Did You Know: NFC East Is One Game Away From Two Playoff Teams?

The current NFC playoff picture:

Have you been paying attention to the NFC playoff picture's wild turn of events in the fight for the third Wild Card spot? If not, we have some surprises for you.

How many football fans are aware that the Vikings, after a 1-5 start, are currently in the playoffs? The Vikings hold the tiebreaker over the Cardinals, also 6-6, based on win percentage in common games.

Even more shocking is that the once dreadful 2020 NFC East is just one game out of sending two playoff teams to the postseason. Washington (5-7) is only a game behind the Vikings for the third Wild Card. In the seeding though, the Football Team trails the Lions (lost head-to-head), the Bears (a current lower win percentage in conference games), the 49ers (whom they play this weekend in a significant game), and the Cardinals (6-6). That's a lot of teams to leap. A lot of flawed, week-to-week teams.

Among those four 5-7 teams, the Vikings, and Cardinals, Washington is playing the best football. Ask the former undefeated Steelers.

If Washington's defense continues to play well, it could overtake New York (5-7) -- who beat WFT twice -- for the division title. The Giants would then vie for the third Wild Card spot, and based on how they are playing, they may just take it.

Not so bad of a division, huh?

At the top, the 1st seed is a two-team race amid the Seahawks' loss. New Orleans has the record advantage, but Green Bay owns the tiebreaker with a head-to-head win. The Saints have the Chiefs and Vikings left. The Titans are the Packers' only remaining opponent who could cause them problems. What's more, the Packers have been so dominant of late that New Orleans is more likely than Green Bay to record a late-season upset loss.

Week 16's Seahawks-Rams matchup could determine the NFC West and the subsequent 5th seed. The 4-5 matchup (Wild Card 1 vs. NFC East winner) is no longer appealing for the 5, however. If seeding holds, it'll be the Seahawks (5) vs. Giants (4), a matchup New York just won.

Four more weeks to go.