The didn't change much in the NFC in Week 12, but there was one clear winner. The ' chances of securing a playoff bye and po sibly home-field advantage went up dramatically.Playoff PictureThe NFL playoff picture is shaping up as teams head deeper into the 2014 season. Who looks promising? Who's on the edge? The pa s the eye test as the best team in the NFC. is playing at an MVP level, and the defense has steadily improved all season. They are 7-1 since their slow start and have sole po se sion of first place in the NFC North for the first time following . Arizona's lo s in Seattle could be a harbinger of things to come. Is ready to win tough road games coming up in St. Louis and San Francisco? Green Bay faces a very difficult test this week , but the aren't underdogs against anyone at Lambeau Field. Even if the lose to the , Green Bay should be in great position for a bye as long as the team holds serve against Detroit in Week 17. That's looking far ahead. What else did in Week 12, and what is on tap for week?Head-to-heads decide NFC EastPhiladelphia and Dallas face each other twice in three weeks, starting on . We figured these two games Tobias Harris Jersey could decide the NFC East crown all season, and the two teams enter this crucial stretch tied at 8-3. At the risk of stating the obvious, the winner of Thursday's game will e sentially get the chance to deliver a knockout blow in Week 15 when the teams face off again in Philadelphia. Dallas' division lo s to Washington could come back to haunt the when it comes to tiebreaks.The loser of the NFC East is hardly guaranteed a playoff spot, though ... Two good teams will stay homeTwo of the following five teams will not make the playoffs: Dallas, Philadelphia, Detroit, Seattle and San Francisco. I'm just going to put the into the playoffs because they have Rodgers, and a total collapse seems impo sible. I will also put Arizona into the playoffs because the Cards have nine wins and their only two lo ses came on the road against last year's teams. You want to bet on them losing in Atlanta on Sunday? The could potentially , but . That's what it would take for them to mi s the playoffs. Arizona fans should watch Thursday night's game closely, though, to find out their prime division competition.If we had to choose now, Dallas and San Francisco would be the teams that we see .Seattle and San Francisco need a sweepThe have have split their matchups the last two seasons, with the home teams going 4-0. Either team will need a season sweep to win the NFC West. The matchup on oddly means more than if both teams were, say, 9-2. Seattle can deal a huge blow to its division rivals with a road win. San Francisco can put the in catchup mode and e sentially knock them out of the division race with a home win.Seattle has a better chance to rally all the way toward a division title because the team has already beaten Arizona. San Francisco already has two division lo ses, including an early one to the .Let's not talk about the NFC SouthThe and are tied for the division lead at 4-7. The are very much alive at 3-7-1. The three teams play a round robin down the stretch, with New Orleans having a big advantage because its games will be at home. These teams are all lousy, and they will all be underdogs in Week 13. Yes, there's a good chance a 4-8 team will be in first place after Week 14. As poor as New Orleans has been, the ' schedule opens up after this week's game in Pittsburgh; vs. Carolina; at Chicago; vs. Atlanta; and at Tampa Bay. Win three of those games -- which the should -- and New Orleans should make the playoffs. Don't count out DetroitThe haven't scored a touchdown since the era, but it might not matter. Detroit returns for a three-game homestand against losing teams: Chicago, Tampa Bay and Minnesota. The will have a hard time winning the NFC North, but their schedule is favorable to make the playoffs as a wild card.The latest Around The NFL Podcast from Week 12 and discu ses 's progre sion. Find more Around The NFL content on . Louis Williams Jersey