What the NFC Teams Are Playing For in Week 16

In yesterday’s post, we went over what the AFC teams had to play for in Week 16 and highlighted the different motivations. Now it’s the NFC’s turn. Here’s a look at what’s on the line for the NFC teams this weekend:

Seattle Seahawks

Playing For: To Protect No. 1 Seed

Those who bet on the NFL know it’s pretty simple for the Seahawks: win against Arizona and they clinch the top spot in the NFC and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Even if they lose, a loss by the San Francisco 49ers still gets them the No. 1 seed.

New Orleans Saints

Playing For: To Protect NFC South Title or Wild Card Spot

NFL online betting cappers know that the Saints matchup against the Panthers is crucial as both teams are 10-4. If the Saints win, they clinch the No. 2 spot and the NFC South title. If they lose, they can fall as low as sixth in the NFC depending on if the 49ers win this week.

Carolina Panthers

Playing For: NFC South Title or Wild Card Spot

If the Panthers win, they need to win Week 17 as well (at Atlanta) to clinch the NFC South title, which seems doable. If they lose and the 49ers win, they risk falling to sixth in the NFC.

San Francisco 49ers

Playing For: To Protect Wild Card Spot

The 49ers are the biggest favorite on the NFL betting odds this week as they are laying 12 points at home to the Falcons. They are definitely expected to win. Since New Orleans is playing Carolina, one of those teams will drop to 10-5 (assuming they don’t tie) while the 49ers should move to 11-4 if they win. That will put them into fifth in the NFC. If they can win their remaining games and Seattle loses its remaining games, they still have a shot at the NFC West title and the top seed in the NFC – as unlikely as that may seem.

Philadelphia Eagles

Playing For: To Protect NFC East Lead

The Eagles are in position to clinch the NFC East if they win and Dallas loses. NFL football betting fans will see the Eagles host the Bears on Sunday Night Football. Neither the Eagles nor Cowboys are in play for the wild card. It’s NFC East title or bust for both teams.

Chicago Bears

Playing For: NFC North Title

The Bears – if you can believe it – now control their own destiny in the NFC North. They are a 3-point NFL football betting underdog this week in Philadelphia but if they can win this week and next week (home to Green Bay), they are going to the playoffs.

The Bears and Eagles are both 8-6, so the winner will move up to third in the conference.

Arizona Cardinals

Playing For: No. 6 Wild Card Seed

The Cardinals are a 10.5-point underdog in Seattle this week and you don’t need the sharpest of NFL betting tips to understand how great a challenge it is for them to win. However, not only do they need to become the first team to win in Seattle this season, they will also need a San Francisco loss or Carolina loss in the last two weeks. The latter would be of great help as the Cardinals hold the tiebreaker with Carolina but they don’t have the tiebreaker with San Francisco. However, they host San Francisco in Week 17.

Green Bay Packers

Playing For: NFC North Title

Everyone betting on the NFL is waiting to hear about Aaron Rodgers status for this week. If he’s back, you can expect the Packers to be in a lot of people’s NFL betting picks. They host Pittsburgh this week, then visit Chicago next week. If they win out, they are going to the playoffs.

Detroit Lions

Playing For: Shot at NFC North Title in Week 17

The Lions really blew it on Monday Night Football with their loss to Baltimore. They now need to beat the New York Giants this week and hope that the Green Bay-Chicago winner of next week’s game loses this week. They need those teams to go 1-1 – at best.

Dallas Cowboys

Playing For: Shot at NFC East Title in Week 17

The Cowboys calamitous collapse isn’t as crushing as most people think. If they win at Washington this week (currently a 3-point favorite), they will host Philadelphia in Week 17 for the NFC East title. As horrible as they’ve been in their two December games so far, nothing is lost for them… yet.