Entering Week 16, the NFC West was the only division in the 2024 NFL season where all four teams could still take home the crown. With the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and San Francisco 49ers separated by just two games, there was still a possibility for plenty of twists and turns in the remaining weeks of the 2024 season.
However, we’ve started to gain some clarity on the NFC West. After Week 16, Los Angeles is in the driver’s seat with Seattle, Arizona, and San Francisco losing and L.A. winning. However, all hope for Seattle is not lost.
The Cardinals and 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention. The Rams won, the Cardinals lost, and the Washington Commanders won. All of that combined was the fatal blow for both teams.
What Are the NFC West Playoff Scenarios?
With the other three NFC West teams losing in Week 16, the Rams control their own destiny. Any scenario in which Los Angeles gets to 10.5 wins will give them the NFC West title and a home playoff game on Wild Card Weekend.
The Rams will have a chance to clinch in Week 17, with the most straightforward path being they win and the Seahawks fail to. That will leave Seattle two games back with one to play.
If both win, the Rams would move to 10-6, and the Seahawks would move to 9-7 with a Week 18 showdown looming. The Rams currently hold a slight advantage in the tiebreakers thanks to a superior strength of victory by nine wins entering Monday Night Football.
If the Rams lose in Week 17 and the Seahawks win, it will be a winner-take-all game in Week 18. If both teams lose, it will also be a winner-take-all game.
For the Seahawks to win the NFC West, they essentially need to finish at least half a game ahead of the Rams. That means the Rams need to lose to the Cardinals in Week 17, the Seahawks need to beat the Bears, and then the Seahawks need to beat the Rams in Week 18.
That would put the Rams at 9-8 and the Seahawks at 10-7, thus a clear lead over the Rams and the NFC West division crown.
Head over to PFN’s free NFL Playoff Predictor to test various scenarios and see how they change the playoff picture and the current NFL postseason bracket.
