The NFC playoff picture became clearer Saturday night as the Washington Redskins clinched the NFC East with a 38-24 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
That means Washington is locked in to the No. 4 seed, and the Seattle Seahawks could know their first-round opponent by the end of Sunday's games. If the following three things happen, the Seahawks will clinch the No. 5 seed and have a date in Washington for the wild-card round regardless of what happens in Week 17.
1. The Seahawks have to beat the St. Louis Rams.
2. The Green Bay Packers (10-4) have to beat the Arizona Cardinals.
3. The New York Giants have to beat the Minnesota Vikings (9-5).
If those three things don't happen, then the Seahawks' first-round opponent will still be up in the air depending on what happens in Week 17. It could be the Redskins, Packers, Vikings or Cardinals.
The most important thing to know is that the Seahawks own the tiebreaker over the Vikings and lose the tiebreaker with the Packers. So if Minnesota wins the division, and the Seahawks and Packers finish with the same record as the wild-card teams, Seattle would fall to the No. 6 seed and take on the Vikings.
If the Packers win the division, and the Seahawks and Vikings finish with the same records as the wild-card teams, Seattle would hold on to the No. 5 seed and take on Washington.
The Packers go to Arizona Sunday and take on the Vikings in Green Bay in Week 17.
Minnesota hosts a Giants team Sunday that has been eliminated from postseason contention.