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NFC Playoff Picture - Week 15

A look at the NFC Playoff race heading into Week 15, as teams have just three games left in the regular season.
John Hendrix|
NFC Playoff Picture - Week 15
NFC Playoff Picture - Week 15

After losing to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the New Orleans Saints are no longer in control of their own destiny with three weeks to go in the regular season. That won't deter the Saints and their focus, as it's all about their next game against Indianapolis on Monday Night Football.

“It's real simple. One, two, or three. That's what we're playing for," said Sean Payton in his Monday morning press conference with the media. 

"The focus is on the Colts and us playing better football. We're either going to be in one of those three spots and the focus has to be on improving and the focus has to be on playing the Colts. It is really that simple.”

Here's a glimpse at the latest NFC Playoff picture.

If the NFC Playoffs started today

  1. 49ers (11-2)
  2. Packers (10-3)
  3. Saints (10-3)
  4. Cowboys (6-7) 
  5. Seahawks (10-3)
  6. Vikings (9-4)

In the Hunt

  • Rams (8-5)
  • Bears (7-6)
  • Eagles (6-7)

Eliminated

  • Buccaneers (6-7)
  • Panthers (5-8)
  • Falcons (4-9)
  • Lions (3-9-1)
  • Cardinals (3-9-1)
  • Redskins (3-10)
  • Giants (2-11)

The Saints already clinched a playoff berth on Thanksgiving, and will be the lone representation of the NFC South this season.

Matchups to watch: The Seahawks travel to take on the Panthers, while the Bears will be in Green Bay to take on the Packers. Both are noon kickoffs. The 49ers play the Falcons in a late kickoff.

According to ESPN's NFL Playoff Machine, the Saints can get back to the top spot in the NFC if this happens: Seahawks, Bears, Falcons win. The team to watch here is the Packers, as a loss by them opens the door for the Saints to at least move to No. 2. Of course, the only focus as Payton said is the Colts.

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John Hendrix
JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net

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