The Washington Commanders’ win on Sunday night didn’t just put them into the playoffs. It also put another team in.
The Commanders beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 in overtime at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., to improve to 11-5 and clinch a spot in the playoffs. The win also helped the 10-6 Los Angeles Rams clinch the NFC West due to a tiebreaker.
The 9-7 Seahawks had beaten the Falcons in Week 7. The Rams also beat the Seahawks in the first meeting between the teams this season. So if the Seahawks beat the Rams in Week 18 to split the series, the next tiebreaker would be strength of victories. Atlanta’s loss dropped them to 8-8 and gave the Rams the stronger victories and therefore the division.
The Rams needed at least four wins in Week 17 from the following teams: Vikings, Bills, 49ers, Commanders, Bengals and Browns.
Now the only way the Rams can clinch this week is with a win over Arizona and “Strength of victory” with 4 of these 6 teams winning this week.
Rams control their own destiny. pic.twitter.com/4nOWZZxyWW
— 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐀 (@BuiltForLA) December 27, 2024
Buffalo, Minnesota, Washington and Cincinnati came through for them.
The Rams have won five in a row and have gone 9-2 in their last 11. The Commanders are likewise looking good and will visit the Cowboys in Week 18. The Commanders are tied with the Green Bay Packers for the fourth-best record in the NFC.
