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Which NFC teams will make the playoffs in 2022?

The NFC appears to be wide open in the wild card

By Kenneth Arthur
/ new
NFL: FEB 16 Rams Super Bowl LVI Championship Parade Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Rams are favorites to repeat as NFC West champions next season, but the San Francisco 49ers are no far behind. At DraftKings Sportsbook, the Rams are +150 to finish in first place, +210 to finish in second. The 49ers are +180 to finish in first, +190 to finish in second.

The Arizona Cardinals are most often the third-place team in the NFC, based on how bets are being placed as of early April, while the Seattle Seahawks are unsurprisingly a longshot: +1400 to finish in first, -225 to finish in last.

The Rams are coming off of their first Super Bowl victory since 1999 and the rest of the conference seems to be losing talent of at least the same caliber as Von Miller leaving L.A. for “The Hollywood of the North East”... Buffalo, New York. The Green Bay Packers traded Davante Adams to the Raiders, Bruce Arians and Sean Payton retired out of their NFC South coaching positions, Russell Wilson is on the Broncos, Jimmy Garoppolo is in limbo, Kyler Murray is in no position to negotiate but still holding out anyway, Marcus Mariota replaced Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz replaced Taylor Heinicke, but nobody replaced Jameis Winston, Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, Kirk Cousins, Daniel Jones, or Jalen Hurts.

At least, not yet.

Not resting on any such laurels, the Rams have added Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner.

Is it “1st place or its malpractice” for Sean McVay and the NFC West? Should the Rams fear that the 49ers are getting a significant upgrade with Trey Lance... if Trey Lance even wins the job? Are people sleeping on the Cardinals just because Murray is on an extended holiday?

Poll

Will the Rams sweep the 49ers in 2022?

This poll is closed

  • 42%
    Yes
    (199 votes)
  • 53%
    No, split
    (252 votes)
  • 4%
    No, get swept
    (20 votes)
471 votes total Vote Now

Is Tom Brady going to run away with the NFC South? Will Winston, Darnold, or Mariota reach the NFC postseason as a wild card?

Poll

Which team is better?

This poll is closed

  • 71%
    Saints
    (291 votes)
  • 11%
    Falcons
    (45 votes)
  • 17%
    Panthers
    (73 votes)
409 votes total Vote Now

Can the Vikings, or dare I say the Lions, possibly push Aaron Rodgers off of his podium next season? How significant is the loss of Adams if Green Bay doesn’t find a suitable receiver replacement?

Poll

Which team is better?

This poll is closed

  • 86%
    Vikings
    (376 votes)
  • 3%
    Bears
    (17 votes)
  • 10%
    Lions
    (44 votes)
437 votes total Vote Now

Will the Cowboys become the first team to win the NFC East in back-to-back seasons since the 03-04 Philadelphia Eagles? Could Wentz or Hurts or a rookie quarterback win the division? Is there a surprise team in the NFC East?

Poll

Which team wins the NFC East?

This poll is closed

  • 52%
    Cowboys
    (226 votes)
  • 30%
    Eagles
    (132 votes)
  • 14%
    Commanders
    (64 votes)
  • 2%
    Giants
    (12 votes)
434 votes total Vote Now

Let’s pretend that the four easy answers win the four NFC divisions: Rams, Buccaneers, Packers, and Cowboys.

Now, I actually think the odds of that happening are really low. There will be surprises. Surprisingly good and surprisingly bad. But let’s say that it is those four teams. Then who will win the three wild card berths in the NFC?

The 49ers, Eagles, and Cardinals won those spots in 2021. Again, it is unlikely that these three teams will repeat. I doubt that a conference’s playoff teams have ever repeated in back-to-back seasons. Am I wrong? Let me know.

Will the Commanders win a wild card and save Ron Rivera’s job? Will Dan Campbell and Jared Goff do the unthinkable in Detroit? Or Justin Fields and Matt Eberflus? Mariota and Arthur Smith?

I can’t say which seven teams will reach the NFC playoffs. Only that I’m sure it won’t be the seven that I predict. Which seven do you predict?

Poll

Which NFC team that didn’t make the playoffs in 2021 will make the playoffs in 2022?

This poll is closed

  • 8%
    Commanders
    (35 votes)
  • 2%
    Bears
    (9 votes)
  • 6%
    Lions
    (28 votes)
  • 1%
    Giants
    (8 votes)
  • 60%
    Vikings
    (261 votes)
  • 0%
    Seahawks
    (3 votes)
  • 17%
    Saints
    (75 votes)
  • 1%
    Panthers
    (5 votes)
  • 1%
    Falcons
    (6 votes)
430 votes total Vote Now

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