampa Bay is currently in control of the NFC South as they sit one game in front of both Atlanta and New Orleans. Tampa Bay can win the NFC South this weekend with a win over New Orleans.
New Orleans cannot win the division this weekend, but a win over Tampa Bay would keep them alive for the division title heading into the final weekend of the season.
Atlanta needs to win out and hope that New Orleans beats Tampa Bay this weekend and then hope that both New Orleans and Tampa Bay lose in their final week of the season. That would allow Atlanta to finish at 9-8 and under that scenario Tampa Bay and New Orleans would finish at 8-9 respectively. If Atlanta wins this weekend and New Orleans beats Tampa Bay, they all three teams would head into the final weekend of the season with identical 8-8 records.
The Dallas Cowboys are at the very least locked into the fifth seed. That leaves two wild card spots remaining. The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks currently occupy the sixth and seventh and final seed. Both the Rams and Seahawks control their own fate if they win out, but neither has a clinching scenario this week.
Behind the Rams and the Seahawks are the Vikings, Falcons, Packers, Saints and Bears that all still some kind of shot to make the playoffs.
