Breaking down the NFC playoff picture entering Week 14 and what lies ahead

[DSF]

The Detroit Lions enter Week 14 in unprecedented territory. The 11-1 Lions, winners of 10 games in a row, are the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff ladder if the season ended today.

Alas, there are still five more weeks of games. The Lions technically haven’t even clinched a postseason berth yet, though that could happen this week — even if the Lions lose to the Packers on Thursday night.

Here’s how the Lions and their foes in both the NFC North and the overall NFC stand in the playoff stretch run entering Week 14.

Detroit Lions​

Record: 11-1

Remaining schedule

Packers (9-3)
Bills (10-2)
at Bears (4-8)
at 49ers (5-7)
Vikings (10-2)

Minnesota Vikings​

Record: 10-2

Remaining schedule

Falcons (6-6)
Bears (4-8)
at Seahawks (7-5)
Packers (9-3)
at Lions (11-1)

Green Bay Packers​

Record: 9-3

Remaining schedule

at Lions (11-1)
at Seahawks (7-5)
Saints (4-8)
at Vikings (10-2)
Bears (4-8)

The NFC North is still very much up for grabs, though the Lions have a golden opportunity to help seal the deal with a win over Green Bay in Ford Field on Thursday night. That would put the Lions at 4-0 in the division. Green Bay and Minnesota playing one another in Week 17 guarantees a loss to one of the two teams chasing Detroit for the NFC North title.

The Seattle Seahawks will play a big role in the NFC North outcome. Seattle is in first place in the tightly-packed NFC West, where all four teams currently have between five and seven wins. Green Bay and Minnesota head to Seattle in back-to-back weeks starting in Week 15. The Seahawks have won three games in a row, though they are just 3-4 at home for the season.

NFC overall​

While it’s still technically possible for the division winner in the NFC West to catch the Lions in the seeding race, it would take Seattle (7-5) winning out and the Lions losing out because Detroit owns a head-to-head victory from Week 4. The Rams and Cardinals (each 6-6) cannot pass the Lions in the NFC standings due to Detroit beating each, even if the Lions lose out and finish 11-6.

The NFC South currently features Tampa Bay and Atlanta tied at 6-6. Because the Buccaneers beat the Lions in Week 2, Tampa Bay winning out and Detroit losing out would result in the Bucs jumping the Lions in the NFC ladder. The Falcons winning out and the Lions losing their final five games would also lift Atlanta over Detroit on the conference record tiebreak.

The NFC East is still a big threat to the Lions, however…

Philadelphia Eagles​

Record: 10-2

Remaining schedule

Panthers (3-9)
Steelers (9-3)
at Commanders (8-5)
Cowboys (5-7)
Giants (2-10)

Washington Commanders​

Record: 8-5

Remaining schedule

Bye
at Saints
Eagles
Falcons
at Cowboys

The Eagles have won eight games in a row after a 2-2 start. Both of their losses are in the NFC, and that’s important if the Lions and Eagles wind up in a tie; conference record is the first tiebreaker in that scenario.

That Week 16 game in Washington between the Commanders and Eagles is a big one for both the NFC East (the Eagles would clinch with a win) and also the entire NFC playoff picture. Philadelphia won the first meeting, 26-18.

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