With five games remaining in the NFL regular season it is time to start looking at the playoff races. Today I will look at the NFC and tomorrow I will take on the AFC.

ANYTHING BUT A LOCK:

The New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings fall into this category. The Saints are 11-0 and are four games ahead of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South with five games left. They have scored a league high 407 points and have scored 186 more points than their opponents. It would take a huge collapse from MVP hopeful Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints to not win the division and make the playoffs.

The Vikings are at 10-1 with their only loss coming to Pittsburgh. They hold a three game advantage over the Green bay Packers in the NFC North but have also beaten the Packers head-to-head twice already. Brett Favre should be headed back to the playoffs.

LEADING THE DIVISION BUT NOT SAFE:

The Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals fall into this category. The Cowboys are 8-3 and lead the Philadelphia Eagles by one game and the New York Giants by two games in the NFC East. Dallas’s playoff hopes look okay right now because they are also up two games in the wild card standings, if they should not win the division they could still grab a wild card spot. However, the schedule will not be easy. The remaining five opponents the Cowboys play have a 35-20 record. Another December collapse in Big D could leave the Cowboys on the outside looking in again.

The Cardinals are 7-4 and two games ahead of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. Like the Cowboys they look like a playoff team now but things could change. The 49ers already have one win over Arizona and play them again. But games against Detroit and St. Louis should keep the Cardinals from dropping all the way out of playoff contention.

HOLDING A WILD CARD SPOT BUT NOT SAFE:

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers are both 7-4 and a in the two wild card positions in the NFC right now. The Eagles have a good chance of still winning the NFC East because they are only one game back of Dallas and play them in Week 17. However, the Eagles could go the other way, as they are only one game up in the wild card and have no room to slip up. The five teams the Eagles still play are a combined 32-23 and are all in playoff contention themselves. The road for Donovan McNabb and the Eagles will be tough.

The Packers playoff hopes ride on a wild card spot with the almost insurmountable deficit that they find themselves in by being three games behind the Vikings. Like the Eagles the Packers hold a one game advantage on the Falcons and Giants right now. The Packers remaining opponents only have a 27-28 record, so if Aaron Rodgers and the packers can take care of business they should be playoff bound.

KNOCKING ON THE PLAYOFF DOOR:

The New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, and the San Francisco 49ers are on the outside looking in right now but that could change. The Giants are 6-5 and their five remaining opponents have a 32-23 record. They play the Cowboys and Eagles which are important NFC East matchups. If the Giants can win both of those games they could still pull out the division quite possibly. Their two games against the Redskins and the Panthers are must win games and then they finish the year against the Vikings. That game could decide the Giants fate.

The Falcons are also 6-5 and with a loss to the Giants head-to-head sit behind them. The Saints are running away with the division so the Falcons need to grab a wild card spot. Their schedule is not terribly difficult, as their opponents have a 28-27 record. Their matchup this week against the Eagles will be important in the wild card race. They will play at least that game and maybe more without Matt Ryan however. If it comes down to the last week for Atlanta they will be playing a 1-10 Tampa Bay team, so that might make them smile a little.

The 49ers come in at 5-6, two games behind in the wild card and in the division race. Their remaining opponents only boast a 21-34 record so that is a plus. If they take care of business against Seattle, Detroit, and St. Louis, then they will be in the thick of the playoff race. If they can then knock of either the Eagles or Cardinals, or both, they might be smiling once the playoffs come around.

DOWN AND PRETTY MUCH OUT:

This includes the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Washington Redskins. The only way one of these teams will make the playoffs is if they go 5-0 or at least 4-1 in their final games and then get some more help. With the way they have played thus far this season the chances of that happening are not very high.

SIMPLY OUT AND LOOKING TO THE DRAFT:

This includes the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the St. Louis Rams. Better luck next year.