When week 14 ended, the NFC made the 1st declaration for the playoffs in the 2023-24 NFL season, as the San Francisco 49ers clinched a playoff berth. As we take a look at the NFC playoff picture for week 15, we’ll see the potential ways of the following scenarios:
The 49ers can become NFC West Champions. The Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, & Philadelphia Eagles can clinch playoff berths. The Arizona Cardinals (who host the 49ers on Sunday) & Washington Commanders could be eliminated from playoff contention.
The 49ers win the NFC West, if they win or tie against the Cardinals or if the Los Angeles Rams lose or tie at home against the Commanders.
The Cowboys can clinch a playoff berth if they win or tie on the road against the Buffalo Bills, or if the Rams & Seattle Seahawks lose. They can also clinch if…
-the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose and…the 49ers & Lions win or tie; the Lions win or tie & the Rams lose or tie; the Minnesota Vikings lose or tie & the Lions win or tie; the Rams & Vikings lose or tie; the Vikings & Seattle Seahawks lose or tie.
-the Buccaneers tie and…the Lions win or tie; the Rams or Seahawks lose or tie.
-the Atlanta Falcons lose or tie and…the Green Bay Packers lose & the Seahawks or Rams lose or tie; the Lions win or tie & the Packers lose; the Vikings lose or tie & the Lions win or tie; the Vikings & Rams lose or tie; the Seahawks & Vikings lose or tie; the Lions & 49ers win or tie; the Lions win or tie & the Rams lose or tie.
The Eagles can clinch a berth, if they win or tie on the road against the Seahawks. However, they could clinch a playoff spot before Monday’s game, if…
-the Vikings lose or tie and…the Rams & Falcons lose or tie; the Falcons lose or tie, the 49ers win or tie, & the Lions win; the Buccaneers lose & the Rams lose or tie; the Lions win, the Buccaneers lose, & the 49ers win or tie.
-the Packers lose, the Falcons lose or tie, and…the Rams lose or tie; the 49ers win or tie & the Lions win.
-the Packers tie and…the Rams lose or tie; the Lions win & the 49ers win or tie.
The Lions can clinch a berth, but a win at home against the Denver Broncos by itself won’t do it. They would also need…
-a loss or tie from the Seahawks and…the Packers, Vikings, or Rams.
-a Rams loss or tie and…a Falcons & Vikings loss or tie; a Vikings loss or tie & a Buccaneers loss; a Packers loss & a Falcons loss or tie; a Packers tie.
If the Lions tie, they can still clinch, if…
-the Seahawks & Rams lose and…the Packers, Buccaneers, Vikings, or Falcons lose.
-the Packers lose and…the Falcons lose or tie & the Seahawks lose; the Rams lose and the Falcons & New Orleans Saints lose or tie.
The Commanders can be eliminated, if they lose. They can also be eliminaated if they tie, the Vikings win or tie, and the Saints, Falcons, Packers, & Chicago Bears win.
The Cardinals can be eliminated, if they lose. They also can also be eliminated if…
-they tie and…the Bears, Rams, or Falcons win or tie; the Buccaneers, Packers, Seahawks, or New York Giants win.
-the Rams win and…the Vikings or Packers win or tie.
-the Saints win or tie, the Rams win, and…the Falcons win or tie & the Bears win; the Bears tie & the Falcons win.
-the Rams tie, the Vikings win or tie, and…the Giants & Falcons win and the Buccaneers & Bears win or tie; the Bears & Saints win or tie and the Falcons & Packers win; the Packers & Bears win, the Falcons tie, and the Saints win or tie; the Bears & Falcons win and the Packers tie.
-the Vikings win or tie and…the Bears win or tie and the Packers, Saints, & Falcons win; the Saints, Bears, & Packers win and the Falcons tie; the Saints win or tie, the Falcons & Bears win, and the Packers tie.
