What Is The NFL Playoff Picture Look Like?
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The NFL playoff picture is starting to take shape. Here’s a look at what it looks like heading into Week 15.
AFC Wild Card Picture
The NFL Playoffs are nearly upon us and there are still some questions to be answered in regards to the AFC Wild Card Picture. Who will be the two teams that represent the AFC in the Wild Card round? Here is a look at the NFL Playoff Picture and the AFC Wild Card Picture.
AFC South
The Jaguars have clinched the AFC South and will be the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. They will host the Bills in the Wild Card round. The Titans are currently the No. 6 seed in the AFC and will travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in the Wild Card round.
AFC North
As we enter the final weeks of the NFL regular season, the playoff picture is starting to come into focus. In the AFC, the New England Patriots have all but clinched the top seed, while the Pittsburgh Steelers are in good position to grab the AFC North title. In the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams appear to be the team to beat, but there are still a few spots up for grabs.
Here’s a look at what the playoff picture looks like in each conference heading into Week 15:
AFC
1. New England Patriots (11-3): The Patriots have put themselves in position to clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. They hold a two-game lead over the Kansas City Chiefs and Steelers with three weeks to play.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5): The Chiefs occupy the first wild-card spot in the AFC and control their own destiny. They hold a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
3. Houston Texans (9-5): The Texans are in firm control of their playoff fate as well. They currently occupy the second wild-card spot and hold a one-game lead over both the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (11-3): The Chargers are on track to win their division and could still make a run at a first-round bye if they can catch up to the Chiefs. They currently sit two games behind Kansas City with three weeks remaining in the season.
NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams (11-3): The Rams have all but wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. They currently hold a two-game lead over both Saints and Bears with three weeks remaining in the season.. New Orleans could still catch them if they can win out and Los Angeles lose out, but it’s unlikely
AFC East
The AFC East is a division of the National Football League (NFL)’s American Football Conference (AFC) that was created when the league realigned in 2002. There are currently four teams that reside in the division: the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets. All four teams play their home games in the Eastern Time Zone.
AFC East is generally considered to be one of if not the most competitive divisions in football mainly due to the presence of Brady-Belichick and the Pats.
AFC West
The Kansas City Chiefs have clinched the AFC West and the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. The Los Angeles Rams have clinched a playoff berth as a wild card team. The Rams will be the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoffs.
NFC Wild Card Picture
There are four teams vying for the two NFC Wild Card spots: the Seattle Seahawks, the Dallas Cowboys, the Detroit Lions, and the Green Bay Packers. The Seahawks currently sit in the first Wild Card spot with an 8-5 record, while the Cowboys are right behind them at 7-6. The Lions and Packers are both 6-7.
NFC South
The NFC South is a close one, but the New Orleans Saints currently have the lead with a record of 11-4. The Carolina Panthers are in second place with a record of 10-5, followed by the Atlanta Falcons in third place with a 9-6 record. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in last place with a 4-11 record.
NFC North
The race for the NFC North title is a close one, with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings both sitting at 10-3. The Packers have the edge right now, as they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Vikings. However, with three games left to play, anything can happen.
The Chicago Bears are also in contention for the division title, although their chances are slim. At 8-5, they would need to win out and have both the Packers and Vikings lose at least once in order to take the division crown.
Even if they don’t win the division, the Bears are all but certain to earn a playoff berth. They currently hold the first wild card spot in the NFC and have a two-game lead over the next closest team, the Seattle Seahawks.
NFC East
The Dallas Cowboys have clinched the NFC East title and a playoff berth. They will be the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoffs and will host a Wild Card game against the No. 5 seed, which is currently the Seattle Seahawks.
NFC West
The NFC West is one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL, with all four teams currently above .500. The Rams are in first place at 9-4, followed by the Seahawks at 8-5, the Cardinals at 7-6, and the 49ers at 6-7.
The Rams have clinched a playoff berth and are on track to win the division. The Seahawks are also in good position to make the playoffs, either as a division winner or a wild card team. The Cardinals are currently on the outside looking in, but they still have a chance to make a run for a wild card spot. The 49ers are currently last in the division, but they could still make a run for a wild card spot if they can string together some wins.
AFC and NFC Championship Picture
The NFL playoff picture is set after a thrilling Week 17 in which we saw several teams clinch a spot, while others had their hopes dashed.
In the AFC, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers clinched the top two seeds and will have a bye in the first round. The Jaguars and Chiefs secured the next two spots and will host wild-card weekend games.
The Titans upset the Super Bowl champion Eagles to grab the final AFC spot. They’ll travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Chiefs.
In the NFC, the Saints and Rams clinched the top two seeds and will have a bye in the first round. The Bears and Cowboys secured the next two spots and will host wild-card weekend games.
Super Bowl Picture
The NFL playoff picture is wide open heading into the final weeks of the season. There are a number of teams that could make a run at the Super Bowl, and it should make for an exciting finish to the year.
The New England Patriots are the defending champions, and they remain the favorite to win it all again. They have the best record in the AFC at 11-2, and they are in first place in the AFC East. They are followed closely by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are also 11-2 and in first place in the AFC North. The Jaguars, who are 10-3 and in first place in the AFC South, are also contenders.
In the NFC, there are a number of teams that could make a run at the Super Bowl. The Eagles are in first place in the NFC East with an 11-2 record. The Vikings are right behind them at 10-3, and they are in first place in the NFC North. The Rams are leading the way in the NFC West with a 10-3 record, and they are followed closely by the Saints, who are also 10-3.
The playoff picture is still very much up in the air heading into the final weeks of the season. It should be an exciting finish to see which teams will make it to Super Bowl LIII.
