EAGAN, Minn. — We've reached December, which means postseason scenarios and playoff simulators are firing up across the internet.
Minnesota (6-6) emerged from its Week 13 bye at the No. 6 spot in the conference standings and with five games remaining in the 2023 regular season.
The Vikings control their own postseason fate but need help to win the NFC North.
A wild first 12 weeks started with four losses in five contests before a five-game winning streak. Minnesota could be better positioned for the NFC North crown had it been able to close out late at Denver in Week 11 and at home against Chicago in Week 12.
Three-fourths of the NFL (24 of 32 teams) finished Week 13 with a 5-7 or better record, and half are between 7-5 and 5-7.
Since the NFL expanded the playoffs in 2020 to include seven teams in each conference, No. 2 seeds will now play on Wild Card Weekend.
Here's a look at the current NFC playoff picture — with conference standings and a status update — as we head into Week 14.
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 @ Cowboys (9-3)
12/18 @ Seahawks (6-6)
12/25 Giants (4-8)
12/31 Cardinals (3-10)
1/7/24 @ Giants (4-8)
Status: Win five, lose one, win five, lose one has been the pattern so far for the defending NFC Champions, who will try to complete a season sweep of the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Week 14. Philadelphia will try to bounce back from a 42-19 loss to San Francisco in Week 13.
- San Francisco 49ers (9-3)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 Seahawks (6-6)
12/17 @ Cardinals (3-10)
12/25 Ravens (9-3)
12/31 @ Commanders (4-9)
1/7/24 Rams (6-6)
Status: Sunday's win in non-sunny Philadelphia seemed to be a bit of a look back to avenge last year's NFC Championship, as well as a message that the 49ers won't be shaking if they have to return in this year's postseason.
- Detroit Lions (9-3)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 @ Bears (4-8)
12/16 Broncos (6-6)
12/24 @ Vikings (6-6)
12/30 @ Cowboys (9-3)
1/7/24 Vikings (6-6)
Status: The Lions are now up three games on the Vikings and Packers in the NFC North, putting Detroit in the divisional driver's seat with five to play. The three wins by Dan Campbell's squad in four games since a Week 9 bye have each been decided by five or fewer points.
- Atlanta Falcons (6-6)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 Buccaneers (5-7)
12/17 @ Panthers (1-11)
12/24 Colts (7-5)
12/31 @ Bears (4-8)
1/7/24 @ Saints (5-7)
Status: Half the Falcons wins so far are against NFC South foes, and Atlanta has a chance to sweep each divisional series, beginning with Tampa Bay. Atlanta is trying to win three consecutive games within the same season for the first time since the final four contests of 2019.
- Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 Eagles (10-2)
12/17 @ Bills (6-6)
12/24 @ Dolphins (9-3)
12/30 Lions (9-3)
1/7/24 @ Commanders (7-5-1)
Status: Dallas has won 14 consecutive home games, a run that began in Week 2 of the 2022 regular season. The Cowboys need to top the Eagles and receive a little more help along the way to overtake Philadelphia for the NFC East.
- Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 @ Raiders (5-7)
12/16 @ Bengals (6-6)
12/24 Lions (9-3)
12/31 Packers (6-6)
1/7/24 @ Lions (9-3)
Status: The Vikings rested in Week 13 and received multiple reminders that it's best to not rely on help from other teams. Minnesota has an uphill climb to repeat as division champs, but its 6-3 mark in NFC games so far could be helpful if the conference record tiebreaker is needed.
- Green Bay Packers (6-6)
Remaining Schedule
12/11 @ Giants (4-8)
12/17 Buccaneers (5-7)
12/24 @ Panthers (1-11)
12/31 @ Vikings (6-6)
1/7/24 Bears (4-8)
Status: Since bouncing off the ropes against the Chargers in a 23-20 win in Week 11, the Packers spoiled the Thanksgiving feast in Detroit and held off the Chiefs in the past two weeks. Green Bay's next three foes are a combined 10-26.
- Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 @ Ravens (9-3)
12/17 Commanders (4-9)
12/21 Saints (5-7)
12/31 @ Giants (4-8)
1/7/24 @ 49ers (9-3)
Status: The Rams swept the Seahawks this season, claiming the season opener 30-13 and a Week 11 contest 17-16. That narrow win kick-started a three-game rally that evened Los Angeles' record after the Rams entered their Week 10 bye at 3-6.
- Seattle Seahawks (6-6)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 @ 49ers (9-3)
12/18 Eagles (10-2)
12/24 @ Titans (4-8)
12/31 Steelers (7-5)
1/7/24 @ Cardinals (3-10)
Status: The Seahawks find themselves amidst a tough stretch, having lost to the Ravens, Rams, 49ers and Cowboys in November. Seattle's lone win in the month occurred against Washington on Nov. 12. The road isn't easier with matchups against the NFC's current top two seeds on deck.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 @ Falcons (6-6)
12/17 @ Packers (6-6)
12/24 Jaguars (8-4)
12/31 Saints (5-7)
1/7/24 @ Panthers (1-11)
Status: Tampa Bay is 2-4 in road games this season, thanks in part to the Buccaneers 20-17 win over the Vikings in Week 1. The Bucs won at New Orleans in Week 4 but have dropped their past four road games.
- New Orleans Saints (5-7)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 Panthers (1-11)
12/17 Giants (4-8)
12/21 @ Rams (6-6)
12/31 @ Buccaneers (5-7)
1/7/24 Falcons (6-6)
Status: The Saints have dropped three in a row, a dive that began against the Vikings in Week 10 and continued after a Week 11 bye. For the second time in three games, New Orleans fell behind an NFC North team and was unable to rally after Derek Carr was injured.
- New York Giants (4-8)
Remaining Schedule
12/11 Packers (6-6)
12/17 @ Saints (5-7)
12/25 @ Eagles (10-2)
12/31 Rams (6-6)
1/7/24 Eagles (10-2)
Status: Another playoff team from a year ago dealing with injury issues at quarterback, the Giants turned to undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito. He is 2-1 as a starting quarterback and has thrown seven touchdowns against one interception in those games. He's also been sacked 20 times during that stretch.
- Chicago Bears (4-8)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 Lions (9-3)
12/17 @ Browns (7-5)
12/24 Cardinals (3-10)
12/31 Falcons (6-6)
1/7/24 @ Packers (6-6)
Status: The Bears led the Lions 26-14 in Detroit with 4:15 remaining in Week 11 before allowing two touchdown drives of 70-plus yards to fall behind 29-26 with 0:29 to go. A safety followed a fumble by Justin Fields to seal the deal.
- Washington Commanders (4-9)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 Bye Week
12/17 @ Rams (6-6)
12/24 @ Jets (4-8)
12/31 49ers (9-3)
1/7/24 Cowboys (9-3)
Status: The Commanders have lost at least nine games in six of the past seven seasons. The lone exception was 2022 when Washington finished 8-8-1.
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 Bye Week
12/17 49ers (9-3)
12/24 @ Bears (4-8)
12/31 @ Eagles (10-2)
1/7/24 Seahawks (6-6)
Status: The Cardinals franchise won in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1969 on Sunday, pulling off a 24-10 upset of the Steelers in a game delayed by bad weather. It was just their fourth trip since the AFL-NFL merger moved Pittsburgh to help create the AFC.
- Carolina Panthers (1-11)
Remaining Schedule
12/10 @ Saints (5-7)
12/17 Falcons (6-6)
12/24 Packers (6-6)
12/31 @ Jaguars (8-4)
1/7/24 Buccaneers (5-7)
Status: The Panthers are the only team in either conference that already has been eliminated from postseason contention. Carolina has had double-digit losses in six consecutive seasons. A franchise that had four coaches from 1995 until Perry Fewell replaced Ron Rivera for the final four games of 2019 has had four coaches since 2020 — Matt Rhule, Steve Wilks (interim in 2022), Frank Reich and Chris Tabor (interim now).
