5 NFL games that will decide the playoff picture

Giants vs. Cowboys.
(Image credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

By Sunday night, the NFL playoff picture will be cemented, but there's a slew of games with major postseason implications throughout the day. Here are five to watch.

Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET on CBS — The 10-5 Dolphins are trying to secure a wild card spot and will be in with a win, though there are a couple scenarios in which they'll be safe with a loss. 12-3 Buffalo is the superior team here, but it's unclear how long their starters will be on the field.

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New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET on Fox — It's hard to believe but the 5-10 Giants and 6-9 Cowboys could each be one win away from a division title. The long-time rivals need a victory, as well as a loss from the 6-9 Washington Football Team on Sunday night, to lock up the moribund, but weirdly entertaining NFC East.

Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox — The up-and-down 8-7 Bears can secure a wild card spot with a win over their nemesis from Green Bay, though an Arizona Cardinals loss would get them in, as well. The 12-3 Packers won't be coasting, however, since a win would give them home field advantage and a first round bye.

Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS — The Cardinals will need to beat the Rams and backup quarterback John Wolford to eke into the seven-team NFC tournament, while the Rams will be in with a Bears loss. But if Chicago does upset Green Bay, the Rams can't afford to lose to Arizona.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.