Race For Sixth Seeds As Deep As Ever
There are only three weeks to go in the NFL regular-season, and while lightening and thunder struck a number of teams playoff hopes this past weekend, the hunt is still very much on with much to be decided.
In the AFC, the New England Patriots and Houston Texans will jockey for a possible first-round bye while the Pittsburgh Steelers have very much allowed the Baltimore Ravens back into the AFC North race.
The final wildcard playoff spot that Baltimore has positioned themselves for is a four-team race with three other 7-6 teams vying for that spot.
In the NFC, the New Orleans Saints have work to do to secure home-field advantage, while the final spot in the NFC is up for grabs.
Here is a full breakdown of the crowded and murky NFL playoff picture as we head into Week 15.
AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-2)
Remaining Games: LAC, @ SEA, OAK
The Kansas City Chiefs are close to locking down the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If there’s a slip up down the stretch, it could begin this week at home vs. Los Angeles.
Tyreek Hill came up gimpy with a foot injury late in the fourth quarter vs. the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Should he miss that game, it’ll be hard for Kansas City to overcome their top two wide receivers being out vs. their AFC West rivals.
2. New England Patriots (9-4)
Remaining Games: @ PIT, BUF, NYJ
With two home games in their final two games, their Week 15 matchup in Pittsburgh is pivotal. Should New England lose that game, they could be playing on Wildcard weekend, something they haven’t done since 2009.
3. Houston Texans (9-4)
Remaining Games: @ NYJ, @ PHI, JAX
The Houston Texans need to win out and have New England lose a game to secure a first-round bye. That could be key in a potential divisional round matchup. Houston has never won at Gillette Stadium, going 0-7 all-time there.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5-1)
Remaining Games: NE, @ NO, CIN
Pittsburgh is making their road to the playoffs a shaky one over the past three weeks, which have all resulted in tough last second losses. It hasn’t necessarily been the other team, just their own doing. Now, they’ll look to just hang onto their division with two tough matchups upcoming.
5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-3)
Remaining games: @ KC, BAL, @ DEN
The Chargers have an opportunity to tie the Chiefs for the division lead in the AFC West on Thursday night, but Kansas City has a better division record. Even if they win out, they’d need Kansas City to drop one of their remaining two games to win the AFC West.
6. Baltimore Ravens (7-6)
Remaining games: TB, @ LAC, CLE
Baltimore will have their work cut out for them as they have a road date with the Los Angeles Chargers sandwiched in-between two home games that could prove more difficult than advertised. Cleveland’s won two straight while Tampa Bay made life tough for the New Orleans Saints in two matchups this season, winning one of them.
In The Hunt
7. Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
Remaining Games: DAL, NYG, @ TEN
Needed a win in Houston last Sunday and got one, now they’ll need to cool a red-hot Cowboys team to stay on pace.
8. Miami Dolphins (7-6)
Remaining Games: @ MIN, JAX, @ BUF
The Dolphins improbable victory over New England could spring them to a playoff birth if they take care of business next week in Minnesota. The final two games are against teams that are a combined 8-18.
9. Tennessee Titans (7-6)
Remaining Games: @ NYG, WAS, IND
If Tennessee wants to make the postseason this year, they will likely need to upend the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 in Nashville. Unless of course Indianapolis drops one of their final two home games. That could be key considering Andrew Luck has never lost to the Titans.
10. Denver Broncos (6-7)
Remaining Games: CLE, @ OAK, LAC
Their road looks dim following a loss on the road to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, but by winning out they have a shot to get in at 9-7, needing plenty of help to get in.
NFC
1. New Orleans Saints (11-2)
Remaining Games: @ CAR, PIT, CAR
They once again control their own destiny, having remaining games against two teams who now find themselves in desperate situations. Though, New Orleans is in prime position to win all three of those games.
2. Los Angeles Rams (11-2)
Remaining Games: PHI, @ ARI, SF
It’s smooth sailing for the Los Angeles Rams in terms of playing for a bye week at worst, as their final three games are against below .500 teams.
3. Chicago Bears (9-4)
Remaining Games: GB, @ SF, @ MIN
The Chicago Bears are would need to win out and get two losses from the Los Angeles Rams in their final three games to get a first-round bye. The latter doesn’t seem realistic when you take a look at Los Angeles’ schedule, which features the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.
4. Dallas Cowboys (8-5)
Remaining Games: @ IND, TB, @ NYG
The magic number is two to clinch the NFC East, but depending on how Philadelphia handles two formidable foes over the next two weeks, they could clinch the division as early as this week.
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
Remaining Games: @ SF, KC, ARI
The Seattle Seahawks have a showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16, who in all likelihood, even with home-field possibly locked up, will play to win. They also could endure a challenge this Sunday in San Francisco if they get caught looking ahead to Kansas City. It would take a meltdown over the final three games to miss the playoffs entirely.
6. Minnesota Vikings (6-6-1)
Remaining Games: MIA, @ DET, CHI
Three consecutive losses has Minnesota now needing to turn it around quickly, but with a look at the rest of their competitors for the final wildcard spot, it’s possible that they sleepwalk into the postseason postseason at 7-8-1.
In The Hunt
7. Carolina Panthers (6-7)
Remaining Games: NO, ATL, @ NO
It’s five straight losses for Carolina, and they may not win another game this season with two of their final three vs. New Orleans. Ron Rivera’s team went 0-3 vs. New Orleans last season, which included a playoff loss at the Superdome.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (6-7)
Remaining Games: @ LAR, HOU, @ WAS
Finding a way to win at Los Angeles and then return home to beat the Houston Texans can position Philadelphia for the sixth and final wildcard spot, but this team left it all on the field in the second half last week and still came up short in what may possibly be a season-defining loss at Dallas.
9. Washington Redskins (6-7)
Remaining Games: @ JAX, @ TEN, PHI
The Washington Redskins season has turned into a nightmare due to injuries, and with the team now on their fourth starting quarterback in five weeks, it’s hard to envision them rising from the dead here.
10. Green Bay Packers (5-7-1)
Remaining Games: @ CHI, @ NYJ, DET
Win out, get some help and in? Not necessarily. The Packers will be kicking themselves for their Week 13 loss to Arizona if they win their final three games of the season, particularly with how their competitors for the sixth seed have fizzled over the past weeks. A 9-6-1 record and a Minnesota loss over the final three weeks would’ve moved Green Bay into the final playoff spot.
Which possible wildcard teams from each conference have the best chance at making a Super Bowl run? Leave your comments below!