:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25788148/2189695885.jpg?w=860&resize=860,0&ssl=1 "The group that does it will win the NFC West")
The reply to the query “Who will win the NFC West?” is so simple as it’s difficult: The group that wins the remainder of their video games will win the NFC West.
In actual fact, the Cardinals will win the division in the event that they win the remainder of their video games and the Seahawks don’t go 4-0 or 3-1, and would end forward of the Rams. If that appears outlandish, the Cardinals will probably be closely favored in three of their 4 remaining video games, with the one exception being the Rams recreation in Week 17.
So basically, the Rams will probably be enjoying playoff video games for the remainder of the season:
Week 16, Jets (must-win)
Week 17, Cardinals (must-win)
Week 18, Seahawks (must-win)
The group that doesn’t have a slip-up within the subsequent 4 weeks is the group that may win the division.
That appears apparent, however the NFC West is definitely a uncommon 3-way race wherein all three groups — the 8-6 Rams, 8-5 Seahawks, and even the 6-7 Cardinals — can win the division in the event that they win the remainder of their video games. And as ridiculous as that sounds for an Arizona group that’s basically THREE video games behind Seattle within the standings proper now (they acquired swept by the Seahawks, so it’s a 3-game lead), the Cardinals may even have probably the most forgiving path to profitable the division.
As a result of if the Seahawks, Rams, and Cardinals all end 10-7, then Arizona most probably wins the NFC West.
But when the Rams win out, they are going to win the NFC West.
And if the Seahawks win out, they are going to win the NFC West.
That is the way it performs out:
How the Rams win the NFC West (Trying Higher Than Ever)
By beating the 49ers on Thursday evening, the Rams actually put the strain on Seattle to make no slip-ups of their subsequent three weeks. That’s a tall order for the Seahawks, as they’re hitting their most troublesome stretch of the season: Packers and Vikings.
Then Seattle has to go to Chicago and play the Bears in late December on three days relaxation.
The Rams now get 10 days to arrange for the 3-10 Jets and if L.A. wins that recreation, they are going to assure themselves a possibility to maneuver forward of the Seahawks in Week 18:
The Rams have a win over the Seahawks already
So long as the Rams enter Week 18 inside a recreation of Seattle, then they will assure themselves shifting forward of the Seahawks by head-to-head in any 2-way tie
So it’s fairly easy: If the Seahawks lose to the Packers this Sunday evening and the Rams beat the Jets in Week 16, they’re assured a title shot by enjoying the Seahawks in Week 18 it doesn’t matter what occurs in Week 17. Nevertheless, if the Cardinals win their subsequent two video games, then Week 17 turns into simply as essential as Week 18.
If the Rams win their final 3 video games, they are going to win the NFC West with an 11-6 document. Interval. The very best the Seahawks may do is 11-6 and have two losses to the Rams.
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Pictures
How the Seahawks win the NFC West (Trying Worse)
Primarily, the Seahawks can’t have one mistake within the subsequent three weeks or they at finest should beat the Rams in Week 18 to make the playoffs. Traditionally—and this goes again to Mike Holmgren vs. Mike Martz days—Seattle is horrible in opposition to the Rams every time the Rams are good. It has by no means mattered how good the Seahawks are on the time: Each time the Rams are good, they beat the Seahawks and particularly in playoff-type video games.
If the Seahawks don’t enter Week 18 with greater than a one-game benefit on the Rams, then they should play their Achilles heel for the appropriate to win the division. (Except the Cardinals are nonetheless alive, which we are going to get to subsequent.)
However being excellent within the subsequent three video games will probably be difficult for Seattle:
The Seahawks play the 9-4 Packers and the 11-2 Vikings
The Seahawks have solely overwhelmed one group with a profitable document: The Broncos in Week 1, when Bo Nix was making his NFL debut
The Seahawks would now should beat two groups which are higher than any group they’ve defeated all season lengthy
If the Seahawks go 2-1 within the subsequent three video games, they are going to be 10-6 going into the finale. So long as the Rams are 9-7 going into the finale, they’ve earned the appropriate to play for the title. (Which signifies that Rams-Seahawks will most probably be the Sunday Evening Soccer recreation in Week 18. The one different contender, Lions-Vikings, would require the Vikings to catch the Lions first.)
So if the Seahawks don’t go 3-0, they will’t assure themselves any shot of profitable the division with out having to beat the Rams. Which means Seattle really has to go 4-0 to win the division except L.A. collapses in these subsequent two video games.
Regardless of having a lead within the division proper now, the Seahawks are below immense strain to play their finest soccer of the season they usually have not likely been that good of a group at residence these days.
How the Cardinals win the division (Sure, it’s attainable)
The one remaining recreation on Arizona’s schedule that might be an upset is that if they beat the Rams in Week 17. The Cardinals beat the Rams 41-10 this season.
Week 15: Cardinals vs 3-10 Patriots
Week 16: Cardinals at 3-10 Panthers
Week 17: Cardinals at 8-6 Rams
Week 18: Cardinals vs 6-8 49ers
I don’t know in case you seen or not, however the 49ers are quitting on the season. They gained’t present up in Week 18, so if the Cardinals have one thing to play for then they’re going to be much more ready for that recreation.
Which signifies that so long as Arizona doesn’t undergo an upset in opposition to two of the worst groups within the NFL, they’re mainly enjoying the Rams in Week 17 for the appropriate to play for the division title.
However why? What’s the tiebreaker?
If the Cardinals win out, they are going to end 10-7 with a 4-2 division document.
If the Rams and Seahawks each end 10-7, then tiebreaker isn’t a simple head-to-head document.
If the Rams go 2-1 (loss to Arizona) they are going to end 10-7 with a 3-3 division document.
If the Seahawks go 2-2 (loss to Rams) they are going to end 10-7 with a 3-3 division document.
The Cardinals may have gone 2-0 in opposition to the Rams, however 0-2 in opposition to the Seahawks.
The Seahawks may have gone 0-2 in opposition to the Ram, however 2-0 in opposition to the Cardinals.
The Rams may have gone 2-0 in opposition to the Seahawks, however 0-2 in opposition to the Cardinals.
That signifies that the tiebreaker would come all the way down to division document:
10-7 Cardinals, 4-2 division
10-7 Rams, 3-3 division
10-7 Seahawks, 3-3 division
If the Cardinals win out, they’re assured to win the division except Seattle goes 4-0 or 3-1. The Rams couldn’t win the division of Arizona wins out due to what I simply laid out. This could imply that the Rams misplaced to the Cardinals and would lose to them in both tiebreaker.
Who will win it?
The Rams didn’t even rating a landing on Thursday, however they made a profitable transfer by beating the 49ers. That is going to be an enormous take a look at for Seattle to show that the can beat the Packers, Vikings, and Rams, whereas their Thursday evening recreation in Chicago isn’t any cake stroll.
That form of strain on the present division chief may work to L.A.’s benefit. However the Cardinals can’t be taken flippantly; regardless of their poor place proper now, they’ve two video games that they may win after which it’s nearly how they play in opposition to the Rams.
Nonetheless, it looks as if the Rams acquired the benefit tonight. They knocked out the 49ers and put themselves in place to do no worse than play Seattle for the NFC West title.
That is now the Rams division to lose.
