Unlike most other countries, Americans deal in absolutes.
There are no ties, just winners and losers. It might sound harsh, but that is the reality in a nation that aims to be definitive – at least when it comes to sports. That’s why when the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks meet in a pivotal ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup in Week 16, those tiebreakers are seen as a last resort.
Both squads are currently in a tie atop the NFC West and their current standing promises to affect more than just a division of teams on the West Coast.
The winner will have the inside track at claiming the NFC’s top seed, giving them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The loser will have to start checking out potential flights and hotels for the wild-card round.
This clash will break the tie for at least one week, but that doesn’t mean chaos can’t spoil the party down the road with two weeks to go. As it stands, Matthew Stafford’s Rams have the head-to-head advantage over Sam Darnold’s Seahawks entering Week 16. It’s anyone’s guess who will have that edge when the dust settles.
Here’s a look at the NFC West standings, the NFC playoff picture overall and how tiebreakers work in the NFL.
NFC West standings
The NFC West is a tight race heading into the final three games. Here’s how the standings look entering Week 16:
Los Angeles Rams: 11-3 (3-1 in NFC West)
Seattle Seahawks: 11-3 (2-2)
San Francisco 49ers: 10-4 (4-1)
Arizona Cardinals: 3-11 (0-5)
NFC West division winner odds
The Rams are the favorites to win the NFC West entering a crucial ‘Thursday Night Football’ matchup against the Seahawks, according to the latest odds from BetMGM Sportsbook:
Rams: -160
Seahawks: +210
49ers: +700
NFC playoff picture
Los Angeles Rams (11-3; NFC West leaders)*
Chicago Bears (10-4; NFC North leaders)
Philadelphia Eagles (9-5; NFC East leaders)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7; NFC South leaders)
Seattle Seahawks (11-3, wild card No. 1)
San Francisco 49ers (10-4, wild card No. 2)
Green Bay Packers (9-4-1; wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-6); Carolina Panthers (7-7); Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
Eliminated: Minnesota Vikings (6-8); Atlanta Falcons (5-9); New Orleans Saints (4-10); Washington Commanders (4-10); Arizona Cardinals (3-11); New York Giants (2-12)
An asterisk (*) denotes teams that have clinched a playoff spot. Teams that have clinched division titles are noted accordingly.
NFL playoff tiebreakers
The Rams enter Week 16 with the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Seahawks after their Week 11 win. As a result, the team is in a good spot to win the division, but a Seattle victory in Week 16 could make for a chaotic race to the finish, since they would have a one-game lead with just two games to go.
Since both teams come from the same division, there are no wild-card tiebreakers to worry about in this case. Here’s a look at what could ultimately determine the NFC West standings and, as a result, the NFC playoff picture:
Division tiebreakers
Head-to-head results
Division record
Win percentage against common opponents
Win percentage against conference opponents
Strength of victory in all games
Strength of schedule in all games
Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games
Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games
Best net points against common opponents
Best net points in all games
Best net touchdowns in all games
A coin flip.