The Rams will take the field on Monday night having seen the result of every Week 12 game. As a result, the playoff picture will be that much clearer to them before taking on the Ravens.
They shouldn’t be paying much attention to it, needing to take care of their own business, but there are plenty of games on Sunday afternoon that will have playoff implications in the NFC.
Here’s what the postseason picture looks like right now”
- West: 49ers (9-1)
- North: Packers (8-2)
- South: Saints (8-2)
- East: Cowboys (6-4)
- Wild card: Seahawks (8-2)
- Wild card: Vikings (8-3)
In the hunt
Rams (6-4)
Eagles (5-5)
Panthers (5-5)
Here are the four games that are relevant to the Rams’ playoff hopes as all of them will have an impact on the postseason picture in the NFC.
Seahawks (8-2) vs. Eagles (5-5)
This one is obvious. The Eagles are still in the playoff hunt at 5-5, but the Seahawks are more direct competition for the Rams. Any and every loss suffered by other NFC West opponents will help Los Angeles, even if the Rams are still a long shot to win the division.
The Rams should hope the Eagles win this one to drop the Seahawks back a game. If Los Angeles can beat the Ravens, it’ll be just one game back of Seattle with one more matchup with the Seahawks still to come.
Root for: Eagles
Packers (8-2) vs. 49ers (9-1)
Like the Seahawks-Eagles game, any and every loss by the Rams’ division rivals is helpful. However, this game isn’t as clear cut as Seahawks-Eagles. A loss by the Packers would put them in a tie with the Vikings atop the NFC North. That would help the Rams, who would be just one game behind both teams if they win on Monday.
If the 49ers lose, they’ll be at minimum two games ahead of Los Angeles. That’s not an insurmountable gap, but the Rams would have a better chance to surpass the Vikings or Packers, who still have to play each other again, in the wild-card race.
For that reason, it’d be better for the Rams if the 49ers won and began to run away with the division.
Root for: 49ers
Panthers (5-5) vs. Saints (8-2)
Even if the Saints lose this one, they’re most likely going to win the NFC South. The Panthers simply aren’t good enough to win consistently without Cam Newton. As a result, the Rams should hope New Orleans wins this one and pushes one step closer to clinching the division.
They’re not going to be a wild-card team anyway, so it’d be better for the Panthers to fall further behind in the race with the Rams. The fewer teams vying for a wild-card spot, the better.
Root for: Saints
Patriots (9-1) vs. Cowboys (6-4)
Does this one really need to be explained? As hard as it may be to root for the team that just beat the Rams in the Super Bowl, Los Angeles should hope the Patriots win on Sunday afternoon. The Cowboys and Eagles could be tied at the end of the day if Dallas loses and Philly wins, which would put both of them either tied with the Rams (if they lose) or one game behind.
The Eagles and Cowboys are fighting for an NFC East crown, but the loser still has a chance at a wild-card berth. It’d be best if Dallas lost, as well as the Eagles.
Root for: Patriots
