NFC playoff picture: What are Cowboys’ chances after beating Raiders in Week 11?

The NFC will be stacked come playoff time. Any of the top eight teams could legitimately vie for the championship, if they make it into January. So, are there any teams currently in line to make the postseason that could fall out of the NFC playoff picture, and are any teams on the outside looking in who are getting hot enough to contend for one of the seven spots?

NFC standings

1. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-2, NFC East
2. Los Angeles Rams, 8-2, NFC West
3. Chicago Bears, 7-3, NFC North
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-4, AFC South
5. Seattle Seahawks, 7-3, NFC West
6. Green Bay Packers, 6-3-1, NFC North
7. San Francisco 49ers, 7-4, NFC West
8. Detroit Lions, 6-4, NFC North
9. Carolina Panthers, 6-5, NFC South
10. Dallas Cowboys, 4-5-1, NFC East
11. Minnesota Vikings, 4-6, NFC North
12. Arizona Cardinals, 3-7, NFC West
13. Atlanta Falcons, 3-7, NFC South
14. Washington Commanders, 3-8, NFC East
15. New Orleans Saints, 2-8, NFC South
16. New York Giants, 2-9, NFC East

NFC division leaders

The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles again look like the best team in the NFL. Despite drama surrounding A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith not getting a surplus of targets, and the fact that Saquon Barkley hasn’t been as dominant as he was during his 2,000-yard season, the Eagles still look borderline unbeatable.

The Los Angeles Rams just won a marquee matchup over the Seattle Seahawks. Their impressive victory thrusts them into division leadership of the NFC West. The Rams have the second cheapest defense in the NFL, but the unit does what it takes to win games. On offense, the receiver pair of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams is unstoppable.

To many fans’ surprise, the Chicago Bears are leading the NFC North, arguably the best division in football. They’ve accomplished this despite a -6 point differential on the season. Unlike last year, the Bears are finding ways to win close games. The team hasn’t even reached their fullest potential yet.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fading, as they’ve lost two straight games. The team got off to a hot start despite suffering through a number of injuries, but the injury bug has finally started to take its toll. Reinforcements will be needed to keep their season alive. Luckily, returns from Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin are right around the corner. It also helps that there isn’t much competition in the NFC South.

Wild Card teams

Despite their recent loss, the Seahawks are still well primed to win their division. The team has one of the best defensive units in the NFL, and a bounce-back game can be expected from Sam Darnold. He threw four interceptions against the Rams, but for the most part, he has looked borderline elite in Seattle.

The Green Bay Packers are currently in the six-seed for the NFC playoff picture. The Micah Parsons trade has paid off, but the team needs more out of Jordan Love. As it...