NFL Playoff Picture:Most Likely NFC Matchups

Remember back around May and June when we were all going through NFL withdrawal? Remember how excited you got when training camps started and how in love you were with your team finally making the playoffs or winning the Super Bowl? Now, think about how empty you feel now that your team (cough—Cowboys) have won four or five games? The only thing that keeps you going is your love for the game of football and talking about how goofy Shannon Sharpe looks on Sunday mornings. The good teams have differentiated themselves from the pack and everyone is just hanging on at this point. With only two games left in the regular season, I present six potential NFC playoff matchups.

Wild Card Games: Chicago Bears Vs. New York Giants

As of right now, the Giants and Bears both stand at 11-5, with the Bears projected to win their division and the Giants to finish second in the NFC East—this is how we come to this matchup, based off win percentages. The Giants lost a crucial game to the Eagles today at home, and with the way the Bears play at Soldier Field, there is no reason to believe Chicago will move past the Wild Card Round.

St. Louis Rams Vs. New Orleans Saints

Can you believe that the defending Super Bowl Champs may have to travel to St. Louis for a playoff game? Crazy, right? But who thought that the Atlanta Falcons would win the NFC South? Yep, nobody. The Rams are an upstart and their defense is mature enough to hold Brees and the Saints down. Still, it should be fun to watch.

New York Giants Vs. Green Bay Packers

The Packers lost Aaron Rodgers last week against the Lions and had to go with greenhorn Matt Flynn. Their next two games after tonight are beasts of matchups, as they face the Giants next week and the Bears in Week 17. A record of 9-7 would almost be a miracle for this group. Next week’s game against New York may just be a potential Wild Card matchup.

Atlanta Falcons Vs. San Francisco 49ers

For this game to happen, the NFL has to decide playoff games based on defensive matchups, and the Falcons have to fall all the way to the fifth seed. The 49ers have the Rams next and the Cardinals to end the year. Who knows, maybe they’ll actually go on a two-game win streak.