NFC Playoffs 2013: Week 13 Wild Card picture
By Mike Dyce
The NFC Wild Card Race is a lot tougher than the AFC situation. Right now a strong 9-3 Carolina Panthers team is sitting in the first Wild Card spot and fifth seed in the play off. It could get interesting for the Panthers and the NFC South division in the next few weeks.
The Saints, at 9-2, are currently the second seed in the NFC. They play the Panthers twice in the next three weeks and the loser of that division will likely wind up in a Wild Card spot while the other could wind up with a first-round bye.
Currently the 8-4 49ers are hanging on to the second Wild Card spot and the final sixth seed in the playoffs. They have a full game lead over a pair of 7-5 teams. In seventh is the Philadelphia Eagles, and behind them are the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles hold the tie breaker over the Cardinals after winning the game between the two on Sunday.
Here is a look at the current NFC standings, via ESPN.com:
| National Football Conference | ||||||||||
| CONF RK | NFC | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | REASON |
| 1 | Seattle | 10 | 1 | 0 | .909 | 3-0-0 | 7-0-0 | .428 | .404 | NFC West Champ |
| 2 | New Orleans | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | 3-0-0 | 7-0-0 | .462 | .435 | NFC South Champ |
| 3 | Detroit | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 4-1-0 | 6-3-0 | .444 | .422 | NFC North Champ Wins tie break over Dallas based on head-to-head win percentage. |
| 4 | Dallas | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 4-0-0 | 6-2-0 | .504 | .377 | NFC East Champ (Wins tie break over Philadelphia based on head-to-head win percentage.) |
| 5 | Carolina | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 3-0-0 | 7-2-0 | .461 | .416 | |
| 6 | San Francisco | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 3-1-0 | 5-3-0 | .507 | .374 | |
| 7 | Philadelphia | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 3-2-0 | 6-2-0 | .461 | .364 | Wins tie break over Arizona based on head-to-head win percentage. |
| 8 | Arizona | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 0-3-0 | 4-5-0 | .521 | .417 | |
| 9 | Chicago | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 2-3-0 | 3-6-0 | .472 | .451 | |
| 10 | Green Bay | 5 | 6 | 1 | .458 | 2-2-1 | 3-5-1 | .472 | .398 |