NFC Playoff Picture: Chicago Bears currently the 3rd seed

With week 12 set to wrap up later tonight (Tennessee vs. Houston), that will end all the bye weeks for NFL teams this year. Each team will have five games left to play in the 2018 season, and the playoff push is in full swing for about half the league.

The AFC is a bit more jumbled up, with five teams still with a realistic shot at a first round bye, but the top of the NFC is much clearer. We’ll run down the NFC right here, but if you’re curious about the AFC you can click this link.

NFC Playoff Picture

1st Seed) New Orleans Saints (10-1): Games remaining - at Cowboys (6-5), at Buccaneers (4-7), at Panthers (6-5), vs. Steelers (7-3-1), vs. Panthers (6-5)

2nd Seed) Los Angeles Rams (10-1): Games remaining - at Lions (4-7), at Bears (8-3), vs. Eagles (5-6), at Cardinals (2-9), vs. 49ers (2-9)

3rd Seed) Chicago Bears (8-3): Games remaining - at Giants (3-8), vs. Rams (10-1), vs. Packers (4-5-1), at 49ers (2-9), at Vikings (6-4-1)

4th Seed) Dallas Cowboys (6-5): Games remaining - vs. Saints (10-1), vs. Eagles (5-6), at Colts (6-5), vs. Buccaneers (4-7), at Giants (3-8)

5th Seed) Minnesota Vikings (6-4-1): Games remaining - at Patriots (8-3), at Seahawks (6-5), vs. Dolphins (5-6), at Lions (4-7), vs. Bears (8-3)

6th Seed) Washington Redskins (6-5) : Games remaining - at Eagles (5-6), vs. Giants (3-8), at Jaguars (3-8), at Titans (5-5), vs. Eagles (5-6)

With ten wins, the Saints seem like a lock for a first round bye, although they do have a tough schedule to close out the season with four games holding potential playoff implications.

The Rams game in Chicago on Sunday night (Dec. 9) could go a long way in determining who also gets a first round bye. If the Bears can take care of business and get that win, the head-to-head tiebreaker could give them that edge towards a bye. L.A. has an easier road down the stretch however.

The Vikings are still alive for the NFC North title, but that pesky tie could come into play and keep them in the wildcard spot.

The NFC East has two in the dance now, but I suspect the other wildcard will come from elsewhere.

NFC in the hunt

7th Seed) Seattle Seahawks (6-5): Games remaining - vs. 49ers (2-9), vs. Vikings (5-4-1), at 49ers (2-9), vs. Chiefs (9-2), vs. Cardinals (2-9)

8th Seed) Carolina Panthers (6-5): Games remaining - at Buccaneers (4-7), at Browns (4-6-1), vs. Saints (10-1), vs. Falcons (4-7), at Saints (10-1)

9th Seed) Philadelphia Eagles (5-6): Games remaining - vs. Redskins (6-5), at Cowboys (6-5), at Rams (10-1), vs. Texans (7-3), at Redskins (6-5)

I think Seahawks end up in that 6th seed, and I’m not ready to bury the Eagles as a possible division champ quite yet.

How do you guys see the NFC shaping up?