The Carolina Panthers have to win this weekend to maintain a two-game lead atop the NFC. That’s because the Cardinals got their work done Thursday night, holding off the Vikings, 23-20.
Even if Arizona had lost, the earliest the Panthers could have locked up the NFC’s top seed was Week 15. But the win keeps the Cardinals, who would own a potential tiebreaker over Carolina because of conference records, right on the Panthers’ heels.
The Vikings’ loss does give the Panthers two chances this weekend to at least clinch a first-round bye. They’d earn that with either a win or tie against the Falcons or with a Cowboys’ win or tie against the Packers.
| NFC | W | L | Pct | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 12 | 0 | 1.000 | 8-0 |
| Cardinals | 11 | 2 | .846 | 8-1 |
| Packers | 8 | 4 | .667 | 6-3 |
| Redskins | 5 | 7 | .417 | 5-4 |
| Vikings | 8 | 5 | .615 | 5-4 |
| Seahawks | 7 | 5 | .583 | 6-4 |
| Buccaneers | 6 | 6 | .500 | 5-3 |
| Falcons | 6 | 6 | .500 | 4-5 |
| Eagles | 5 | 7 | .417 | 3-6 |
| Giants | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4-5 |
| Bears | 5 | 7 | .417 | 2-6 |
| Rams | 4 | 8 | .333 | 3-5 |
| Lions | 4 | 8 | .333 | 3-5 |
| Saints | 4 | 8 | .333 | 3-6 |
| 49ers | 4 | 8 | .333 | 3-7 |
| Cowboys | 4 | 8 | .333 | 3-7 |