For the second week in a row, there’s a new No. 1 in the NFC. Not long after the Los Angeles Rams took the top spot from the Philadelphia Eagles thanks to the defending champions’ back-to-back losses, the Rams have now given it away to a new team.
Following Los Angeles’ shocking Week 13 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Chicago Bears are now the No. 1 team in the conference. With both teams sitting at 9-3, Chicago owns the tiebreaker over the Rams due to its 6-2 record in conference games compared to the Rams’ 4-3 mark.
The Eagles are now No. 3 in the NFC, with the Buccaneers clinging to a half-game lead over the Panthers in the NFC South. The Rams’ loss opens the door even wider for the Seahawks, Packers and even 49ers to potentially earn the No. 1 seed if the chips fall perfectly.
It’ll likely be a six-team race for the top spot in the conference this year.
The Rams get the 3-9 Arizona Cardinals next on the schedule, a team that’s already been eliminated from playoff contention. The Cardinals will still give the Rams their best shot in hopes of playing spoiler, but this is a game Los Angeles cannot afford to lose.
Suffering back-to-back losses to the Panthers and Cardinals would be a major blow to the Rams’ hopes of winning the division and potentially the conference, especially considering they’re heavy favorites once again this week.
It’s a perfect bounce-back spot against a banged-up Cardinals team with little to play for besides pride.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL playoff picture: New No. 1 in NFC after Rams’ shocking loss
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
