With 12 weeks of the 2022 NFL regular season just about in the books, the playoff picture is now in the minds of everyone. We are in for a wild finish in both the NFC and AFC, as there are several teams primed to make strong runs to secure one of the three wild-card spots in each conference.
Now that we are in the later stages of the regular season, the teams at the top of each conference are getting close to clinching a playoff berth or even a division crown. In fact, there are two NFC teams that can earn playoff berths in Week 13. Let's take a look at who they are, and how they can officially clinch a playoff spot, per NFL.com.
How: PHI win + WAS loss + SEA loss + SF loss
With where we stand now, the entire NFC East is in the playoffs! The 10-1 Eagles are seen as the best team in the division, and they can clinch a playoff berth this week by defeating the Tennessee Titans, having the Washington Commanders lose to the New York Giants, the Seattle Seahawks lose to the Los Angeles Rams and the Miami Dolphins lose to the San Francisco 49ers. Philly needs all four things to happen to officially clinch a postseason spot.
The Eagles certainly have a shot at hitting this parlay, but it would be surprising to see the Seahawks fall to the lowly 3-8 Rams. Seattle is coming off of a tough overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, and Pete Carroll will certainly want to get back in the win column. The Eagles of course will be more focused on taking care of business against a feisty Titans team that is great at running the ball, and defending the run as well. Throw in the A.J. Brown revenge factor, and Titans-Eagles could be the game of the week.
How: MIN win + DET loss
The new kings of the north! First-year head coach Kevin O'Connell has brought some much-needed energy to this Vikings franchise, and they are extremely close to clinching their first division title since 2017. They just need a win on Sunday, and a Detroit Lions loss. The Vikings host a New York Jets team this week that has found new life with the benching of Zach Wilson. Mike White stepped in at quarterback on Sunday, and despite the rainy weather, completed 22-of-28 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-10 victory over the Chicago Bears. New York has one of the best defenses in the NFL, and now a capable quarterback who is getting the most out of the Jets weapons.
If the Vikings want to clinch the NFC North this week, they will also need the rival Lions to lose at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence is coming off of one of the best games of his young NFL career, as he led a dramatic comeback against the Baltimore Ravens. He completed 29-of-37 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns, while Zay Jones exploded for 145 receiving yards on 11 catches. This Jaguars team is
