Fansided

NFL Playoff Scenarios: What Each Team Needs To Get To The Postseason

By Keith Myers

Dec 14, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Players and coaches, including Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Mike Morgan (57, right) celebrate following a fourth down stop against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Players and coaches, including Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Mike Morgan (57, right) celebrate following a fourth down stop against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
10 of 11
Next

NFC North

NFC North Team W L Remaining Opp.
Detroit Lions 10 4 Chi, GB
Green Bay Packers 10 4 TB, Det

The NFC North is arguably the easiest team in the NFC to break down. There are two teams still in contention. They currently have the same record. They both play bad teams this week before playing each other in Week 17.

This sets up a winner-take-all game on the final day of the season at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The winner of that game wins the division and gets a first-round bye. The loser would have to go on the road in the first round, likely to play the NFC East winner.

Both of these teams lose out to the Cardinals and the Seahawks in tiebreakers. That gives the NFC West teams the inside track at the No. 1 and No. 5 seeds. Either NFC North team can still claim home-field advantage if Seattle wins against Arizona on Sunday then loses to the Rams in Week 17.

If one of these teams trips up next week and loses, things get trickier. A second loss the following week could easily knock them out of the playoffs if the Eagles can win out. Luckily, both NFC North teams have the tiebreaker over the Eagles at 10 wins. Detroit has the tiebreaker over Dallas at 10 wins, but Green Bay does not.

If Detroit were to lose to Chicago and then beat Green Bay, Detroit would still win the division and likely end up in the No. 3 seed. If the Packers were to lose to Tampa Bay then beat the Lions, Detroit would still win the division because of the conference record tiebreaker.

Next: NFC West

Home/NFL