Week 14 games with NFC playoff implications
The Arizona Cardinals do not play in Week 14 until Monday night but there are plenty of games on the schedule that matter in the NFC playoff race. The Cardinals remain the No. 1 seed.
Their own game against the Los Angeles Rams has playoff implications, but which Sunday games should be of interest for Cardinals fans, either because the games impact the playoff race or because they affect the Cardinals?
We go over those games below.
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Falcons at Panthers
Both teams are 5-7 and are a game back of the final playoffs spot. Whoever loses likely trails someone for the No. 7 seed by two games with four remaining in the regular season.
Depending on how things play out for the Cardinals at the top of the conference, they could end up playing the No. 7 seed in the wild card round of the playoffs.
Saints at Jets
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
The Saints are in the same boat as the Falcons and Panthers. They are a game behind the No. 7 seed. They must win to keep pace or risk potentially being two games out of the final spot with four weeks to go.
Cowboys at Washington
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys lead Washington by two games in the NFC East and Washington currently is the No. 6 seed. If they beat Dallas, they will close the gap in the division and maintain their spot in the playoff picture. A loss would likely bump them out.
The Cardinals are two games ahead of the Cowboys in the conference standings, so it might be a little more advantageous for a Washington win.
49ers at Bengals
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers are the No. 7 seed right now at 6-6. They need to win to stay in the playoff picture, while the Bengals are battling in the AFC.
San Francisco is virtually eliminated from NFC West contention, as one Cardinals win or 49ers loss will eliminate them.
Bills at Buccaneers
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
A month ago, this looked like a potential Super Bowl preview. But the Bills have struggled more recently. It still could be.
The Bucs are one game behind the Cardinals in the NFC standings. A Bills win would help put some distance between them.
Bears at Packers
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
The Packers are a game behind the Cardinals but they hold a tiebreaker over Arizona. So if they win and the Cardinals lose, they will be the No. 1 seed. So while the Cardinals can beat the Rams and maintain their lead, Cardinals fans are also Bears fans this week. A two-game lead in the NFC with four games to go is ideal. The problem? Rodgers is 21-5 in his career against the Bears.
Rams at Cardinals
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Cardinals clinch a playoff berth with a win and also drop their magic number to one game to win the NFC West as well if they beat the Rams.
This is basically a playoff game for Arizona. It is this sort of game that can define the rest of the season.
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