Arizona Cardinals’ remaining playoff scenarios heading into Week 18

After an 0-3 slump took them from the first overall seed to the fifth seed in the NFC Playoffs, the Arizona Cardinals are locked in.

Sort of.

The Cardinals can finish no worse than fifth, meaning if they lose on Sunday to the Seattle Seahawks they will finish 11-6 with the fifth seed in the NFC and travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys once again in the first round of the NFC Playoffs.

If the Cardinals win on Sunday against the Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams win, the Cardinals will remain locked into the five seed.

Now, the Arizona Cardinals can move up in one scenario, and that is if they win.

If the Arizona Cardinals beat the Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers can beat the Los Angeles Rams, the Cardinals take the NFC West and the third seed in the NFC.

There is one last caveat. If the Cardinals win, the Rams lose and the Carolina Panthers somehow beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Arizona Cardinals would move into the second seed in the NFC Playoffs and host the Philadelphia Eagles.

So, let’s recap:

AZ loss and LAR Loss and TB win and DAL Win:

No. 5 Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams

AZ loss or AZ Win and LAR Win

No. 5 Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 Dallas Cowboys

AZ Win and LAR Loss

No. 3 Arizona Cardinals vs No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (State Farm Stadium)

AZ Win and LAR and TB Loss

No. 2 Arizona Cardinals vs No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles (State Farm Stadium)