The Detroit Lions got back on track with a 34-17 win over the Chicago Bears to move to 13-2 and continue to close in on the No. 1 seed, the first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. They also watched as the Philadelphia Eagles lost in the final seconds against the Washington Commanders to fall to 12-3. That loss all but eliminates the Eagles from No. 1 seed contention.
The Lions were close to standing as the only 13-win team in the NFC but the pesky Minnesota Vikings escaped Seattle with a 27-24 win over the Seahawks to also get to 13-2. The two teams look to be on a collision course for the division crown and the top seed in Week 18.
However, there is actually a chance the Lions can secure the top seed next week. If the Lions defeat the San Francisco 49ers next Monday and the Vikings lose to the Green Bay Packers, the Lions would wrap everything up. In that scenario, the worst-case scenario would be the Lions, Vikings and Eagles all finishing 14-3. Detroit would win the division over Minnesota on division record, even if Minnesota wins Week 18 (Lions 5-1, Vikings 4-2). The Lions would then claim the No. 1 seed over the Eagles with a superior conference record (DET 10-2, PHI 9-3).
Minnesota cannot clinch the division next week. Even if they win and the Lions lose in Week 17, a Lions win in Week 18 would give them the division with the season sweep of the Vikings.
Then there’s this scenario: the Lions and Vikings both win in Week 17, setting up the showdown in Week 18 in Detroit. The winner claims the No. 1 seed at 15-2. The loser ends up as a 14-win No. 5 seed, which seems unfathomable, but very realistic.
Looking at the rest of the playoff picture, Philadelphia’s loss prevented them from clinching the NFC East. Their magic number is still at one to clinch the division and all but lock themselves into the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Washington is now just one win away from securing a playoff spot of their own for the first time since 2020.
The Los Angeles Rams are now in the driver’s seat for the NFC West after their 19-9 win over the New York Jets. The only team that can catch them now in the division is Seattle. The Rams have a chance to clinch the division next week.
In the NFC South, entering Sunday Night Football, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold a half-game lead on the Atlanta Falcons after the Falcons cruised past the New York Giants. Atlanta has the tiebreaker via the season sweep of Tampa Bay, but if the Buccaneers win out, they win the division.
The Packers just need to win once to reach the playoffs and secure a Wild Card spot, just like the Commanders. The only teams left on the outside still in the hunt are the Seahawks and the Falcons. The Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints were all eliminated in Week 16.
NFC Playoff Standings (through Week 16 late-window games)
1. x-Detroit Lions 13-2
2. x-Philadelphia Eagles 12-3
3. Los Angeles Rams 9-6
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-6
5. x-Minnesota Vikings 13-2
6. Green Bay Packers 10-4
7. Washington Commanders 10-5
8. Seattle Seahawks 8-7
9. Atlanta Falcons 8-7