The NFC may not be as top-heavy as the AFC, but this is a very deep conference that has 12 or 13 teams that fully believe they can make a playoff run in 2026. Just because a team made it last year does not mean they’ll be back this year, and that’s part of what makes the sport so fun.
With so many teams expected to be in the playoff hunt, it creates a lot of interesting narratives around a lot of games this season. We’re yet to know the dates for all of these games, but we do know all of the matchups, so I went through each team’s schedule and found the matchups that I think will have the biggest impact on the NFC playoff picture.
Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks
The Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks will be the biggest matchup of the season, in my opinion. These two NFC West rivals faced off three times last season, twice during the regular season and once in the NFC Championship, and those games did not disappoint. Those three matchups were determined by a total of seven points, and the best part about this matchup is we’re guaranteed to see it at least twice this season.
Last year, the Rams and Seahawks split the regular season series, but if the Rams hadn’t choked away a big lead in their second matchup, they would’ve ended up the 1-seed in the NFC and would’ve then hosted the Seahawks in the NFC Championship instead of having to go to Lumen Field. That could’ve changed the outcome of the game, and therefore the outcome of the Super Bowl.
This year, it feels like the Seahawks took a step back and the Rams took a step forward. The Seahawks had the edge last year, but have the Rams done enough this offseason to regain the lead over their rivals? I think so, but we’ll have to see. These two games could determine the 1-seed and the 5-seed yet again.
Seattle Seahawks vs Chicago Bears
While we’re talking about the defending Super Bowl champions, let’s talk about their matchup with the Chicago Bears, who were the 2-seed in the NFC last season.
The Bears came out of nowhere last year and took the NFC by storm in year one under Ben Johnson. Nobody expected them to come in and fight for a spot in the NFC Championship, but they took the Rams to overtime in the Divisional Round after a historic Hail Mary (I guess you can call it that?) from Caleb Williams to tie the game with under 30 seconds to go.
The Bears had an elite offense last year, but were largely held back because of their defense. Well, they’ve made some big additions on the defensive side of the ball and now they’re ready to really compete in the NFC. They’re going to be in the conversation for the 1-seed, so their matchup with the Seahawks is going to be a big one.
Philadelphia Eagles vs Los Angeles Rams
The Philadelphia Eagles were very disappointing in 2025. They won the Super Bowl the year prior, and made the playoffs as the 3-seed, but they lost in the Wild Card round, and they just felt off all year. Their offense wasn’t nearly as efficient as it was the season before with Kellen Moore calling plays, but they’ve fired Kevin Patullo and brought in Sean Mannion to hopefully solve those issues.
If the Eagles can fix some of their offensive woes, their matchup against the Rams this season is going to be a huge one. I believe the Rams are the most complete team in the league, but the Eagles’ roster is a top-three roster in the league on paper. It all comes down to how their offense performs, so if Mannion can get it rolling, they’re going to be huge threats in the NFC.
In my eyes, it’s going to be the Rams, Seahawks, Bears and Eagles in the conversation for the 1-seed, so any time those four teams face off, it’s going to be a massive game. I hope we get this game late in the season and the Rams and Eagles are both still in contention for a top-seed, because it will make this game all the more intriguing.
Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles
While the Philadelphia Eagles are the favorites to win the NFC East, you can never count out the Dallas Cowboys. They have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league, led by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Javonte Williams and Jake Ferguson, so they’re always a threat. And they’ve also made major improvements to their defense this offseason, so I fully expect them to fight the Eagles for the NFC East title.
If the Eagles’ offense can take a step forward with Sean Mannion calling plays and Dallas’s defensive additions can do enough to propel them into the NFC East race, these two matchups could very well decide who the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NFC is, and who is relegated to a No. 6 or No. 7 seed. It may not seem major, but home field advantage in the playoffs is a massive advantage, even if it’s just for one game.
On top of all that, the Cowboys and Eagles are bitter rivals, which makes this matchup even more fun. Get your popcorn ready.
Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears
The Detroit Lions are a sneaky team we haven’t talked about yet. They’re one year removed from a 14-win season, and while part of their fall off last season was because they lost their offensive and defensive coordinator, it’s also because they suffered a ton of injuries.
If anyone is going to challenge the Bears for the NFC North title, it’s going to be the Lions. They have one of the best offenses in the league, and if they can stay healthy on defense, they’re an average unit at the worst. They’re actually built similarly to the Bears, but I think Detroit’s offense is actually better than Chicago’s, but I do give the Bears the advantage on the coaching end.
This will be a fascinating matchup, because even if the Bears still win the division, the Lions are good enough to take a game, or maybe even both games, in the series. The margins in the NFL are razor thin, so an extra loss could knock Chicago down a seed. It’s not just the NFC North on the line here, it’s also the overall seeding for both squads.
Carolina Panthers vs New Orleans Saints
Let’s give the NFC South some love. Right now, it feels like the division is going to come down to the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers potentially entering the mix, but I think this series will have a bigger impact on the South.
The Panthers won the division last year in spite of themselves. They won eight games, but still came out on top after a tiebreaker with the Buccaneers. They improved this offseason, signing guys like Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd while drafting Monroe Freeling, Lee Hunter and Chris Brazzell II.
As for the Saints, they won six games last year, but have gotten so much better this offseason. They added Jordyn Tyson, Travis Etienne, David Edwards, Oscar Delp and Bryce Lance to an offense that was already pretty dynamic at the end of last season, and they improved their defense by adding guys like Christen Miller and Kaden Elliss.
I truly believe the winner of the NFC South will come from these two teams, and this series is going to play a massive role in which one comes out on top.
New Orleans Saints vs Green Bay Packers
If the Panthers win the NFC South, the Saints will still likely be in the hunt for the 7-seed in the NFC. But you know who else will be in that same hunt? The same team that’s been the 7-seed in each of the last three seasons: the Green Bay Packers.
We just talked a lot about the Saints’ improvements from last season, so let’s talk about the Packers. Green Bay didn’t do a whole lot this offseason. They hardly made any free agent signings, and without a first round pick in this thin draft class, they weren’t able to add many impact players in April. They were the 7-seed last year, and I don’t see them magically getting a whole lot better next year.
Both of these teams will be in that 10-win range, so their matchup in the Superdome could very well determine who sneaks into the final spot of the playoffs. This is one that isn’t on many people’s radar, but it could be a sneaky good game.
