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Rams vs. Falcons: How It Impacts Playoffs and Seeding

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
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Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford holds the ball.

Week 17’s matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and the Atlanta Falcons surprisingly has massive implications for the playoffs and seeding.

Rams vs. Falcons: Playoff Implications

On paper, a Monday Night Football matchup between the 11-win Rams and the 6-win Falcons seems like an inconsequential matchup. In reality, certain stakes are at play that could impact the postseason.

The Rams cannot win the NFC West nor earn the No. 1 seed thanks to Sunday’s wins by the Seahawks and 49ers.

The Rams are the No. 6 seed heading into Monday night. The Rams will either be the No. 5 seed or the No. 6 seed when postseason play begins in the second week of January. If the Rams win their final two games of the season, Los Angeles will be the No. 5 seed.

If the Rams lose both, they will be the No. 6 seed.

The five-seed is the preferable option because that team would play the winner of the NFC South — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the Carolina Panthers.

If the Rams are the No. 6 seed, they will face a much tougher opponent on Wild Card weekend. The Rams would face the Chicago Bears or the Philadelphia Eagles as the No. 6 seed.

Even though the Falcons have been eliminated from postseason contention, they could play an integral role in deciding the NFC South.

The Panthers and the Buccaneers face off on Saturday afternoon to determine the NFC South winner. If the Panthers win, Carolina secures the NFC South and a home playoff game.

If the Bucs defeat the Panthers, Tampa will be the NFC South champions in most scenarios. However, Atlanta could play spoiler to Tampa’s plans.

Let’s say the Bucs defeat the Panthers. If the Falcons defeat the Rams in Week 17 and the Saints in Week 18, that would create a three-way tie at the top of the NFC South. In that scenario, the Panthers own the tiebreaker based on the head-to-head records between the three teams.

NFC Postseason Preview

Six of the seven postseason spots in the NFC have been clinched by the Seahawks, Bears, Eagles, 49ers, Rams, and Packers. The Bucs or Panthers will earn the seventh spot.

Whichever team represents the NFC in the Super Bowl will have earned it due to the fierce competition.

The Wild Card round could provide several marquee matchups that could have headlined the NFC Championship weekend. Wild Card Weekend could potentially feature the Bears hosting the Packers and the Eagles hosting the 49ers. All four of those teams could win the Super Bowl.

But first, the Rams must face the Falcons on Monday Night Football to close out Week 17.

Dan Girolamo Written by Sports EditorDan Girolamo
Dan is a multifaceted content creator who specializes in sports, pop culture, and entertainment. His entertainment work has been featured on Digital Trends, where he has interviewed Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alison Brie, Adam DeVine, Sadie Sink, Chris O'Dowd, Machine Gun Kelly, and Frank Grillo. Dan's entertainment work has also been featured on Coming Soon, Hidden Remote, and WatchMojo. Dan's other passion in life revolves around sports, graduating from Marist College with a degree in Sports Communication and Journalism. From columns about the latest in New York sports to gambling predictions, Dan continues to find success in written and broadcast journalism. Previous written work can be found at Unafraid Show, while broadcast clips can be seen on WAVE.tv and CBS Sports.
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