The 2019 season is winding down with 30 teams only having four games remaining on their schedules. The Seahawks and Vikings will join that group after Monday night’s showdown, which has huge postseason implications – especially for the Rams.
At 9-2, the Seahawks are currently the No. 5 seed in the NFC. The Vikings are close behind, sitting at 8-3. The Seahawks can overtake the 49ers for the division lead with a win on Monday night, while Minnesota can move up to the No. 5 seed by knocking off Seattle.
The Rams are in the near distance at 7-5, needing some help in order to make the playoffs. Monday’s game will go a long way toward determining the Rams’ postseason chances, but before we get into who they should root for, let’s take a look at the current playoff picture.
- West: 49ers (10-2)
- South: Saints (10-2)
- North: Packers (9-3)
- East: Cowboys (6-6)
- Wild card: Seahawks (9-2)
- Wild card: Vikings (8-3)
In the hunt
Rams (7-5)
Bears (6-6)
As difficult as it is for the Rams and their fans to root for a division rival, it’s absolutely necessary on Monday night. Los Angeles needs the Seahawks to beat the Vikings to improve their playoff odds.
According to the New York Times’ playoff machine, the Rams currently have a 20% chance to make the postseason. If the Seahawks win tonight, that number will increase to 26% – not a significant amount, of course, but any improvement is a plus.
However, if the Vikings win, the Rams’ odds will decrease to just 13%. The reason is obvious, too.
With a win, Minnesota will push two games clear of the Rams for the sixth wild-card spot. It’ll drop the Seahawks back to 9-3, too, but the Rams have already lost to the Seahawks and face them next week. If the Vikings lose, they’ll only be one game ahead of Los Angeles, which isn’t an insurmountable deficit to overcome.
In that scenario, the Rams would need to win in Week 14 against the Seahawks and the Vikings would need to lose to Detroit in order for Los Angeles to slide into the No. 6 seed. Again, something that isn’t impossible.
But it all starts with the Vikings losing tonight. If they win, the Rams would need to beat the Seahawks and Cowboys, and Minnesota would need to lose to the Lions and Chargers. Week 16 and 17 would then be in the Rams’ hands, but they’d much prefer to take control of the sixth seed next week.
