It will come in week 17 for a number of NFL organizations as only seven of the 14 playoff teams have officially achieved postseason berths.
Here’s a look at the NFL playoff picture after Sunday night’s game as the Green Bay Packers beat the Tennessee Titans in the 16th weekend. (Notably, the postseason-element between the New England Patriots and the AFC ex-champion Buffalo Bills does not appear to be a clear “Monday night football”.
AFC:
(* Teams that have a playoff spot)
1. Kansas City Chiefs 14-1 *
2. Pittsburgh Steelers 12-3 *
3. Buffalo Bills 11-3 *
4. Tennessee Titans 10-5
5. Miami Dolphins 10-5
6. Baltimore Ravens 10-5
7. Cleveland Browns 10-5
In hunting:
8. Indianapolis Colts 10-5
The Chiefs got the first seeded seed of the AFC and thus took advantage of the home field with a 16-week win over the Atlanta Falcons. The Stilters broke a three-game losing streak and won after returning to the AFC North Colts. Pittsburgh currently sits at No. 2, but will leave Pittsburgh at No. 3, which received the bill on Monday on the Patriots.
It is then a very close race as five teams sit at 10-5. The Titans still have an edge over the Colts in the AFC South. If the Titans beat the Houston Texans in Week 17, the Tennessee Division will win and thus finish No. 4.
The Dolphins were arguably the biggest winners of the weekend. Miami entered the 7th ranked seed (third wild-card spot) in Week 16 and moved to the No. 5 seed (first wild-card spot) after a win over the Las Vegas Raiders and losses to both the Browns and Colts. On the outside last week the Ravens had a win over the New York Giants and similarly the Dolphins benefited from the loss of the Browns and Colts, as they are both tiebreakers. Baltimore will receive a playoff berth with a 17th week win over Cincinnati.
Browse damaged the jets, but did not hit them. If the Tea Titans lose and the Ravens, Colts and Dolphins all win, Cleveland can a) beat the Steelers, b) lose a Colts or c) gain a playoff spot.
Indianapolis still has a chance to gain entry into the postseason, but the Colts don’t have a tiebreaker against either Brown or Ravens. First, he will win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and then lose to the Titans, Ravens, Browns or Dolphins. The Colts could still win the AFC South title and finish No. 4 with a win and a loss to Tennessee.
NFC:
1. Green Bay Packers 12-3 *
2. New Orleans Saints 11-4 *
3. Seattle Seahawks 11-4 *
4. Washington football team 6-9
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-5 *
6. Los Angeles Rams 9-6
7. Chicago Bears 8-7
In hunting:
8. Arizona Cardinals 8-7
11. Dallas Cowboys 6-9
13. New York Giants 5-10
Packers is a game close to the No. 1 seed, and therefore has an advantage in the home field. Green Bay couldn’t clearly claim it Sunday as both Saints and Seahawks won their Week 16 games. The Packers will top the San Francisco 49ers with a Week 17 win over the Bears or the Seahawks.
The Saints, led by Alvin Camara, officially gave the NFC South a win over the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day while Seattle claimed the NFC West title with a 16-week win over the Los Angeles Rams. The New Orleans could take the Bears to No. 1 seed with a defeat to the Carolina Panthers and Packers during Week 17. Seattle need to beat the 49ers and both the Packers and Saints will have to lose Week 17 to get the number. 1 seed, which is not exactly possible.
Tom Brady’s Buccaneers claimed their first playoff birth since 2007 after a one-sided victory over the Detroit Lions on Saturday. However, Tampa Bay were overturned by New Orleans this season, so they can’t win the division and so they will advance to the first round playing the NFC East champions, until they beat the Atlanta Falcons Week 17.
The other three teams – Washington, Washington, Los Angeles and Chicago – will decide their fate in Week 17. Washington is ahead of Washington in the NFC, but neither the Cowboys nor the Giants are excluded. If Washington beat Philadelphia Week 17, the football team is in the postseason. If Washington loses to Philadelphia, the winner of the Giants-Cowboys will make the playoffs.
The Rams will need a win or a loss of the Bears to earn a postseason berth while the Rams will need a defeat of the Packers or the Cardinals to reach the playoffs. Green Bay could still get back into the Arizona playoff picture with victories over the Rams and Chicago defeats.
Got it all?
Thumbnail photo by Tim Fuller / USA Today Sports Images
