NFL schedule set up perfect Buccaneers, Panthers finish for NFC South standings originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The NFL schedule makers like to backlog the calendar with divisional matchups. But even then, there's no guarantee that those games will have any meaning.

The NFL has been taking over Christmas Day in recent years, but the NBA might win the battle this year. While the NFL will likely still put up better streaming numbers, when it comes to the actual product on the field/court,

Each conference will have seven playoff teams: four division winners (No. 1 through No. 4) and three at-large teams, called wild cards (No. 5 through No. 7). The division winners are ranked by best record to worst and will each host at least one playoff game.