NFL playoff picture Week 9: Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, Rams locked in tight NFC West race

Who will win the NFC West this season?

The race for that division champion is currently the most competitive in all of the NFL, with the Arizona Cardinals , San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks all 4-4 on the season and the Los Angeles Rams at 3-4.

No other division in the NFL has a division leader without a winning record.

The Cardinals were last in preseason odds to win the division, but they currently lead the NFC West thanks to tiebreakers (Arizona has a 2-0 record in division play).

So, if the NFL postseason began today, Arizona would host a playoff game.

Did you see that coming at the beginning of the season?

NFL Week 9 picks: Texans vs Jets | Cowboys vs Falcons | Broncos vs Ravens | Dolphins vs Bills | Saints vs Panthers | Raiders vs Bengals | Chargers vs Browns | Commanders vs Giants | Patriots vs Titans | Bears vs Cardinals | Jaguars vs Eagles | Lions vs Packers | Rams vs Seahawks | Colts vs Vikings | Buccaneers vs Chiefs | The Arizona Republic's predictions

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The 49ers still have to be considered the favorite in the division, but entering the NFL Week 9 schedule, the NFC West is a four-team race.

How long will it stay that way?

Here's how the NFL playoff picture looks right now.

There are eight NFL divisions, four in the NFC and four in the AFC, with each division winner earning a playoff berth in each conference along with the three non-division winners with the best records in that conference earning wild-card bids into the postseason.

NFL power rankings Week 9: Division-leading Commanders, Cardinals, Steelers defying odds

NFC playoff picture Week 9: Who's in NFL postseason right now?

• No. 1 Detroit Lions (6-1) - NFC North leader
• No. 2 Washington Commanders (6-2) - NFC East leader
• No. 3 Atlanta Falcons (5-3) - NFC South leader
• No. 4 Arizona Cardinals (4-4) - NFC West leader
• No. 5 Green Bay Packers  (6-2) - Wild Card
• No. 6 Minnesota Vikings (5-2) - Wild Card
• No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) - Wild Card

NFC playoff picture Week 9: Who's not in NFL postseason right now?

• No. 8 Chicago Bears (4-3)
• No. 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)
• No. 10 San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
• No. 11 Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
• No. 12 Los Angeles Rams (3-4)
• No. 13 Dallas Cowboys (3-4)
• No. 14 New Orleans Saints (2-6)
• No. 15 New York Giants (2-6)
• No. 16 Carolina Panthers (1-7)

NFC playoff picture Week 9: What are NFL postseason matchups right now?

• No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles at No. 2 Washington Commanders
• No. 6 Minnesota Vikings at No. 3 Atlanta Falcons
• No. 5 Green Bay Packers at No. 4 Arizona Cardinals

NFL Week 9 odds: Who is favored in this week's NFL games?

NFL Week 9 schedule, TV channels: How to watch, stream games this week

AFC playoff picture Week 9: Who's in NFL postseason right now?

• No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (7-0) - AFC North leader
• No. 2 Houston Texans (6-2) - AFC South leader
• No. 3  Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) - AFC North leader
• No. 4 Buffalo Bills (6-2) - AFC East leader
• No. 5 Denver Broncos (5-3) - Wild Card
• No. 6 Baltimore Ravens (5-3) - Wild Card
• No. 7  Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) - Wild Card

AFC playoff picture Week 9: Who's not in NFL postseason right now?

• No. 8 Indianapolis Colts (4-4)
• No. 9 Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)
• No. 10 Miami Dolphins (2-5)
• No. 11 Cleveland Browns (2-6)
• No. 12  Las Vegas Raiders (2-6)
• No. 13 Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
• No. 14 New England Patriots (2-6)
• No. 15 New York Jets (2-6)
• No. 16 Tennessee Titans (1-6)

AFC playoff picture Week 9: What are NFL postseason matchups right now?

• No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers at No. 2 Houston Texans
• No. 6 Baltimore Ravens at No. 3 Pittsburgh Steelers
• No. 5 Denver Broncos at No. 4 Buffalo Bills

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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com . Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NFL playoff picture Week 9: Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, Rams locked in tight NFC West race