Week 17: NFC Playoff Scenarios and Predictions

Photo courtesy of Arizona Cardinals

One Sunday is all that remains in the 2020 NFL season.

Entering Week 17, six NFC teams remain alive for three playoff spots.

The Arizona Cardinals can break the fourth-longest active NFL playoff drought (2015) while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are guaranteed to break the second-longest active playoff drought (2007).

Green Bay Packers (12-3) (-5.5) at Chicago Bears (8-7)

Green Bay clinches first-round bye with:

1. Packers win OR tie OR
2. Seattle Seahawks loss OR tie

Chicago clinches playoff berth with:

1. Bears win OR
2. Cardinals loss OR
3. Bears tie AND Cardinals tie

Prediction: Packers 31, Bears 23

Arizona Cardinals (8-7) at Los Angeles Rams (9-6) (-2)

Arizona clinches playoff berth with:

1. Cardinals win OR
2. Cardinals tie AND Bears loss

Los Angeles clinches playoff berth with:

1. Rams win OR tie OR
2. Bears loss OR tie

Prediction: Cardinals 20, Rams 14

Dallas Cowboys (6-9) (-3) at New York Giants (5-10)

Dallas clinches NFC East division title with:

1. Cowboys win AND Washington Football Team loss OR tie OR
2. Cowboys tie AND Washington loss

New York clinches NFC East division title with:

1. Giants win AND Washington loss

Prediction: Cowboys 33, Giants 23

New Orleans Saints (11-4) (-6.5) vs Carolina Panthers (5-10)

New Orleans clinches first-round bye with:

1. Saints win AND Packers loss AND Seahawks win

Prediction: Saints 24, Panthers 16

Seattle Seahawks (11-4) (-5.5) vs San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

Seattle clinches first-round bye with:

1. Seahawks win AND Packers loss AND Saints loss OR tie

Prediction: Seahawks 30, 49ers 17

Washington Football Team (6-9) (-1.5) vs Philadelphia Eagles (4-10-1)

Washington clinches NFC East division title with:

1. Washington win OR
2. Washington tie AND Cowboys loss OR tie

Prediction: Eagles 24, Washington 20

Seeding prediction:

1. Green Bay Packers 13-3 (first round bye)
2. New Orleans Saints 12-4 vs 7. Los Angeles Rams 9-7
3. Seattle Seahawks 12-4 vs 6. Arizona Cardinals 9-7
4. Dallas Cowboys 7-9 vs 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11-5

This scenario playing out would leave Washington and the Giants out of the playoffs along with the Chicago Bears. Three of the seven playoff spots would be occupied by teams from the NFC West.