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NFL Playoff Picture: Falcons in the hunt, but by a thread

We still have to talk playoffs, at least a little longer.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Falcons are further away from the #1 pick than they are from the playoffs, so we have to talk about the postseason for at least one more week. I know, I know. Pitchforks and torches.

The Falcons are lining up as the eighth seed in the NFC right now, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who just beat this team), Seattle Seahawks, and the Minnesota Vikings (who beat them the week before). It's going to take some impressive wins and a collapse from the Vikings and/or Buccaneers to get it done, obviously, but technically they're not completely dead right now.

The best case scenario for Atlanta involves going undefeated, which would put them at 10-6, and seeing the Vikings fall out of the race entirely, while the Bucs don't gain much ground. I'm just not overly optimistic that the suddenly surging Seahawks are going to be in trouble, so this seems like the best bet. When you're saying you need a 4-0 finish when you have two games against the currently undefeated Panthers, yeah, you're in some trouble.

Here's a look at the full playoff picture from NFL.com, if you're interested.