Seahawks handed playoff lifeline by Tommy DeVito

The New York Giants just shook up the NFC wild card hunt even more.

So you’re saying there’s a chance?

The pathetic NFC playoff race just got even more mediocre, as the Green Bay Packers somehow lost to Tommy DeVito and the New York Giants by a score of 24-22. It was a sloppy showing by the Packers, who turned it over three times and yet still took the lead with under two minutes to go on a Jordan Love touchdown pass to Malik Heath. DeVito was dialed in, led the Giants into field goal range, and Randy Bullock banged it through the uprights as time expired.

This offers up a little bit of renewed hope for the Seattle Seahawks, whose dwindling playoff chances were also predicated on the idea that their rivals would win their “easy” games. Well, the Packers stumbled.

Have a look!

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Division Leaders

1. San Francisco 49ers* (10-3) (win over DAL)

2. Dallas Cowboys* (10-3, better division record than PHI)

3. Detroit Lions (9-4)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (6-7, win percentage in common games over ATL, win over NO)

Wild Card

5. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)

6. Minnesota Vikings (7-6)

7. Green Bay Packers+ (6-7)

Out of the Playoffs

8. Los Angeles Rams+ (6-7, wins over SEA, 4-4 NFC)

9. Seattle Seahawks+ (6-7, losses to LAR, 5-4 NFC record)

10. Atlanta Falcons*+ (6-7, lose win percentage in common games vs TB, win over NO, 4-5 NFC)

11. New Orleans Saints*+ (6-7, losses to ATL & TB)

12. New York Giants (5-8*, 4-4 NFC record)

13. Chicago Bears (5-8)

14. Washington Commanders (4-9)

15. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)

Eliminated

16. Carolina Panthers (1-12)

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I cannot explain the five-way tiebreaker, so my SB Nation colleague Matt Warren has done the painstaking math so I don’t have to:

The division tiebreakers make it GB vs LAR vs ATL. Atlanta is eliminated on NFC record and then the Packers beat the Rams in head-to-head record. Green Bay would stay 7th, then the Rams at 8. The Seahawks and Falcons go to a tiebreaker which Seattle wins (9th seed) based on NFC record. Then the Falcons and Saints round out the group at 10 and 11.

Simultaneous Monday Night Football gave us dramatic endings in both conferences, with rookie QB Will Levis leading an epic, historic 28-27 comeback over the Miami Dolphins, who were banged up and sputtered offensively for much of the night. We’ll keep that in mind when the Seahawks play the Tennessee Titans on Christmas Eve. Tennessee realistically has no shot at the postseason but they’re still playing hard and looking to build toward next season, possibly with a franchise QB found by way of Kentucky.

Seattle’s playoff odds just increased from 16% to 21% as a result of New York’s win, so if the Seahawks are interested in pulling off an upset of their own against the Philadelphia Eagles, things can get very intriguing.

Or, alternatively, you’re going to write “we need to lose out for the top-10 pick” in the comments, in which case I won’t stop you… but we’re going to keep doing playoff stuff until the Seahawks are out.

Upcoming Week 15 schedules:

Vikings at Bengals (Sat)
Buccaneers at Packers (Sun)
Rams vs. Commanders (Sun)
Giants at Saints
Seahawks vs. Eagles (Mon)

Thank you, Tommy!