Paths to title in NFC West, the NFL's most competitive division

With four weeks remaining in the NFL regular season, five divisions (AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, AFC East, NFC East) have at least one of their teams eliminated from playoff contention, while two other divisions (NFC North, NFC South) have a team with less than a 1% chance to make the playoffs, according to nfl.com. 

The only division remaining in which all four teams have at least a puncher's chance to win the division is the NFC West.

Using ESPN's NFL Playoff Machine, here's how each team in the NFC West can win the division.

Seattle Seahawks (8-5)

Remaining games: vs. Green Bay Packers (9-4), vs. Minnesota Vikings (11-2), at Chicago Bears (4-9), at Los Angeles Rams (7-6)

With a one-game division lead, Seattle controls its destiny — if it wins out, it will win the NFC West. Thanks to a 3-2 divisional record, however, they have room for error.

The Rams pose the biggest threat to Seattle if it slips. If Seattle and Los Angeles each win their next three games, the winner of Seahawks-Rams in Week 18 will determine the division champion. For the Seahawks to avoid facing a Week 18 elimination game, they'll need to win one more game than the Rams between Weeks 15 and 17.

As for the other NFC West bottom-feeders, should the Cardinals win out, the Seahawks would need to win just two of their final four games and avoid a three-way tie with the Cardinals and Rams to eliminate Arizona from title contention. If San Francisco wins out, however, Seattle would need to go 3-1 over the final stretch or 2-2 with a win over the Rams to secure the division.

Even if the Seahawks lose grip of their division lead, they'll have a solid chance at sneaking into the playoffs as a wild card, perhaps replacing the Washington Commanders (8-5).

Los Angeles Rams (7-6)

Remaining games: at San Francisco 49ers (6-7), at New York Jets (3-10), vs. Arizona Cardinals (6-7), vs. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)

Despite ranking second in the division, the Rams also control their destiny to a division title. Thanks to their Week 9 win over the Seahawks, Los Angeles would own the head-to-head tie-breaker over Seattle with a Week 18 win and, if it wins out, would be crowned NFC West champions.

The margin for error for Los Angeles to unseat Seattle becomes substantially slimmer if the Rams lose in Week 18, however.

To offset a Week 18 loss, the Rams would have to win each of their next three contests and need Seattle to lose two of their next three games — with one loss needing to be to the Minnesota Vikings.

The only way they can win the NFC West without winning all their next three games and subsequently losing to Seattle is with a loss to the New York Jets. If the Rams lose to the Jets in Week 16 and the Seahawks in Week 18, they can win the division if the Seahawks go 0-3 in their next three games and Arizona goes 2-2 or worse in their final four games.

Similarly to the Seahawks, the Rams can still compete for a wild-card spot if they fail to emerge atop the NFC West.

Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

Remaining games: vs. New England Patriots (3-10), at Carolina Panthers (3-10), at Los Angeles Rams (7-6), vs. San Francisco 49ers (6-7)

The Cardinals hurt themselves significantly by losing in Week 14 to the Seahawks — a win would have made their path to a division title much simpler. All signs now point to them likely having to win out for a chance at a division title.

To surpass the Seahawks in a two-team tie, Arizona must win three more games than Seattle over the final four. There is a scenario in which Arizona can, however, jump the Seahawks even if both teams finish with the same record.

The scenario in which the 9-8 Cardinals would make the playoffs in a three-team tie with the Seahawks and Rams would require Arizona to win both of its divisional matchups remaining and beat one of the Patriots or Panthers. For the Cardinals to claim first in this scenario, the Rams and Seahawks would each have to finish 3-3 in divisional play, granting Arizona the tie-breaker with a 4-2 divisional record.

In the unlikely event the Cardinals end up in a two-team tie with the Rams for first, as long as Arizona beats Los Angeles in Week 17, they'd own the head-to-head tie-breaker and clinch a division title.

While they haven't been eliminated from contention for a wild-card spot yet, it would be a stretch to say Arizona can sneak into the playoffs without winning the NFC West.

San Francisco 49ers (6-7)

Remaining games: vs. Los Angeles Rams (7-6), at Miami Dolphins (6-7), vs. Detroit Lions (12-1), at Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

The losers of three divisional matchups (one to each NFC West team), the 49ers are in the worst position to make a division title run, but it's not impossible.

To leapfrog the Seahawks, San Francisco must either win three more games than Seattle over the final stretch or win two more games — including wins in both divisional matchups — than Seattle if the Seahawks lose to the Rams in Week 18.

Similarly to their dilemma with Seattle, the 49ers would need outside help to pass the Rams. For starters, the 49ers must beat the Rams in Week 15. A loss to the Rams would immediately eliminate San Francisco from contention for the division title.

With a Week 15 win, the 49ers would need to either win one more game than the Rams over the final three weeks or win the same amount of games as the Rams if each finish 3-3 in divisional play.

While it's highly unlikely the 49ers find themselves tied with Arizona atop the NFC West, should both teams finish 9-8 and the 49ers beat the Cardinals in Week 18, San Francisco would hold the tie-breaker due to record in conference games.