The regular season is officially in the rearview mirror, and if you haven't been glued to the red zone every Sunday, the current NFL football NFC standings probably look like a total fever dream. Seriously. If you told me back in August that the Carolina Panthers would be hosting a playoff game with a losing record while a 12-win powerhouse had to hit the road, I’d have called you crazy. But here we are.
Wild Card weekend just wrapped up, and the bracket is finally set for the Divisional Round. It’s been a chaotic year for the National Football Conference. We saw the Seattle Seahawks absolutely run away with the West, snagging the only first-round bye and making Lumen Field the most terrifying destination in sports again. Meanwhile, the NFC South was basically a three-car pileup where everyone finished 8-9. It’s messy. It’s confusing. It’s exactly why we love this game.
Breaking Down the Final NFC Regular Season Standings
Before we look at the remaining teams, you've gotta see how the divisions actually shook out. Honestly, the gap between the top and the bottom of this conference has never felt wider.
The NFC West: A Two-Horse Race that Broke the Scale
The Seahawks didn't just win this division; they owned it. Pete Carroll’s successor has that defense playing like the Legion of Boom 2.0. They finished at a staggering 14-3, locking up the #1 seed early.
But look at the Rams and 49ers. Both of these teams finished 12-5. In almost any other year, that’s enough for a bye. This year? It only got them the #5 and #6 seeds. The Rams actually took the tiebreaker over San Francisco because of their head-to-head record, which ended up being a massive deal for Wild Card seeding. The Cardinals... well, they finished 3-14. Let's just say they're already looking at mock drafts.
The NFC North: Chicago’s Revenge
The Chicago Bears are officially back. Under Ben Johnson, they clinched the North with an 11-6 record. It wasn't always pretty—they actually lost their last two games of the season—but they did enough early to hold off a late surge from the Packers.
📖 Related: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
The North was actually the most competitive division top-to-bottom:
- Chicago Bears: 11-6 (Division Champs)
- Green Bay Packers: 9-7-1 (Wild Card)
- Minnesota Vikings: 9-8 (Missed Playoffs)
- Detroit Lions: 9-8 (Missed Playoffs)
It's kinda wild that a 9-8 Lions team is sitting at home while an 8-9 Panthers team was in the dance. That’s the divisional format for you.
The NFC East: The Eagles’ Late Slide
Philadelphia looked like the team to beat for three months. Then, the wheels sort of wobbled. They finished 11-6, same as the Bears, but lost the tiebreaker for the #2 seed. The Cowboys had a bizarre season, finishing 7-9-1. That tie against the Giants in Week 12 basically acted as a loss in the long run, knocking them out of any Wild Card hope.
The NFC South: The "Nobody Wants It" Division
This was the most talked-about part of the NFL football NFC standings all December. Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta all finished 8-9.
How did Carolina get the #4 seed? Basically, they swept the Falcons. In a three-way tiebreaker, head-to-head win percentage among the tied clubs is the first check. Carolina went 3-1 against the Bucs and Falcons combined. It’s the "best of the worst" scenario, but a home playoff game is a home playoff game.
👉 See also: Finding the Best Texas Longhorns iPhone Wallpaper Without the Low-Res Junk
What Really Happened in the Wild Card Round?
If you missed the games this past weekend, you missed a bloodbath. The "upset" that everyone predicted actually happened, and the NFC East champion is already out.
San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19
The 49ers were the #6 seed, but nobody viewed them as an underdog. They traveled to Philly and basically bullied the Eagles' front seven. Brock Purdy didn't have to be a hero; he just had to not turn the ball over. Philly’s offense looked stagnant, and now the #3 seed is headed to the offseason much earlier than anyone in Pennsylvania expected.
Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31
This was a heartbreaker for the Panthers. Bryce Young played arguably his best game of the year, but Matthew Stafford is still Matthew Stafford. The Rams survived a massive scare in Charlotte, winning on a last-second field goal.
Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27
The third meeting between these two this season! Soldier Field was electric. The Packers had a chance to win it late, but a Jordan Love interception in the red zone sealed it. The Bears move on, and the "Monsters of the Midway" vibe is officially resurrected.
The Divisional Round Matchups: Who’s Left?
So, here is where we stand. The field has been whittled down to four.
✨ Don't miss: Why Isn't Mbappe Playing Today: The Real Madrid Crisis Explained
San Francisco 49ers (#6) at Seattle Seahawks (#1)
- When: Saturday, January 17, 8:00 PM ET
- The Vibe: This is the heavyweight fight. Seattle had the week off, while the Niners are coming off a physical win in Philly. Seattle won both regular-season meetings, but beating a team three times in one year is a nightmare.
Los Angeles Rams (#5) at Chicago Bears (#2)
- When: Sunday, January 18, 6:40 PM ET
- The Vibe: Youth vs. Experience. Caleb Williams (who has been sensational in the second half of the season) against the veteran savvy of Stafford. The Bears' defense leads the league in takeaways, and they’ll need every one of them to stop the Rams' passing attack.
Why These Standings Matter for Next Year
People always obsess over the current NFL football NFC standings for the playoffs, but they also dictate the 2026 schedule and draft order.
The fact that the NFC West produced three teams with 12+ wins is historic. It means next year, those three teams will have "first-place" or "second-place" schedules that are absolutely brutal. Meanwhile, the Commanders and Giants—who bottomed out this year—get the "easier" slate and high draft picks.
If you're a betting person, keep an eye on the Lions. They finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker. Historically, teams that finish with a winning record but miss the postseason are the "bounce-back" candidates for the following year.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the Injury Reports for Seattle: They haven't played in two weeks. Rust is real. If their starting left tackle isn't 100% against that 49ers pass rush, the #1 seed could be in trouble.
- Home Field Advantage is Shrinking: We just saw two road teams win in the Wild Card round. Don't assume Chicago or Seattle will cruise just because they're at home.
- Monitor the "Ben Johnson" Factor: The Bears' coach is the hottest name in football. If Chicago makes a deep run, half the league is going to try to poach his assistants.
- Check the Weather in Chicago: Sunday night at Soldier Field in mid-January? It’s going to be freezing. That favors the Bears' ground game over the Rams' indoor-friendly passing attack.
The road to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is getting narrow. Whether the Seahawks can protect their house or a Wild Card team like the 49ers crashes the party is the only thing that matters now. Grab your jersey; it's about to get intense.