Fourteen teams have been eliminated from playoff contention. Four more eventually will be bounced. And one of four very good teams in the NFC is destined to be among them.
Even after winning last night in overtime to extend their record to 11-4, the Bears are not in. Which means they could still be out.
Likewise, the 49ers, Packers, and Lions have yet to qualify. Among Chicago, San Francisco, Green Bay, and Detroit, one of them will not make it.
The 49ers, if they win out, will be the No. 1 seed in the NFC. If they lose to the Colts, Bears, and Seahawks, the Niners could be SOL.
The Bears, currently the No. 2 seed, could slip and slide right out of the seven-team field if they close the season with losses to the 49ers and Lions.
The Packers, at 9-5-1, face the Ravens and the Vikings, who already have played spoiler for the Cowboys — and who would love to poke a fatal hole in the Cheeseheads’ playoff chances.
The Lions, who are as good as anyone when things are clicking, have lost three times as many games as they did in 2024. At 8-6, they take a very small margin for error into games against the Steelers, Vikings, and Bears.
This feels like one of those years in which nearly any team that gets a seat at the playoff table could run the table. It’s possible that an NFC team that otherwise would have gotten red-hot in January will slip up just enough to not get that opportunity.
