NFL playoff picture: What does Rams-Cardinals mean for NFC standings

The Arizona Cardinals host the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football to close out Week 14. It should make for a fun one as we get two playoff contenders that offer entertaining brands of football. The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN with the Cardinals installed as 2.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook.

The Cardinals won the first game between these two teams, going on the road and thumping LA 37-20. A win on Week 14 would not clinch the division, but it would all but settle the standings outside of a complete collapse by Arizona.

NFC playoff picture

The Cardinals are 10-2 and the Rams are 8-4. The rest of the division sees the 49ers at 6-6 and the Seahawks at 4-8. The NFC West is a two-horse race at best. A Cardinals win gives them a three-game lead plus the tiebreaker with four games left. A Rams win leaves Arizona up one game, but still the clear tiebreaker leader. Division record is the next tiebreaker after head-to-head. If LA won this game, Arizona would be 4-1 in the division and LA would be 2-2.

Arizona currently has the best record in the league, sitting a game up on Green Bay and Tampa Bay. The Packers beat the Cardinals, so that is a notable tiebreaker in the race for the first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

LA has the top wild card berth, sitting two games up on Washington and San Francisco. The 49ers won the first game with LA, so if the Rams lose and the 49ers beat the Bengals, San Francisco would be only one game back with the two teams facing off in Week 18.

Week 14 schedule

Cowboys (8-4) @ Washington (6-6)
49ers (6-6) @ Bengals (7-5)
Bills (7-5) @ Buccaneers (9-3)
Bears (4-8) @ Packers (9-3)