If you thought the regular season finale was going to be a snooze fest of resting starters and vanilla play-calling, the football gods had other plans. We’ve finally arrived at the promised land: the playoffs. After a Week 18 that felt like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded, the NFC bracket is set.
Sunday was weird. We had backup quarterbacks looking like deer in headlights, playoff seeds bouncing around like lottery balls, and a few fanbases reaching for the antacids. But the dust has settled, and the NFC matchups are locked in. Here is what we are looking at.
The Rubber Match We All Wanted
Green Bay fans, you can stop holding your breath now. After what felt like an eternity of “what-if” scenarios involving the Eagles and Commanders, the stars aligned. The Packers are heading back to Soldier Field.
This isn’t just a 2 vs. 7 seed matchup; it’s personal. The Packers and Bears split their season series, but let’s not pretend that the Bears’ win in Chicago didn’t feel like a total fluke to everyone in Wisconsin. Green Bay blew a 13-3 lead with 11 minutes left in that game, and it’s been eating at the Cheesehead faithful ever since.
Now, Jordan Love and company get a shot at redemption against Caleb Williams in a win-or-go-home scenario. It’s the rubber match. It’s the oldest rivalry in the book. It’s beautiful.
Rams Dodge the Philly Flu
Over in the West, the Los Angeles Rams took care of business against Arizona. By winning 37-20, they secured the No. 5 seed and, more importantly, avoided a trip to Philadelphia. No offense to the “City of Brotherly Love,” but nobody wants to play the Eagles at the Linc in January if they don’t have to.
Instead, the Rams are packing their bags for Carolina. The Panthers (8-9) managed to win the NFC South, earning them a home game despite having a losing record. The Rams, despite missing out on the division title to Seattle, look dangerous. They’ve been here before. Five playoff trips in six years is no joke. They know how to win when the lights get bright.
Eagles Host the Niners In a Heavyweight Tilt
Speaking of Philadelphia, things got a little awkward on Sunday. They rested Jalen Hurts and a slew of starters, leading to a dull 24-17 loss to Washington. Tanner McKee got the start and did not look good.
But don’t let the Week 18 nap fool you. The Eagles secured the No. 3 seed in the NFC and drew the San Francisco 49ers. This is the popcorn game of the weekend. You have two physical teams with Super Bowl aspirations clashing right out of the gate. The Niners fell to the No. 6 spot after losing to Seattle, but they remain one of the scariest lower seeds we’ve seen in recent memory.
The Road To Super Bowl 60 In the NFC
Here is the lay of the land. The Seahawks are kicking back with a bye week, watching the chaos unfold in the NFC from the comfort of their couches. Meanwhile, we have three wild-card matchups that offer a little bit of everything: a historic rivalry, a battle of heavyweights, and a “prove it” game for an underdog division winner.
