NFL Playoffs 2016: NFC Wild Card race Week 13

In Week 13, the NFC Wild Card race continues to heat up. Which teams are in a position to either gain or lose ground this week?

With Week 13 upon us, the NFC Wild Card race is heating up. As of now, the New York Giants and Washington Redskins hold the two Wild Card spots in the NFC. The great season by the Dallas Cowboys has them well in control of the NFC East, but both the Giants and Redskins have winning records.

Thanks to a bit of a soft schedule recently, the Giants are winners of six straight games. Even though they are in fifth in the NFC, they have the second-most wins behind the Cowboys. However, the Giants will be tested in Week 13. Big Blue will be traveling to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Like the Giants, the Steelers are fighting for a playoff spot, and that should be a great game.

The Redskins will have an easier game than the Giants in Week 13. This week, the Redskins will be facing the struggling Arizona Cardinals. Surprisingly, the Cardinals have been a huge disappointment this season. With a 4-6-1 record, the Redskins could essentially end the Cardinals season with a win.

Next two up

After the Giants and the Redskins, the next two teams in the standings are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings. The Buccaneers are just one game behind the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South, but a 6-5 record has them looking in at the playoff picture as of now. After pulling off an upset at home against the Seattle Seahawks at home, the Buccaneers will be traveling west this week. A matchup against the 5-6 Chargers will be a challenging road game for Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers.

For the Vikings, they will be playing a huge game at home against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. After losing a heart-breaking game to the Detroit Lions, the Vikings will be back home for the big NFC showdown. Even though the Vikings have been free falling in the standings, they are still 6-5 with a great defense. The rookie combination of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have won 10 straight games. On Thursday Night Football, they will be looking to make a statement against one of the best defenses in the league.

The Outsiders

Entering Week 13, there are three teams with 5-6 records. Due to the success of the Giants and Redskins, these three will need to be close to perfect from here on out. The New Orleans Saints are one of those teams. With a 5-6 record, the Saints might have a better chance of winning the NFC South than getting a Wild Card spot. The Saints will be playing a big game at home against the Detroit Lions. If the Saints want to make the playoffs, beating the NFC North-leading Lions is a must.

After a big win on Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Green Bay Packers have kept their season alive. Wins are a must for the Packers at this point, and they will be at home in Week 13 against the Houston Texans. While the Texans lead the AFC South, they have played very poorly on the road this season. Aaron Rodgers can never be counted out, and he played like a player who knew the season was on the line against the Eagles.

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While the win on Monday Night Football was huge for the Packers, it really hurt the Eagles. With a 5-6 record now, the Eagles are done in the NFC East, and their only playoff hopes come from getting a Wild Card spot. On Sunday, the Eagles will be playing the decimated Cincinnati Bengals, who have really struggled this season.

Week 13 will be a big one for the NFC Wild Card picture. With some conference games between contending teams, we might have a different looking standings come next week.