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NFC Playoff Picture and Wild Card standings after Week 5 [Updated]

By Josh Hill

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 09: Tony Pollard #20 of the Dallas Cowboys runs for a touchdown against Grant Haley #36 of the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at SoFi Stadium on October 09, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 09: Tony Pollard #20 of the Dallas Cowboys runs for a touchdown against Grant Haley #36 of the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at SoFi Stadium on October 09, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Let’s check the pulse on the NFC Playoff Picture and NFC Wild Card standings now that we’re through Week 5 of the season. 

It’s never too early to start thinking about the NFL Playoffs, especially this time of year.

Things will undoubtedly change based on the vast amount of football left to play but there’s nothing stopping us from taking the pulse on where things stand. In fact, checking in now will help us chart the path to the postseason and watch which teams settle into a groove and which ones squander perfect positioning.

It’s also cool to see which teams are way out of the picture but find themselves in the thick of things when everything comes into focus later in the season.

Note: This will be updated after the late slate games conclude. No NFC teams play in primetime in Week 5. 

Updated NFC Playoff Picture after Week 5

Here’s a look at what the NFC Playoff Picture would be if the playoffs started today. Obviously, they don’t and there’s still a lot of football left to play. So approach this knowing that and take a big deep breath if you find yourself getting worked up about how things are going to change between now and the end of the season.

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (5-0)
  2. Minnesota Vikings (4-1)
  3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
  4. San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
  5. Dallas Cowboys (4-1)
  6. New York Giants (4-1)
  7. Green Bay Packers (3-2)

Based on those standings, here’s what the playoff matchups would look like for the first weekend of action:

  • (2) Minnesota Vikings vs. (7) Green Bay Packers
  • (3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. (6) New York Giants
  • (4) San Francisco 49ers vs. (5) Dallas Cowboys

Each higher-seeded team would host its Wild Card Weekend matchup. The Philadelphia Eagles would have a first-round bye with the No. 1 seed and host any playoff game they play in.

NFC Wild Card standings after Week 5

Just like last year, the NFC will have three Wild Card teams. In years past only two Wild Card teams punched a ticket to the playoffs, but the new postseason structure means there’s an extra team playing on Wild Card Weekend.

Typically the lowest-seeded team would play the third-best division winner. Now the lowest-seeded team plays the second-best team — which seems like a raw deal but might not end up mattering too much based on the parity in the NFC this season.

Here’s what the Wild Card standings look like after Week 5:

  1. Dallas Cowboys (4-1)
  2. New York Giants (4-1)
  3. Green Bay Packers (3-2)
  4. Los Angeles Rams (2-2)
  5. Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
  6. Seattle Seahawks (2-3)
  7. Atlanta Falcons (2-3)
  8. Chicago Bears (2-3)
  9. New Orleans Saints (2-3)
  10. Carolina Panthers (1-4)
  11. Detroit Lions (1-4)
  12. Washington Commanders (1-4)

NFC Playoff Picture Tiebreaker Scenarios

With so many teams tied in the standings, a handful of tiebreakers come into play based on various factors related to the schedule.

  • 49ers win a tiebreak over the Rams, Seahawks, and Cardinals based on head-to-head win percentage.
  • Rams win a tiebreak over the Cardinals and Seahawks based on head-to-head win percentage.
  • Falcons win a tiebreak over Bears based on strength of victory.
  • Panthers hold a tiebreak over New Orleans based on head-to-head win percentage.
  • Lions win tie break over Washington based on head-to-head win percentage.
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