So, the regular season is done and dusted. If you've been glued to your TV since September, you know the NFC has been a total circus this year. Seriously. One week a team looks like a Super Bowl lock, and the next they’re dropping a "gimme" game to a bottom-feeder. Now that we’re sitting in mid-January 2026, the nfc football teams standings finally stopped shifting long enough for us to make sense of the carnage.
The West is dominant. The North is gritty. The South... well, the South was definitely a thing that happened.
If you’re just checking the scores now, you might be scratching your head. How did a team with a losing record snag a home playoff game? Why did the Eagles, who looked like world-beaters early on, end up as a three-seed only to get bounced immediately? It's messy. But honestly, that’s why we love this league.
The Power Vacuum in the NFC West
Seattle basically ran away with the conference. Mike Macdonald has that defense playing like the Legion of Boom 2.0. They finished the regular season at 14-3, securing the top seed and that precious first-round bye. Honestly, playing at Lumen Field in January is a nightmare for anyone, and the Seahawks made sure the road to the Super Bowl goes through the Pacific Northwest.
Behind them, the Rams and 49ers finished with identical 12-5 records. It's wild. You’ve got three teams from the same division all hitting double-digit wins. The Rams took the five-seed while the Niners slid into the six-spot.
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Wait, it gets crazier. The 49ers actually went into Philadelphia for the Wild Card round and pulled off a 23-19 upset. Philly fans are still fuming about it. Then, just yesterday, the Seahawks absolutely dismantled those same Niners 41-6 in the Divisional round. It wasn't even close. Seattle looks unstoppable right now.
The NFC North and the Soldier Field Revival
The Chicago Bears are officially back. It’s been a long road, but they finished 11-6 and locked up the NFC North title. They entered the playoffs as the number two seed, and they’ve already survived a massive scare.
Last week, they hosted the Green Bay Packers. The Packers slipped into the postseason as the seven-seed with a 9-7-1 record. That tie earlier in the year actually ended up being the difference-maker for them. It was a classic "Black and Blue" division brawl, but Chicago held on for a 31-27 win.
Right now, the Bears are prepping to face the Rams. That game is happening today, January 18. If you’re looking at the nfc football teams standings and wondering who has the edge, keep an eye on the Chicago weather. It’s cold. It's windy. The Rams are a high-flying dome team, so this could be a classic "weather game" where everything goes out the window.
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Dissecting the NFC East and South
The NFC East was supposed to be the Eagles' to lose. They finished 11-6, which is respectable, but they looked shaky down the stretch. Losing that Wild Card game at home to San Francisco was a gut punch. Meanwhile, the Cowboys finished 7-9-1. Yes, a losing record. They’re out. The Commanders and Giants? Better luck next year. They combined for a lot of losses and very little hope.
Then there’s the NFC South. This division was a literal scrap heap.
- Carolina Panthers: 8-9 (Division Winners)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
- Atlanta Falcons: 8-9
- New Orleans Saints: 6-11
Basically, the Panthers won the division because of a tiebreaker. They got the four-seed and a home game against the Rams. It didn't help. The Rams went into Charlotte and escaped with a 34-31 win. Matthew Stafford still has some magic left in that arm, apparently.
What Really Happened in the Standings
When you look at the final regular season numbers, the gap between the haves and the have-nots is staggering.
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Seattle finished with a +191 point differential. That is elite. On the flip side, you have the Arizona Cardinals sitting at 3-14 with a -133 differential. They are firmly in "on the clock" mode for the draft.
The middle of the pack was where the real drama lived. The Vikings and Lions both finished 9-8. In most years, 9-8 gets you a conversation about the playoffs. This year? They both missed out because the NFC West was just too top-heavy. The Packers took that final spot because of that weird 9-7-1 record. That single tie against the Giants back in October ended up being the most important game of their season.
Actionable Insights for the Divisional Round
If you are tracking the remaining teams, here is what you need to know about the current bracket:
- Seattle is the favorite. They have the rest, the home field, and a defense that just allowed only 6 points in a playoff game.
- Watch the Rams vs. Bears injury report. Both teams are bruised after the Wild Card round. If Chicago can't establish the run in the cold, they are in trouble.
- The winner of Rams/Bears travels to Seattle. That's the prize. A trip to the loudest stadium in the world for the NFC Championship on January 25.
The landscape of the nfc football teams standings proves that consistency is a myth in the NFL. One bad snap or one missed field goal in November changes where you play in January. As it stands, the Seahawks are the kings of the mountain, but the Bears and Rams are still swinging.
Check the late-game status for the Rams-Bears kickoff tonight. It's the last piece of the puzzle before we head into the Conference Championships. Focus on the turnover battle; in these high-stakes January games, the team that protects the ball usually books the flight to the next round.