You’re going to be engrossed in the Packers-Cardinals game Sunday afternoon but as we arrive at Week 16, the Packers have a couple of other games to watch.

So today is an all NFC edition of “Three Games to Watch” dealing with teams that either immediately impact the Packers’ prospects or will see them in the playoffs.

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

It’s worth tuning in just to see if Carolina cornerback Josh Norman can get Julio Jones to meltdown like he did Odell Beckham Jr. I covered the Giants-Panthers game and I can safely say I have never seen anything like it in a pro football game.

I expect it to be more boring though. And Norman knows he’ll be watched closely. Put a toe out of line and you can expect the flags to fly.

The Panthers have far more firepower on one side of the ball (take your pick which) then the Falcons have on both sides, combined and including Julio Jones. That said they have found ways to make games closer than they need to be. It’s unlikely the Panthers lose this one but they’ve been close.

Why does this matter to you? Because as I expect the Cardinals to beat the Packers (sorry), it’s worth seeing the Panthers lose and potentially lose that first overall seed. That will certainly impact who the Packers see when they make the playoffs. Of course, if the Packers lose, this next game gets very interesting.

New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings

As I said on my show this week, even before Odell Beckham Jr was suspended I thought the Vikings were going to win this game. After last week it became even cleared that if you want to limit Beckham, you hit him. With Harrison Smith likely back, the Vikings had that vehicle.

Add to it a solid pass rush against a terrible offensive line and things looked good for the Purple People Eaters. Now Beckham is gone and the weak offensive line and sub-par run game don’t even have that for support. We’ve got an inconsistent Rueben Randle and a cavalcade of mediocrity.  The only player who looks decent is Will Tye at tight end.

The Vikings defense, mostly healthy for the first time in forever, should have little issue with the Giants now.

Offensively, the Vikings will likely lean on Adrian Peterson for the most part against a middling run defense. That said, if I were them I would try to get Teddy Bridgewater going early and let him throw. The Giants secondary is awful, the pass-rush is invisible and you know if they make the playoffs he is going to have to throw the ball.

Of course you care because a Green Bay loss and a Vikings win makes next week very important and a game for the division.

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks

Nobody wants to see the Seahawks in the playoffs, but the Packers might depending how things shake out. A win by the Seahawks could do a few things depending on the Vikings’ game and the Packers’ game.

If the Vikings win and Seahawks lose, the Packers would face the Seahawks in the first round. Of course, that assume the Packers win next week. If the Seahawks win, the Packers are likely to lock into playing the Vikings in that first round if Green Bay loses and depending on who wins next week—the winner getting that game at home.

I’m sure there are more versions of this, including the Vikings winning this weekend losing next week while Seattle loses both weeks and wind up in the sixth seed against the Packers.

Long story, short—Seattle winning or losing has some ripple effects for Green Bay.