With the NFC West sending three teams to the playoffs, the conference appears to run through them. However, the NFC North looked just as strong a year ago, only to flame out once January arrived. Could the NFC West be headed towards a similar fate?
In 2024, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings went into Week 18 with a division title and the conference’s top seed on the line. The Lions pulled off the win in dominant fashion, 31-9, to secure the North and homefield advantage.
Everything was set up for one of the North teams to make a run and at least advance to the NFC Championship. Yet, none won a game in the postseason:
- Vikings: Lost 27-9 to Rams in Wild Card Round
- Packers: Lost 22-10 to eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles in Wild Card Round
- Lions: Lost 45-31 to Commanders in Divisional Round
This season, the Seahawks and 49ers played for the NFC West crown and the NFC’s top seed in the final week. Seattle shut down the Whiners’ offense en route to a 13-3 win. Both the Lions and Seahawks managed blowout wins in their final game to earn the coveted top seed and a division title. The parallels are striking, especially considering that both divisions had a clear basement dweller from the jump — sorry Cardinals and Bears fans.
While the comparisons between divisions are eerily similar, it’s not completely 100%. The NFC North in ‘24 was flawed from the jump.
Detroit entered last year’s playoffs with injuries out the wazoo, so their run was always destined to fall short. Seattle doesn’t have those concerns. Minnesota ran into a red-hot Rams team on a mission. Poor Sam Darnold never had a chance against them. And finally, the Packers couldn’t beat a quality team to save their lives, so naturally the Eagles beat them up and down the field.
Out of any of the NFC West teams in the field, the 49ers are one of the most likely teams to lose on Wild Card Weekend. San Francisco is deeply flawed and were fortunate to have a chance at the top seed. Their luck will run out shortly, but it won’t be without a fight if Kyle Shanahan has something to say about it.
Meanwhile, the Panthers are the most likely to lose this weekend, and they face the Rams. Yes, Carolina defeated L.A. earlier in the season, but the hapless Panthers are running into a veteran squad with nothing but revenge on their minds.
Currently, the NFC West is on track to avoid repeating the North’s postseason stumble. Although the playoffs have a way of humbling even the league’s deepest divisions. The conference may run through the West, but that title doesn’t mean a thing once January hits.
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