Week 12 Wildcard Outlook

Going into this week I was interested in how each team is positioned for the 3 wildcard spots and who had the toughest schedules.  Here is a look at the remaining schedule for all the teams with at least 5 wins:


Rams (7-4): Jags, @cardinals, Seahawks, @vikings, Steven Janzen, 49ers

Best guess for the rest: 4-2 (Beating Jags & Seahawks + 2-2 in their challenging games)



49ers (6-5): @seahawks, @bengals, Flacons, @titans, Texans, @rams

Best guess for the rest: 4-2 (Beating Seahawks, Falcons, Texans + 1-2 in challenging road games)



Washington (5-6): @raiders, Cowboys, @eagles, @cowboys, Eagles, @ Giants

Best guess for the rest: 3-3 (Beat Giants, Split with Eagles + 1-2 vs Raiders & Cowboys)



Falcons (5-6): Bucs, @panthers, @49ers, Lions, @bills, Saints

Best guess for the rest: 2-4 (Beating Lions + 1-1 vs Saints & Panthers)



Eagles (5-7): @jets, Washington, Giants, @washington, Cowboys

Best guess for the rest: 3-2 (Beat Jets, Giants, Split with Washington)



Saints (5-7): @jets, @bucs, Dolphins, Panthers, @falcons

Best guess for the rest: 3-2 (Beat Jets, 2-1 vs Dolphins, Panthers, Falcons)



Panthers (5-7): Falcons, @bills, Bucs, @saints, @bucs

Best guess for the rest: 1-4 (1-1 vs Falcons, Saints)



Vikings (5-6): @lions, Steelers, @bears, Rams, @packers, Bears

Best guess for the rest: 4-2 (Win vs Lions, Steelers, Bears x2)



That would make the final Wild Card standings

Rams: 11-6

49ers: 10-7

Vikings: 9-8

Washington: 8-9

Eagles: 8-9

Saints: 8-9

Falcons: 7-10

Panthers: 6-11



I have a few take aways from this:
1) The Vikings have to go 4-2 down the stretch to make the Playoffs. Too many teams chasing that 7th seed and it is likely 1 of them plays a bit better than I expect. This isn’t too bad because they probably have the easiest schedule out of the group.


2) Catching the Rams seems more likely than catching the 49ers. The Rams have a brutal schedule, going 1-2 vs the Cardinals, Ravens & 49ers is very possible for them. If that were to happen and the Vikings beat the Lions, Bears & Steelers that Rams game would be for the 6 seed.


3) Some teams that look like a threat in the standings aren’t because of schedule (Falcons & Panthers). Washington and the Eagles play so many division games, it will be difficult for either one to distance themselves.