Hawks Chart | Possible playoff opponents

Washington (8-7) vs. Dallas (13-2), 1:15 p.m.

Scenarios: Washington beats Dallas and it's in the playoffs. Washington also makes it if both Minnesota and New Orleans lose today.

Assets: The team's strength is its defense. Washington allowed five points total in the first half of its four games this month. Last week, Minnesota became the first team since Nov. 18 to score more than 20 points against Washington.

Liabilities: Washington is an average offense by almost every measure: 16th in yards, 19th in points, 13th in rushing yards and 14th in passing yards. QB Todd Collins has played well since starter Jason Campbell (kneecap) went down for the year, but this is a guy who hadn't started a game since the Clinton administration until this season.

Playoff pedigree: Washington made the playoffs once in Joe Gibbs' first three seasons after returning to coach in 2004. It earned a wild-card berth in 2005, won in Tampa Bay the first weekend of the playoffs and was beaten in Seattle in the divisional playoffs.

History vs. Seahawks: Washington is 4-0 against Seattle in the regular season since Mike Holmgren became coach, most recently beating the Seahawks in overtime in Week 4 of 2005. Seattle beat Washington 20-10 in the divisional playoffs in 2006, beginning the Seahawks' run to the Super Bowl.

Minnesota (8-7) at Denver (6-9), 1:15 p.m.

Scenario: Minnesota needs to beat Denver and Washington must lose to Dallas for the Vikings to earn the wild card.

Assets: The offense is led by rookie RB Adrian Peterson, the defense led by tackles Kevin and Pat Williams. The Vikings average a league-high 164.1 yards rushing and allow a league-low 70.5 rushing.

Liabilities: QB Tarvaris Jackson has passed for seven touchdowns this season. To put that in perspective, the Vikings defense has returned six interceptions for touchdowns.

Playoff pedigree: The Vikings last made the playoffs in 2004 and won a playoff game in Green Bay. That was Minnesota's only postseason berth from 2001 to '06.

History vs. Seahawks: The Vikings beat Seattle 31-13 at Qwest Field last season. RB Chester Taylor scored on a 95-yard touchdown run, the longest rush ever allowed by Seattle, and QB Matt Hasselbeck suffered a sprained knee during the third quarter, which kept him out the next four games. The two teams have never met in the playoffs.

New Orleans (7-8) at Chicago (6-9), 10 a.m.

Scenario: If Washington and Minnesota both lose and the Saints beat the Bears, New Orleans will be in.

Assets: The Saints have scored 30 or more points in five games, all wins. Drew Brees passed for more than 4,000 yards for the second straight season, and second-year WR Marques Colston caught 90 passes in the first 15 games.

Liabilities: Who's Aaron Stecker? If you said the Saints' starting running back last week, you're right. Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush are both injured, leaving the Saints picking from scraps in the backfield. The Saints have allowed 3,745 yards passing, third-most in the league this season.

Playoff pedigree: New Orleans earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs last season, beat Philadelphia in the divisional playoffs and lost in Chicago for the conference championship. That was the Saints' first playoff appearance since 2000.

History vs. Seahawks: New Orleans scored the first 21 points of the game in its 28-17 victory at Seattle in Week 6. The Seahawks had won the previous three regular-season meetings between the teams.

Danny O'Neil