Atlanta Falcons: NFC Power Rankings, Week 16

Are the New York Giants the eighth best team in the NFC? No, they are the worst team that is still alive in the NFC Playoffs race, only a game back of the Washington Redskins in the NFC East. The Odell Beckham Jr. circus show in Week 15 versus the Carolina Panthers will prove costly as the G-Men won’t have OBJ in their Week 16 game versus the Minnesota Vikings due to suspension.

While they are still in it mathematically, the New York Giants are probably not going to make the NFC Playoffs for the fourth year in a row. That could stand as a glaring fact on Tom Coughlin’s resume and the Mara Family may look to replace their two-time Super Bowl winning head coach this offseason.

Philadelphia isn’t the seventh best team in the NFC, but do have their opportunity to win the NFC East. The Eagles have two divisional games left, including a prime time game at home versus the Washington Redskins on Saturday. A win and Philly takes control of the East. A loss and they are hopelessly eliminated.

There are too many inconsistencies on Chip Kelly’s roster to believe that this team can make the playoffs let alone win in the Wild Card round. However, having their biggest competitors at the moment in the Redskins and Giants left on the schedule gives them a fighting chance should they win out to finish at .500.

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The Minnesota Vikings have essentially clinched a playoff spot with their win over the Chicago Bears in Week 15. There is some extremely complicated way that the Atlanta Falcons can take their sixth seed away, but Minnesota is in barring a historic collapse and then some.

They will face the New York Giants sans Odell Beckham, Jr. in Week 16 and must travel to Lambeau Field to face Green Bay for a potential division title. At 9-5, the Vikings are looking at playoff seeding whether that’s third, fifth, or sixth.

There isn’t a team in the NFL more feared entering Week 16 than the Seattle Seahawks. With Russell Wilson playing his best stretch of football and wideouts Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett playing like Top 10 receiving threats, the Seahawks could beat Carolina on the road in the Divisional Round.

After looking pedestrian in the first half of 2015, they have won five straight and seven of their last eight games. With two NFC West games remaining at home in St. Louis and Arizona, Seattle could finish at 11-5. However, since they did lose to both the Rams and Seahawks already this season, 9-7 is a possible outcome as well.

Next: Tier I: NFC Projected Division Champions