NFC Playoff Picture: Where Are Commanders After Bye Week?

The Washington Commanders sat at home Sunday, but saw their playoff positioning improve.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 12, 2022

The Washington Commanders didn't have to lift a finger on Sunday to move up in the NFC playoff race.

Coming into the day in 8th place, one spot shy of the seven-team playoff picture, the Commanders were 0.5 game behind the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks.

The Giants shrunk in misery against the mighty Philadelphia Eagles, who gained a game and are one step closer to securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Seahawks took center stage in the late window, suffering an upset to the Carolina Panthers, who have now won three of their last four and find themselves back in the NFC South division race after starting 1-5 and firing head coach Matt Rhule.

Here's a look at the current standings ...

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-1)

2. Minnesota Vikings (10-3)

3. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7)

5. Dallas Cowboys (10-3)

6. Washington Commanders (7-5-1)

7. New York Giants (7-5-1)

8. Seattle Seahawks (7-6)

At this point, the Commanders are in direct competition with the Giants and Seahawks for two of the final three Wild Cards. It's safe to assume that the Cowboys will be locked in as the No. 5 seed and the top wild card position.

If the Commanders can win Sunday against the Giants, they will further cement their status as a playoff contender, win the tiebreaker over their division rival and move that much closer to a postseason berth.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Get your Washington Commanders game tickets from SI Tickets HERE!

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Washington Commanders? Click Here.

Follow Commander Country on Twitter.

Want even more Washington Commanders news? Check out the Si.com team page here

Published Dec 12, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.