The next two primetime games will shine a light on the NFC playoff race.
The NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. The Carolina Panthers visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
Carolina could cause a huge swing in the standings with a win in the Bay Area and a Tampa Bay loss. That would put the Panthers in front in the NFC South.
Carolina and Tampa Bay still play twice in Weeks 16 and 18, so any shift in the standings this week could be temporary.
The 49ers can being to create distance in the wild-card race if they beat the Panthers. Only five teams enter Week 12 with a realistic chance to claim a wild-card spot. Carolina can’t be eliminated, but if San Francisco picks up a key head-to-head win, it will create a larger gap.
The Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings need wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers to move closer to .500. A Minnesota win seems more likely given the current state of Green Bay’s offense.
