NFL Playoff Picture Week 8: Panthers move in, Dolphins fall out
By Josh Hill
Here’s a look at the NFC side of things, keeping in mind that the Lions play the Sunday Night game. Even if they win, the Panthers own a head-to-head tiebreaker which would keep Detroit out of the sixth seed for now (there’s also a half-game difference since Carolina hasn’t had its bye week yet).
1. Eagles (7-1)
2. Vikings (6-2)
3. Seahawks (5-2)
4. Saints (5-2)
5. Rams (5-2)
6. Panthers (5-3)
Right now the Wild Card matchups would be Seattle hosting Carolina, and New Orleans hosting Los Angeles.
Wild Card: Seahawks vs. Panthers
It’s never a dull time whenever Seattle and Carolina meet up. Whether it’s the regular season or playoffs, this is a low-key rivalry that has popped up on more than one occasion over the last handful of years. Seattle isn’t the dominant team during those back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, but Pete Carroll knows when the right time of the year to peak is. Carolina is not an easy out either, and doubting Cam Newton’s team has usually backfired, especially in the playoffs. Going coast-to-coast doesn’t make this any easier but you’d be lying if you tried saying this wasn’t a matchup football fans should and would be glued to.
Wild Card: Saints vs. Rams
Los Angeles hasn’t been represented in the NFL playoffs since 1993 when the Raiders made it to the Divisional Round. The Rams franchise hasn’t played in a playoff game since 2004, so this is a long time coming. No one knew it would happen this year, and even fewer people thought that the Rams would actually have a chance to win. It’s a tall order though, as we could be witnessing the last gasp of the Brees-Payton empire. Their window is closer to shutting than it’s ever been, but it appears the duo have one more ride left in them before the sun sets. It’s as romantic as you’d expect a football story to go, but there’s plenty left to be written.
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Seattle isn’t the team they were when it appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls, and they too have a redemption story left unfinished. This would be, without a doubt, the most toss-up matchup of Wild Card weekend.