Throughout the NFL season, I’ll be bringing you the NFC Survival Watch every week. What exactly is that? Think of it like power rankings, but with a tiered twist. Instead of just ranking teams, we’re breaking them down into survival categories:

•       Dead Man Walking: The season is practically over, even if the math says otherwise.
•       On Life Support: These teams are hanging on by a thread.
•       Fighting for Survival: Bubble teams still battling to keep their playoff hopes alive.
•       In the Hunt: Teams with a solid chance but still need to grind.
•       Top of the Pack: The NFC’s elite, comfortably in control of their playoff destiny.

Now that you know the tiers, let’s dive into where each NFC team stands after this week’s action. From teams dominating the competition to those barely clinging to life, here’s your NFC Survival Watch for the week.

Top of the Pack

Vikings – Talk about surprises! Who would have thought the Vikings would be undefeated heading into Week 4? Not only are they 3-0, but they’ve beaten some pretty good teams along the way, including a 34-7 blowout against the Texans. Sam Darnold looks like a stud, the offense is clicking, and the defense is playing at a high level. Their next challenge is a divisional matchup against the Packers.

Seahawks – Another surprise at 3-0. The Seahawks dominated the Dolphins, winning 24-3. With Kenneth Walker out, Zach Charbonnet has stepped up, rushing for 91 yards on 18 carries and 2 TDs. Geno Smith and the offense are firing on all cylinders. It’s early, but this Seahawks team could surprise some folks. They travel to Detroit next Monday.

Eagles – The Eagles survived a nail-biter against one of the hottest teams in NFL history, edging out the Saints 15-12. After struggling in run defense last week, they held the Saints to just 89 rushing yards, a huge improvement. Injuries to key players hurt, but the Eagles will look to build momentum when they visit the Bucs next.

Lions – The Lions boast a high-powered offense, featuring two excellent RBs, a top-tier TE, and two strong WRs. Jared Goff is the only thing holding them back. He had a solid game against the Cardinals, but one can’t help but wonder how the Lions would fare with an elite QB. After a 20-13 road win over the Cardinals, they face the Seahawks next in a game that could define their season.

In the Hunt

Falcons – It wasn’t a great week for the NFC South (except the Panthers). The Falcons had a tough SNF matchup against the Chiefs and put up a good fight, but ultimately fell short. The run game, which torched the Eagles last week, was quiet, with Tyler Allgeier managing just 32 yards on 7 carries. A poor 4th down call ended their hopes of an upset. They’ll try to bounce back against the Saints at home.

Bucs – Ouch. If you had the Bucs in your survivor pool, you might be out after this one. The Broncos, one of the worst offenses in the league, scored 26 points on them. Mayfield was inefficient, and the run game never found a rhythm. They’ll need to regroup quickly as they host the Eagles next week.

Saints – The Saints’ high-flying offense finally cooled off, managing just 12 points. Derek Carr struggled under pressure, and Alvin Kamara never got going. Their defense gave up a few big plays, but it’s still a strong unit. They’ll look to rebound against the Falcons on Sunday.

Packers – With Jordan Love out, Malik Willis showed he’s capable of winning games, especially sweet considering he beat his former team. It looks like Love will be back next week, and surviving these two games without him is huge for the Packers. They face a tough divisional test against the undefeated Vikings next.

Commanders – I’m hesitant to put this team in the second tier, as they’ve beaten a weak Giants team and an underperforming Bengals squad. Still, they’re sitting at 2-1 with a rookie QB who’s been impressive. The defense is a concern moving forward, and that may keep them from serious contention. If you’re a believer in Jayden Daniels, the next stretch of games, starting with the Cardinals on the road, will be a good test.

Fighting for Survival

Cardinals – The Cardinals are hit-or-miss. One week they score 41 points with ease, the next they put up just 13. Their defense only gave up 20 points to the Lions, but the offense couldn’t capitalize. They’ll have a chance to bounce back at home against the Commanders.

Rams – The Rams pulled off a 27-24 win over the 49ers, despite missing star WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Down 24-14, they rallied for 13 unanswered points. It’s unclear if this level of performance is sustainable, but they’ll look to build on this win next week against the Bears in Chicago.

49ers – The 49ers’ nightmare start continues. After losing to the Vikings last week, they dropped another divisional game to the Rams. With Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel out, Brock Purdy and Jauan Jennings tried to pick up the slack, but it wasn’t enough. The 49ers’ schedule doesn’t get any easier, and they’ll need to bounce back at home against the Patriots.

On Life Support

Giants – The Giants finally got a win, and against a solid defense. Malik Nabers is emerging as a star, and Devin Singletary has softened the blow of losing Saquon Barkley. Daniel Jones is showing signs of life. It’s hard to see them winning many games this year, but they might do enough to save Brian Daboll and Jones’ jobs. They head to Dallas for a Thursday night matchup.

Bears – Caleb Williams shows flashes of brilliance, but he’s not yet where the Bears need him to be. The run game was ineffective, averaging just 2.3 yards per carry, and airing it out 52 times with a rookie QB is a recipe for disaster. D’Andre Swift has been a disappointment. They’ll host the Rams next week, hoping for improvement.

Cowboys – The scoreboard may say it was a 3-point game, but anyone watching knows it wasn’t that close. The Cowboys had just 6 points going into the third quarter, and most of their scoring came after the Ravens let up. The offense is struggling, and the defense hasn’t been good enough to make up for it. They’ll face the Giants at home on Thursday.

Panthers – Andy Dalton led the Panthers to their first win, and it was a blowout, embarrassing the Raiders. Dalton threw for 319 yards and 3 TDs, while Chuba Hubbard looked like a legit starting RB. Diontae Johnson finally got involved too. It’s a small step, but it has to feel good for Carolina. They’ll take on the Bengals at home next week.

Dead Man Walking

No one yet.