New Orleans Saints: Why the Saints are a lock for the NFC number one seed

2. The competition has a tougher road ahead

As it currently stands, the absolute worst record that could snag the first seed in the NFC is 12-4, however, it appears as if the record to aim for to get the first seed is probably 13-3. Right now, there are three other teams in the NFC that are capable of doing that, other than the Saints.

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The Green Bay Packers, who had a controversial win on Monday Night Football, are one of them with a 5-1 record. The other two both come out of the NFC West in the 5-0 San Francisco 49ers and 5-1 Seattle Seahawks.

Only one team can come out of the West and be the first seed, though, so either way, it will be a three-horse race.

The 49ers, Packers and Seahawks all have tougher stretches ahead of them than the Saints do as well and it will be quite the task for each of those teams to finish 13-3.

The Seahawks have notable home games against the Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings and 49ers. They also have some big road games against the 49ers, Eagles, Rams and Panthers.

Splitting with the 49ers already puts them at two losses, meaning the Seahawks would have to go 4-1 in those five other tough games while also not losing against the Falcons, Buccaneers and Cardinals.

Then there are the 49ers. Their first loss comes in that assumed split with the Seahawks and they also have to play the Packers, Ravens, Saints and Rams again.

Meanwhile, Green Bay has the game against the 49ers as well as Chiefs, Vikings, Bears, Lions and a sneaky team in the Chargers.

The 49ers lose at least one of those four games, potentially making the matchup with the Saints for the first seed, while the Packers will probably finish with four or five losses.

Everything has to go right for the 49ers to lose only three games and with the wins that are on their resume, they still have not proven at all that they could pull it out.