NFC Playoff Race Heats Up - Week 15
NFC Playoff Race Heats Up - Week 15

As the NFL enters Week 15, there are 14 NFC teams in contention for a trip to Super Bowl 50.

The Carolina Panthers (13-0) and Arizona Cardinals (11-2) have both clinched a postseason berth. Four playoff spots in the conference remain up for grabs.

The Panthers have won the NFC South and secured a first-round bye. The Cardinals have clinched a playoff berth.

Following are the records of NFC playoff contenders, their remaining games and their wins and losses against other NFC playoff hopefuls:

NFC East

Team/Games vs AFC Contenders Overall Division Conference Week 15 Week 16 Week 17
(Source: NFL)
WASHINGTON REDSKINS6-72-26-4Bufat Phiat Dal
Wins: Chi, NO, NYG, Phi, StL, TB; Losses: Atl, Car, Dal, NYG
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES6-72-23-6AzWasat NYG
Wins: Dal, NO, NYG; Losses: Atl, Car, Dal, TB, Was
NEW YORK GIANTS6-72-34-5Carat MinPhi
Wins: Dal, TB, Was; Losses: Atl, Dal, NO, Phi, Was
DALLAS COWBOYS4-93-23-8NYJat BufWas
Wins: NYG, Phi, Was; Losses: Atl, Car, GB, NO, NYG, Phi, Sea, TB

 

NFC North

Team/Games vs AFC Contenders Overall Division Conference Week 15 Week 16 Week 17
(Source: NFL)
GREEN BAY PACKERS9-43-27-3at Oakat AzMin
Wins: Chi, Dal, Min, StL, Sea; Losses: Car, Chi
MINNESOTA VIKINGS8-53-15-4ChiNYGat GB
Wins: Atl, Chi, StL; Losses: Az, GB, Sea
CHICAGO BEARS5-81-32-7at Minat TBDet
Wins: GB, StL; Losses: Az, GB, Min, Sea, Was

 

NFC South

Team/Games vs AFC Contenders Overall Division Conference Week 15 Week 16 Week 17
(Source: NFL)
CAROLINA PANTHERS *13-04-09-0at NYGat AtlTB
Wins: Atl, Dal, GB, NO (2), Phi, Sea, TB, Was
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS6-73-25-4at StLChiat Car
Wins: Atl (2), Dal, NO, Phi; Losses: Car, NO, NYG, Was
ATLANTA FALCONS6-70-44-6at JaxCarNO
Wins: Dal, NYG, Phi, Was; Losses: Car, Min, NO, TB (2)
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS5-82-34-6DetJaxat Atl
Wins: Atl, Dal, NYG, TB; Losses: Az, Car (2), Phi, TB, Was

 

NFC West

Team/Games vs AFC Contenders Overall Division Conference Week 15 Week 16 Week 17
(Source: NFL)
ARIZONA CARDINALS **11-24-18-1at PhiGBSea
Wins: Chi, Min, NO, StL, Sea; Loss: StL
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS8-52-26-4CleStLat Az
Wins: Chi, Dal, Min; Losses: Az, Car, GB, StL
ST. LOUIS RAMS5-83-14-5TBat Seaat SF
Wins: Az, Sea; Losses: Az, Chi, GB, Min, Was

 

* Clinched division and first-round bye

** Clinched playoff berth

 

NFC Playoff Picture - Week 15

Seed Team Division Record
(Source: NFL) *Division Winner ^Playoff berth #First-round bye
1Carolina#South13-0-0
2Arizona^West11-2-0
3Green BayNorth9-4-0
4WashingtonEast6-7-0
5SeattleWest8-5-0
6MinnesotaNorth8-5-0
Still Alive
7Tampa BaySouth6-7-0
8AtlantaSouth6-7-0
9PhiladelphiaEast6-7-0
10N.Y. GiantsEast6-7-0
11St. LouisWest5-8-0
12New OrleansSouth5-8-0
13ChicagoNorth5-7-0
16DallasEast4-9-0
Eliminated
14DetroitNorth4-9-0
15San FranciscoWest4-9-0

 

Here are the official Week 15 playoff clinching scenarios:

2015 NFL Playoff Scenarios For Week 15

NFC

Clinched:

Carolina Panthers (NFC South and a first-round bye)

Arizona Cardinals (playoff berth)

CAROLINA PANTHERS (at New York Giants, Sunday)

Carolina clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

  1. CAR win + ARI loss or tie OR
  2. CAR tie + ARI loss

ARIZONA CARDINALS (at Philadelphia, Sunday night)

Arizona clinches NFC West division with:

  1. ARI win or tie OR
  2. SEA loss or tie OR
  3. ARI clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over SEA

(Note: ARI clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over SEA in scenario 3 if all of the following occurs: CIN win, NO win, DAL loss, PIT loss)

Arizona clinches a first-round bye with:

  1. ARI win + GB loss or tie OR
  2. ARI tie + GB loss

GREEN BAY PACKERS (at Oakland, Sunday)

Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with:

  1. GB win or tie OR
  2. TB loss or tie + WAS loss or tie OR
  3. TB loss or tie + NYG loss or tie

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (vs. Cleveland, Sunday)

Seattle clinches a playoff spot with:

  1. SEA win + TB loss or tie + NYG loss or tie OR
  2. SEA win + TB loss or tie + WAS loss or tie OR
  3. SEA win + TB loss or tie + ATL loss or tie + MIN loss + GB win or tie OR
  4. SEA tie + TB loss + ATL loss or tie + NYG loss OR
  5. SEA tie + TB loss + ATL loss or tie + WAS loss + PHI loss or tie

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (vs. Chicago, Sunday)

Minnesota clinches a playoff spot with:

  1. MIN win + TB loss or tie + WAS loss or tie + ATL loss or tie OR
  2. MIN win + TB loss or tie + WAS loss or tie + SEA loss or tie OR
  3. MIN win + TB loss or tie + NYG loss or tie + ATL loss or tie OR
  4. MIN win + TB loss or tie + NYG loss or tie + SEA loss or tie OR
  5. MIN tie + TB loss + ATL loss or tie + PHI loss or tie + WAS loss OR
  6. MIN tie + TB loss + ATL loss or tie + PHI loss or tie + NYG loss OR
  7. MIN tie + TB loss + ATL loss or tie + WAS loss or tie + NYG loss or tie (as long as WAS and NYG both don't tie)

 

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