An updated look at the NFC playoff standings, plus a discussion on the Detroit Lions’ biggest threat in the conference.
The Detroit Lions’ win over the Houston Texans pushed them to 8-1 on the season, and allowed them to stay a step ahead of every other NFC team. They remain the only one-loss team in football, only bested by the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
But who is their biggest threat in the NFC? Week 10 proved to be a bit of a separator between contenders and pretenders in the conference. Let’s take a closer look in the most up-to-date NFC playoff standings through Week 10.
NFC North standings:
- Detroit Lions: 8-1
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-2
- Green Bay Packers: 6-3
- Chicago Bears: 4-5
The Lions remain just a game (plus tiebreaker) ahead of the Vikings in the division, but Minnesota didn’t exactly look like a world-beater against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. They trailed for nearly the entire game and failed to get in the end zone. That said, they did control most of the game, outgaining Jacksonville 402 to 143 on the day. I know this seems like a silly criticism given Jared Goff’s five interceptions, but some skepticism is warranted on Sam Darnold’s part, who now has an interception in all but two games this season and five in his last two contests.
Meanwhile, the Bears are a complete mess. A home loss to the 2-7 Patriots would be embarrassing enough, but poor Caleb Williams is suffering from another terrible Bears offense. He was sacked nine times on Sunday and Chicago managed just three points and 142 yards of offense. With their scheduling looking brutal ahead, Chicago is likely going to finish closer to a top-five pick than a playoff spot unless something drastically changes.
NFC playoff picture
Division leaders
- Lions: 8-1
- Eagles: 7-2
- Falcons: 6-4
- Cardinals: 6-4
The Eagles are now Detroit’s biggest competitor for the No. 1 seed after a dominating win over the Cowboys combined with a Commanders loss to the Steelers. Philly has won five straight games, although all of those wins have come against teams with losing records. The real test comes in the next three weeks for the Eagles, as they face the Commanders, Rams, and Ravens. If they can come out of those games even with a 2-1 record, they will prove their legitimacy and be a contender for a first-round bye.
The Falcons no longer look like a real threat after inexplicably losing to the Saints. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have now won four in a row and should stay in the mix in what could be a phenomenal NFC West race.
Wild Card leaders:
5. Vikings: 7-2
6. Commanders: 7-3
7. Packers: 6-3
We’ll see how the Packers respond to their Lions loss out of the bye week. They have to go on the road to Chicago this week, then they’ll host the 49ers in a big game. They don’t have the toughest of schedules ahead, so expect Green Bay to stick around.
And while the Commanders’ loss forfeited their lead in the division, next week’s game against the Eagles (on Thursday) is a huge one that could have a major impact on the NFC race.
In the hunt:
8. 49ers: 5-4
9. Bears: 4-5
10. Rams: 4-5
11. Seahawks: 4-5
12. Buccaneers: 4-6
Here come the 49ers. With Christian McCaffrey back now and San Francisco on a two-game winning streak, it certainly seems like they’ll be in the playoff hunt the rest of the way. That said, they have to get by a very tough division, and they already have losses to both the Rams and Cardinals.
Speaking of the Rams, it looked like they could be on a resurgence with several players coming back from injury lately. However, a Monday night loss to the Dolphins puts them two games out of a Wild Card spot and a mile behind the Lions.
The Buccaneers are fighting like hell, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll overcome the increasing injuries. Detroit essentially has a six-game lead on them, so they pose no threat to the Lions. But could they still make an improbable playoff run? I’m not counting them out completely, especially in a division that still is up for grabs.
Mock draft season
13. Cowboys: 3-6
14. Saints: 3-7
15. Panthers: 3-7
16. Giants: 2-8
Last week, I questioned whether I was prematurely putting the Cowboys in this category. Dallas answered with a resounding “NOPE.” They’re terrible and they’ll likely be without Dak Prescott the rest of the way. There’s little hope for them, and I think they’re legitimate candidates for the No. 1 overall pick, because the Saints and Panthers picked up wins this week.
