No playoff spots clinched through Week 14 for just third time since 1978

The Arizona Cardinals had designs on becoming the first NFL team to lock up a playoff berth.

The Los Angeles Rams had other plans, however, and with L.A.’s 30-23 win over Arizona on Monday night, not only did the Rams prevent the Cardinals from punching their playoff ticket, but their victory assured there are zero teams having clinched a playoff berth through Week 14.

With Monday night’s result, 2021 — the first 17-game campaign — is only the third season without a clinched postseason berth through Week 14 since the NFL moved to a 16-game season in 1978, per NFL Research. The other such years were 1993 and 2014.

The Cardinals, who entered Week 14 needing only to win to get into the playoffs, were one of three clubs who could have sealed a playoff berth. The Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the other two.

While Arizona had the easiest path to the playoffs (with a win-and-in scenario), it was the only team of the aforementioned trio to lose in Week 14. Thus, as the Cardinals were the No. 1 seed in the NFC coming into Monday, they end the evening as the No. 3 seed behind No. 1 Green Bay and No. 2 Tampa Bay.

Week 15 will welcome new playoff-clinching scenarios after Week 14 left the 2021 playoff field still without an entrant.

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