The NFC playoff picture is starting to clear up, as the 49ers, Saints and Green Bay Packers are all working to secure the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage.
The Baltimore Ravens control the AFC, but in the NFC, there are a handful of scenarios still at play in the NFC East and NFC West.
Here is a look at the standings ahead of Monday’s matchup between the Packers and Minnesota Vikings:
NFC
Division Leaders
1. San Francisco (12-3, clinched playoff berth)
2. New Orleans (12-3, clinched NFC South)
3. Green Bay (11-3, clinched playoff berth)
4. Philadelphia (8-7)
Wild Card
5. Seattle (11-4, clinched playoff berth)
6. Minnesota (10-4, clinched playoff berth)
In the Hunt
7. Dallas (7-8)
The Cardinals victory over the Seahawks in Seattle presents three opportunities for Green Bay to secure the No. 1 seed:
1. Packers beat Vikings On Monday Night Football
2. Packers beat Lions on Sunday
3. Seahawks beat 49ers on Sunday night
Regardless of Monday night, if San Francisco can beat Seattle next Sunday night on NBC, they’ll be the top seed in the NFC.
If the Seahawks beat the 49ers on Sunday night, Green Bay will be the top seed, and the Vikings could find themselves heading to Philadelphia.
We ranked the Birds potential opening-round opponents with the top team as the easiest Wild Card opponent and the third team presenting the most difficult challenge.
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1. San Francisco 49ers
The NFC’s top team all season, we’re banking on an experienced team folding under the pressure and the weather that Lincoln Financial Field can offer. Jimmy Garoppolo has never started a playoff game and first-year playoff starters have about a 30% chance of being successful.
The 49ers defense is heralded, but they play into the Eagles strength on the offensive line and San Franciso has given up almost 40 points a game over the last three outings.
Both Seattle and San Francisco would also be traveling across country on a short week, and possibly have to play on Saturday night.
2. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle defeated the Eagles 17-9, in a game that was closer than the score indicated. The Seahawks have a star at quarterback in Russell Wilson but are just as beat up as the Eagles are after Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals.
In their loss to the Cardinals Week 16, Seattle lost starting running back Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise for the season. The Seahawks are already without RB2 Rashaad Penny, leaving rookie running back Travis Homer as the only available player.
Seattle is set to sign Marshawn Lynch if he passes his physical.
Starting LT Duane Brown is also coming off knee surgery.
3. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings present the most difficult challenge because of Cousin’s veteran presence and Minnesota’s ability to beat with the run, the pass or both.
The Vikings play an impressive brand of defense, will travel and play well because of their NFC North trials and present a dynamic that gives the Eagles the most trouble. Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs are two of the top wideouts in all of football, and they play on the same team. In their first matchup earlier this season, Cousins shredded the Eagles secondary, as Jim Schwartz refused to make Dalvin Cook beat them.
