Race for the final playoff spot in the NFC is going to be a brutal one

When you look at the NFC Playoff picture, the NFC West is the dominant force, but that could all change soon.

The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams still have two games against one another, while the Cardinals still have a game against the San Francisco 49ers as well.

The Rams meanwhile have lost two against the 49ers already, have their two games against the Cardinals and have one game left against the Seahawks.

The 49ers have a game left against the Cardinals and Seahawks.

The Seahawks just have a game each against the Rams and 49ers.

It is crazy to think this division may not get three teams in, but it may end up being the divisions blood lust that cost it.

The Cardinals sit with the seventh and final seed in the NFC playoffs but have the three division games as well as matchups with NFC East teams the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. Can they find a way to get at least three wins?

Three teams sit at 5-6 behind the Cardinals.

The 49ers have a game against the Cardinals and Seahawks in the division while also having games against the Buffalo Bills, Washington Football Team and Dallas Cowboys.

Of course they have to deal with the fact that their “home games” are now being played at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, so Buffalo and Washington get a little bit of a shorter trip west, one each team has already made this year.

The once 1-5 Minnesota Vikings now sit at 5-6 with games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, against the Chicago Bears, at the New Orleans Saints and finally home against the Detroit Lions.

The Bears are struggling after starting 5-1. They have home games against the Detroit Lions and Houston Texans, before back-to-back games on the road against the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars, before wrapping up the season at home against the Green Bay Packers.

The Cardinals need to find a way to win three games and force the rest of these teams to go 4-1 down the stretch to tie, but the Cardinals task is difficult.

Starting with the game against the Rams on Sunday, where a win would vault them in front of the Rams in the playoff chase for at least the moment, something they need to start with before getting the two NFC East opponents.

Starting the final five games at 1-0 would give the Cardinals an opportunity to really put pressure on every team below them in the standings.

Let’s hope for a strong start to the final stretch run for the Arizona Cardinals.