NFL Standings: Can Atlanta Falcons Make The Playoffs?

Division title or bust, at 6-9 the Atlanta Falcons are still alive for the NFL Playoffs

If I told you the Atlanta Falcons, after all the mess they’ve been through this season, are still able to make the playoffs this season, normally you’d call me crazy with them being 6-9.  However they have that very opportunity against the Carolina Panthers this Sunday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

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It is plain and simple.  There is one scenario and one scenario only that puts the Falcons in the playoffs after this Sunday.  Beat the Panthers for the NFC South division title.  It is a winner take all.  If the Falcons lose, they are 6-10 and out of the playoffs.  If they win, they finish 7-9 and they are in.

Even if they end up tied with the New Orleans Saints, they win based on head-to-head tiebreaker.  The Falcons beat the Saints 37-34 in week one and then handled them on Sunday this week in week 16 30-14 at the Superdome in New Orleans.

The thing that saves the Panthers is their tie over the Cincinnati Bengals earlier in the season in week six.  If they beat the Falcons, they will finish 6-9-1.  The Falcons beat the Panthers 19-17 in week 11.  That point is moot though now.  It certainly would have been a factor had the Panthers defeated the Bengals.

So it’s win or go home for the Falcons.  If they win, they are in and will be the fourth seed in the NFC.  The seeding and hosting a home game with the fourth seed at 7-9 or 6-9-1 is a whole other topic.  It is what it is though.  The Falcons will most likely be hosting the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, or Green Bay Packers based on what happens this Sunday.  The Seattle Seahawks are a possibility as well but seem the longest of shots to fall to the fifth seed.