Before anyone touched a football in Week 7 of the NFL, we already knew that the NFC playoff picture would look clearer than ever before in the 2024 season. That started, of course, with the Detroit Lions (minus Aidan Hutchinson) on the road facing a Minnesota Vikings team that remained undefeated after the bye week.

The Lions, who had just started insulting the Cowboys a week ago, didn't stop rolling. They found themselves locked in a duel with their division rivals, but a field goal in the final 30 seconds sealed their fate. But that wasn't all: the Green Bay Packers had their own dogfight with the Houston Texans, while two potential rivals faced each other in the Atlanta Falcons and the Seattle Seahawks.

And after the Lions got that win on Sunday, the Packers got a win of their own, and the Seahawks beat the Falcons on the road, we're pretty confused about what the NFC playoff picture looks like now.

As mentioned, the Lions' first loss to the Vikings this year not only catapults Detroit into first place in the NFC North, but also into the top spot in the NFC playoffs. The Lions seemed to be the best team in the league in recent weeks and the win in Minnesota didn't change that.

Speaking of the NFC North: The division seems to be by far the strongest in the entire league. If the season ended today, all four teams in this division would advance to the postseason as the Packers maintain their hot start, especially if Jordan Love bounces back as they got past the Texans with a narrow win in Week 7. The Bears may have a bye in Week 7, but their 4-2 record behind Caleb Williams still keeps them in the game.

However, the two biggest surprises remain in the NFC East and NFC West. The San Francisco 49ers, who play the Chiefs in Week 7, have had some struggles without Christian McCaffrey, resulting in a 3-3 record and currently sitting at just 11th overall. Meanwhile, the Seahawks took over the top spot in the division with their win over the Falcons on Sunday. No one in the NFC East saw Jayden Daniels and the Commanders having such great success so early, and similarly, few expected both the Cowboys and Eagles to look as worrisome as they did.

Of course, we're not even halfway through the regular season yet, and what's more, the trade deadline in just over two weeks is extremely significant as it could shake up the NFC playoff picture going forward.