NFL: Updated Playoff Picture
The NFL regular season is quickly coming to an end, with teams getting the chance to clinch playoff berths in the coming weeks, as well as Wild Card opportunities going up for grabs. There are a ton of quality games this weekend, headlined by the Philadelphia Eagles traveling to the Seattle Seahawks, but the Minnesota Vikings versus Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers playing the New Orleans Saints are games to keep an eye on as well. Last night, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins to stay in the playoff hunt, but they aren't the only ones battling for a spot, and I am going to break it all down right now.
AFC Breakdown:
No. 1: Pittsburgh Steelers (9-2)
No. 2: New England Patriots (9-2)
No. 3: Tennessee Titans (7-4)
No. 4: Kansas City Chiefs (6-5)
No. 5: Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4)
No. 6: Baltimore Ravens (6-5)
On the Bubble:
No. 7: Buffalo Bills (6-5)
No. 8: Cincinnati Bengals (5-6)
No. 9: Los Angeles Chargers (5-6)
No. 10: Oakland Raiders (5-6)
Thoughts: The Pittsburgh Steelers would be the No. 1 seed in the AFC if the season ended today because of a tiebreaker that would bump them ahead of the New England Patriots, but that will likely come down to a matchup of the two teams when they play one another in Week 15 in the Steel City. The Tennessee Titans will continue to battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the division, but both have a realistic opportunity to reach the playoffs, one being a Wild Card. The Kansas City Chiefs are 1-5 since their scorching 5-0 start, and it doesn't help that the Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland Raiders are only a game back now. It wouldn't surprise me to see them continue sliding and miss the playoffs altogether, but they should still be the favorites in the division considering their schedule, but that won't matter if the offense doesn't wake up soon. The Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals are all fresh off of wins, as they each try to keep pace with one another for that final Wild Card spot. There are really only two teams that are sure fire postseason teams, so it's going to be fun watching eight teams battle for four spots in the next month.
NFC Breakdown:
No. 1: Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
No. 2: Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
No. 3: Los Angeles Rams (8-3)
No. 4: New Orleans Saints (8-3)
No. 5: Carolina Panthers (8-3)
No. 6: Atlanta Falcons (7-4)
On the Bubble:
No. 7: Seattle Seahawks (7-4)
No. 8: Detroit Lions (6-5)
No. 9: Dallas Cowboys (6-6)
No. 10: Green Bay Packers (5-6)
Thoughts: The Philadelphia Eagles are one win away from clinching the division and making sure they are officially in the playoffs, and that should happen within the next two weeks. The Minnesota Vikings are one of the surprise teams in the league, but they still have a ton of work to do as they still have games against the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers remaining. The Los Angeles Rams, along with Minnesota, have been exciting stories to watch their improvement since last season, and if they can win three more games, they're likely a lock to return to the playoffs. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers will play this coming weekend, as they're right next to each other in the standings, but the Saints hold the tiebreaker for the time being. The Atlanta Falcons, the third NFC South team projected to be in the playoffs, would get the final spot, and it's a huge boost for them that they've been all four of the teams on the bubble, so they'll own the head-to-head tiebreaker against each if it came down to that. The Seattle Seahawks could make a leap if they could beat the Eagles this weekend. The Detroit Lions also have a shot at taking down the Ravens on the road.
Photo Credit: The Draft Wire.
