Category: NFC playoff picture

Cardinals clinch playoffs, lose division lead with Vikings’ loss to Rams

Arizona backs into the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

The Arizona Cardinals could not do it themselves, but they have officially clinched a postseason berth. They will be in the postseason for the first time since 2015.

Thanks to a 30-23 loss by the Minnesota Vikings to the Los Angeles Rams, the Cardinals are now guaranteed at least a wild-card berth.

Entering the week, there were seven scenarios in which they could have clinched a spot in the postseason. They could have beaten the Indianapolis Colts but they did not. But with the San Francisco 49ers losing on Thursday night, a loss or tie by the Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles or New Orleans Saints would have given the Cardinals a playoff berth.

The Eagles beat the Giants but the Vikings lost, punching the Cardinals’ ticket.

The Vikings’ loss did come at a cost. With the Cardinals’ loss and Rams’ win, the Cardinals lost the division lead. They now trail Los Angeles by a game in the NFC West.

With two games left in the regular season, the Cardinals can still win the division, but it will require them to beat both the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks, while the Rams must lose one of their final two games, one against the Baltimore Ravens and one against the 49ers.

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Week 16 games that matter to the Cardinals, NFC playoff race

The Cardinals could use some help this weekend to both clinch the playoffs and not lose ground.

The Arizona Cardinals did not do their job by losing to the Indianapolis Colts Saturday night 22-16. A win would have earned them a spot in the postseason. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers won their Saturday game and improved to 12-3, guaranteeing at least another week as the No. 1 seed in the conference.

With the games that remain to be played in Week 16, Cardinals fans should pay attention to a few. Particular results will benefit the Cardinals as they struggle to get through this challenging period of the season.

Which games matter and which results are the best for the Cardinals?

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Cardinals can still clinch playoff spot in Week 16 despite loss to Colts

If the Eagles, Vikings or Saints lose their games or tie with their opponents this week, the Cardinals still make the playoffs.

The Arizona Cardinals failed to take care of their own business and lost 22-16 to a shorthanded Indianapolis Colts team Saturday night, losing for the third straight game when a win would have clinched their first playoff spot since 2015. Even with the loss, they can still back into the postseason with a little help.

There were seven total scenarios in which the Cardinals could clinch a playoff berth. Because the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, it gives the Cardinals three possible playoff-clinching scenarios.

If the Philadelphia Eagles tie or lose to the New York Giants on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings tie or lose to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, or the New Orleans Saints tie or lose to the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, the Cardinals lock up a playoff spot.

The Vikings and Saints are both underdogs in their games.

However, a Vikings win still helps the Cardinals because it would prevent the Rams from moving ahead of them by a game in the division standings. The Cardinals would maintain the NFC West lead if Minnesota wins.

And with the Saints playing Monday night with Ian Book at starting quarterback against a Dolphins team that has won six games in a row, a Dolphins win is not a hard sell.

So the best-case scenario for the Cardinals would be for the Vikings to win and then either the Eagles or Saints lose their games. The Cardinals would make the playoffs and keep their lead in the division.

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Christmas wishes for Cardinals fans in Week 16

Here is what Cardinals fans are wishing for this Christmas for Week 16.

The Arizona Cardinals are part of one of two Christmas games. They face the Indianapolis Colts at State Farm Stadium with a 6:15 p.m. ET Arizona kickoff time.

Since it is Christmas Day and there is NFL football today and tomorrow, we know of a few Christmas wishes Cardinals fans would like to see happen.

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Cardinals have little room for error in final three games for division title

The final three games for both the Rams and Cardinals will be playoff-like atmospheres.

The Arizona Cardinals are 10-4 with three games to go in the regular season. For the third straight week, they are a win away from clinching their first playoff spot since 2015.

However, they have lost two straight games and no longer have any leeway in the NFC West.

They and the Los Angeles Rams are both 10-4 and the Cardinals hold a division tiebreak currently.

With three games left, their magic number to clinch the division is four.

They now must keep pace with the Rams or risk blowing the division lead they have held practically all season.

Their slate of remaining games is tough, too. It is a playoff-like atmosphere.

They host the Indianapolis Colts Saturday night. The Colts are battling for the AFC South division lead and have won five of their last six games. They are on their way to the playoffs.

Then they travel to play the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys, who are also 10-4.

They close the season at home against the 5-9 Seattle Seahawks, who would love to do nothing more than to spoil the Cardinals’ season.

The easiest way to ensure a division title is winning all three of their remaining games on the schedule.

They might need to.

If they do, the Rams can’t overtake them. The Cardinals will have gone 5-1 in the division and clinched that tiebreaker.

The Rams’ schedule isn’t easy, either. They are on the road this week against the Minnesota Vikings, who are the No. 7 seed and final wild card team currently. The Rams will face them on a short week, having played Tuesday night.

Then they go to Baltimore to play the Ravens and finish the season at home against the red-hot San Francisco 49ers, who already beat them earlier this season.

If the Cardinals beat the Colts and the Vikings beat the Rams, the Cardinals’ magic number drops to one, meaning one Cardinals win or Rams loss in the final two weeks clinches the division.

If that doesn’t happen, the race will probably come down to two divisional games in Week 18.

Either way, thanks to recent losses, the Cardinals have made things much more difficult.

With a playoff atmosphere in the final three games and must-win games to avoid losing their lead, we will find out what this team is made of.

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Cardinals remain in 1st place in NFC West as race tightens with Rams

The Cardinals and the Rams are now both 10-4 with three games left in the season.

The Arizona Cardinals lost their second straight game on Sunday, an embarrassing 30-12 defeat to the Detroit Lions, who entered the week 1-11-1. However, after Week 15 concluded, they were still in first place in the NFC West, even though the Los Angeles Rams tied them with their 10-4 record.

Here is what the NFC West now looks like entering Week 16.

  1. Arizona Cardinals, 10-4
  2. Los Angeles Rams, 10-4
  3. San Francisco 49ers, 8-6
  4. Seattle Seahawks, 5-9

The Cardinals maintain their first-place position because of a divisional record tiebreaker. The Cardinals and Rams split their season series 1-1, but the Cardinals are 4-1 in the division, while the Rams are 3-2, each with one game to go in the NFC West in Week 18.

Let’s look at what happened in Week 15 in the division and what is coming up.

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Cardinals will remain in NFC West lead no matter what after Seahawks-Rams

While the Cardinals will remain in the NFC West lead no matter what, Cardinals fans are Seahawks fans for one night as a Rams loss helps the Cardinals in the NFC West.

One of the two remaining Week 15 games to be played Tuesday is between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. It was rescheduled due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the Rams.

That game has big implications for the NFC West division race.

The Arizona Cardinals are in the lead at 10-4 but the Rams, currently 9-4, would tie the Cardinals’ record with a win.

So while Cardinals fans typically want the Seahawks to lose every week, tonight they like the Rams less, so they should root for the Seahawks.

What does a Seahawks win do?

The Cardinals have a magic number of four to win the division. A Seahawks win would reduce that magic number to two.

If the Rams win, the Cardinals will still hold the division lead. Both at 10-4 and having split their season series, the next tiebreaker is division record. The Cardinals are 4-1 and the Rams would be 3-2. That would maintain the Cardinals’ lead in the division, if only temporarily.

The Cardinals play the red-hot Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, while the Rams will have a short turnaround and travel to face the Minnesota Vikings.

So for one brief time this evening, Cardinals fans are Seahawks fans, and it is okay to be one, but just for tonight. It is a case where the enemy (Seahawks) of my enemy (Rams) is my friend.

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Cowboys leapfrog Buccaneers, Cardinals in NFC playoff race

The Packers remain the No. 1 seed in the NFC and clinched their division. The Buccaneers and Cardinals fell to no. 3 and No. 4 with their losses.

There are still games to be played in Week 15 because of COVID rescheduling, but the top four teams in the NFC already played and the NFC conference standings have seen some changes.

Here are the standings in the NFC after Sunday’s games.

  1. Green Bay Packers, 11-3 (clinch playoffs and division title)
  2. Dallas Cowboys, 10-4
  3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10-4
  4. Arizona Cardinals, 10-4
  5. Los Angeles Rams, 9-4 (they play Tuesday night)
  6. San Francisco 49ers, 8-6
  7. New Orleans Saints, 7-7

The No. 7 seed could still change with games to be played Monday and Tuesday. The Washington Football Team, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings are all 6-7. Minnesota plays Monday night, while Washington and Philly face each other Tuesday.

What happened in Week 15

Two of the top three seeds in the conference entering the week lost and another nearly lost.

  • The Packers squeaked by the Baltimore Ravens 31-30 on a failed two-point attempt at the end of the game.
  • The Buccaneers were shut out 9-0 by the Saints.
  • The Cardinals were embarrassed by the previously one-win Lions 30-12.
  • The Cowboys rolled by the New York Giants, beating them 21-6.
  • The Rams will play the Seahawks Tuesday. Even if they win, they will still be the No. 5 seed. If they lose, they will not fall in the standings.
  • The 49ers beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-13.

What’s coming up in Week 16

  • The Packers are at home against the Cleveland Browns.
  • The Cowboys host Washington in the Sunday night game.
  • The Buccaneers are on the road to face the 5-9 Panthers.
  • The Cardinals host the 8-6 Indianapolis Colts on Christmas night.
  • The Rams play the Vikings on the road.
  • The 49ers face the 9-5 Tennessee Titans on the road.
  • The Saints host the red-hot Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

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Cardinals can clinch playoff spot with win over Lions or 8 other scenarios

The Cardinals have nine possible ways to clinch their first postseason berth since 2015 in Week 15, but the easiest one is to just beat the one-win Lions.

The Arizona Cardinals only needed a win over the Los Angeles Rams to clinch their first playoff berth since the 2015 season. They lost that game and the other unlikely scenarios did not happen, so their ticket to the playoff remains unpunched.

Entering Week 15, the same thing applies — win and you’re in, as the saying goes.

There are nine scenarios in which the Cardinals can earn a playoff berth. The one that really matters most is beating the 1-11-1 Detroit Lions. If they beat the Lions, they make the playoffs.

If they don’t, there are eight other possible scenarios for the Cardinals to make the playoffs without beating the Lions.

They will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Lions or if any of the following happens:

  • The Saints lose to or tie with the Buccaneers and the Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears. (plausible)
  • A Saints loss or tie and a tie between Washington and the Eagles. (unlikely)
  • The Saints lose to or tie with the Bucs, the Eagles lose to Washington, the Falcons lose to or tie with the 49ers and the Packer beat or tie with the Ravens. (possible, I suppose)
  • The Saints lose to or tie with the Bucs, the 49ers and Falcons tie and the Rams lose to the Seahawks. (unlikely)
  • The Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears and Eagles-Washington is a tie. (unlikely)
  • The Vikings lose to or tie with the Bears and the 49ers lose to the Falcons. (possible)
  • The 49ers lose to the Falcons and Eagles-Washington is a tie. (unlikely)
  • The 49ers tie with the Falcons, the Rams lose to the Seahawks and Eagles tie with Washington. (super unlikely because of two ties)

In other words, the Cardinals just need to beat the Lions. After all, the Lions are 1-11-1 and the Cardinals are 10-3. Losing to them would be embarrassing.

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Cardinals’ magic number to clinch NFC West title remains at 4

Despite the loss to the Rams, the Cardinals still control the NFC West. We look at the many ways they can clinch the division.

The Arizona Cardinals missed an opportunity to clinch a postseason berth Monday night and they could have basically wrapped up the NFC West if they had beaten the Los Angeles Rams. However, the Rams beat Arizona 30-23 and pulled within one game of the Cardinals.

Arizona’s magic number to clinch the division is still four with four games remaining.

Any combination of Cardinals wins and Rams losses leading to four will give the Cardinals the division title.

These are their remaining schedules:

Cardinals

  • Week 15 on the road against the Detroit Lions
  • Week 16 at home on Christmas Day against the Indianapolis Colts
  • Week 17 on the road against the Dallas Cowboys
  • Week 18 at home against the Seattle Seahawks

Rams

  • Week 15 at home against the Seahawks
  • Week 16 on the road against the Minnesota Vikings
  • Week 17 on the road against the Baltimore Ravens
  • Week 18 at home against the San Francisco 49ers

However, the Cardinals can also reduce their magic number by an additional one because of tiebreakers.

The Cardinals and Rams tied their season series, so the next tiebreaker is division record.

The Cardinals are 4-1 in the NFC West and the Rams are now 2-2. A win by the Cardinals over the Seahawks in Week 18 or a loss by the Rams to either the Seahawks in Week 15 or the 49ers in Week 18 will take an extra game off the magic number. So if the Rams lose next weekend, even if the Cardinals were to lose to the Lions, their magic number would drop to two because of the Rams’ loss and clinching the division tiebreaker.

If the Cardinals lose to the Seahawks in Week 18 and the Rams beat both the Seahawks and 49ers, then the Cardinals would need to look to the next tiebreaker — common opponents.

The Cardinals will have 12 games against common opponents — four against the Seahawks and 49ers, four against the teams in the NFC North and four against the teams in the AFC South. Thus far, the Cardinals are 8-1 in those games and the Rams are 6-3 with three games remaining. The Cardinals have the Lions, Colts and Seahawks, while the Rams have the 49ers, Seahawks and Vikings.

The Seahawks and 49ers games don’t matter because if the Cardinals win or the Rams lose, the common opponent tiebreaker doesn’t come into play.

But if the Cardinals beat the Lions and Colts, or if the Rams lose to the Vikings and the Cardinals beat either the Lions or the Colts, then the Cardinals’ magic number will be reduced by one more because they will have clinched the common opponent record.

So the formula works like this for clinching:

  1. The magic number reduces by one for each Cardinals win or Rams loss.
  2. The magic number will be reduced by one additional if:
    • The Cardinals beat the Seahawks
    • The Rams lose to the Seahawks or 49ers
    • The Cardinals beat both the Lions and Colts
    • The Rams lose to the Vikings and the Cardinals beat either the Lions or Colts

The bottom line is the Cardinals still control the division. They just made things more difficult with the loss to the Rams. They have four games to get it to zero.

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