Breaking down the Cardinals’ 3 playoff scenarios
The Arizona Cardinals have clinched a playoff berth this year and will be playing in the wild card round of the postseason. However, where they will play and against whom has yet to be determined.
Depending on how things play out in Week 18, the Cardinals could be the No. 2 seed, the No. 3 seed or the No. 5 seed.
Let’s look at how the different scenarios are possible.
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Cardinals as the No. 5 seed
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Cardinals will be the No. 5 seed if they do not win the NFC West. If the Cardinals lose to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18 or the Los Angeles Rams beat the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles will win the division, leaving Arizona as the top wild card team.
In that scenario, they would go on the road and face the Dallas Cowboys for the second time in three weeks.
No. 3 seed
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
If the Cardinals beat the Seahawks and the 49ers beat the Rams, the Cardinals will win the division and be the No. 3 seed. Because of their win over the Cowboys on Sunday, there is no way for the Cardinals to win the division and be seeded behind Dallas.
As the No. 3 seed, they would play at home against the 49ers, as San Francisco would have clinched the No. 6 seed with the win over the Rams.
The have beaten the 49ers twice already this season,
No. 2 seed
Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
If the Cardinals will end up as the No. 2 seed if they win the NFC West (they beat the Seahawks and the 49ers beat the Rams) and if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose to the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals and Bucs would both be 12-5 but the Cardinals would hold the conference-record tiebreaker.
In that scenario, they would play at State Farm Stadium against the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round.
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