Well it's all over but the shouting. Oh, and the scheduling.
With Dallas as the only NFC team still to play (on Monday night), the NFC playoff field has been set. When and where the six participants will be playing will be determined by the NFL and the networks in the coming hours.
The Bucs, of course, are in that six-pack, which welcomed its final participant today. Due to the Rams win and the Lions loss, the Rams grabbed the last available invitation to the dance. They will join the Bucs, Eagles and Saints in the Wild Card round next weekend.
The first seed, and home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, went to the New York Giants when they won on Saturday. Minnesota was handed the second seed when the Bucs and Saints lost, thus earning the other first-week bye.
Here are the final NFC playoff standings:
**Team** | **W-L** | **Conf. Rec.** | **Div. Rec.** | **Remaining Opponents** | **Opp. Win %** |
* * * | |||||
N.Y. Giants * | 12-4 | 9-3 | 7-1 | ----- | ---- |
Minnesota * | 11-4 | 8-4 | 5-3 | at Indianapolis | .600 |
New Orleans * | 10-6 | 9-3 | 7-1 | ----- | ---- |
Philadelphia | 11-5 | 8-4 | 5-3 | ----- | ---- |
Tampa Bay | 10-6 | 7-5 | 4-4 | ----- | ---- |
St. Louis | 10-6 | 7-5 | 5-3 | ----- | ---- |
- Division winners.
The Buccaneers held onto the fifth seed thanks to their win last Monday over St. Louis, the sixth seed.
In the Wild Card round, the NFC's fifth seed must travel to play at the fourth seed's house, while the sixth travels to the third seed, which is the division winner with the worst record.
That means, while the Bucs will head to Philly, St. Louis will go right back to New Orleans, where they won today, 26-21, in another thriller.