Tampa Bay’s 26-14 win over Minnesota did three things to the NFC playoff picture on Sunday. First, it kept the 8-5 Bucs in the No. 6 seed, ahead of 7-6 Arizona. Second, it gave the Bucs a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Vikings. And third, it knocked Minnesota out of the playoffs if the season ended today, vaulting the Cardinals ahead of the Vikings.
The Bucs snapped a two-game losing streak and now have a 98 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
The Packers won to move to 10-3 and clinched a playoff berth on Sunday, while the Saints lost and fell to 10-3. Green Bay has the current tiebreaker and moved ahead of New Orleans for the all-important top playoff seed, which includes a first-round bye. If the playoffs were to start today, the No. 6 seed Bucs would travel to Los Angeles to play the No. 3 seed Rams, the current NFC West leaders, in a rematch.
If the season were to end today the NFC West would have three teams in the playoffs, as 9-4 Seattle and 7-6 Arizona would also qualify. The NFC West leader might not be decided until Week 17 when the Rams play the Cardinals and the Seahawks play the 49ers.
Washington has now won two in a row and has a one-game lead over the New York Giants for the NFC East lead. The Giants have a tougher schedule with games against the 9-3 Browns and the 7-5 Ravens before finishing the season with a rematch against the Cowboys. Washington hosts Seattle next week before finishing the year against 4-9 Carolina and at 4-8-1 Philadelphia.
Here is a current look at the NFC playoff picture entering Week 15.
CURRENT NFC PLAYOFF TEAMS
*1. Packers (NFC North leader) – 10-3 overall / 4-1 division / 8-2 conference
Remaining games: vs. Panthers (4-9), vs. Titans (9-4), at Bears (6-7)
*2. Saints (NFC South leader) – 10-3 overall / 5-0 division / 8-2 conference
Remaining games: vs. Chiefs (12-1), vs. Vikings (6-7), at Panthers (4-9)
3. Rams (NFC West leader) – 9-4 overall / 2-2 division / 8-2 conference
Remaining games: vs. Jets (0-13), at Seahawks (9-4), vs. Cardinals (7-6)
4. Washington (NFC East leader) – 6-7 overall / 3-2 division / 4-5 conference
Remaining games: vs. Seahawks (9-4), vs. Panthers (4-9), at Eagles (4-8-1)
5. Seahawks (First wild card) – 9-4 overall / 2-2 division / 6-3 conference
Remaining games: at Washington (6-7), vs. Rams (9-4), at 49ers (5-8)
6. Buccaneers (Second wild card) – 8-5 overall / 2-2 division / 5-4 conference
Remaining games: at Falcons (4-9), at Lions (5-8), vs. Falcons (4-9)
7. Cardinals (Third wild card) – 7-6 overall / 2-2 division / 5-4 conference
Remaining games: vs. Eagles (4-8-1), vs. 49ers (5-8), at Rams (9-4)
*= Clinched playoff berth
IN CONTENTION
8. Vikings – 6-7 overall / 3-1 division / 4-5 conference
Remaining games: vs. Bears (6-7), at Saints (10-3), vs. Lions (5-8)
9. Bears – 6-7 overall / 1-3 division / 5-5 conference
Remaining games: at Vikings (6-7), at Jaguars (1-12), vs. Packers (10-3)
10. Lions – 5-8 overall / 1-4 division / 4-6 conference
Remaining games: at Titans (9-4), vs. Bucs (8-5), vs. Vikings (6-7)
11. 49ers – 5-8 overall / 2-2 division / 3-6 conference
Remaining games: at Cowboys (4-9), at Cardinals (7-6), vs. Seahawks (9-4)
12. NY Giants – 5-8 overall / 3-2 division / 4-7 conference
Remaining games: vs. Browns (9-3), at Ravens (7-5), vs. Cowboys (4-9)
13. Eagles – 4-8-1 overall / 2-2 division / 4-5 conference
Remaining games: at Cardinals (7-6), at Cowboys (4-9), vs. Washington (6-7)
14. Cowboys – 4-9 overall / 1-3 division / 3-6 conference
Remaining games: vs. 49ers (5-8), vs. Eagles (4-8-1), at Giants (5-8)
Scott Reynolds is in his 30th year of covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the vice president, publisher and senior Bucs beat writer for PewterReport.com. Author of the popular SR's Fab 5 column on Fridays, Reynolds oversees web development and forges marketing partnerships for PewterReport.com in addition to his editorial duties. A graduate of Kansas State University in 1995, Reynolds spent six years giving back to the community as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach for his sons' Pop Warner team, the South Pasco Predators. Reynolds can be reached at: [email protected]




