NFL Playoff Picture: Rams fumble away NFC West lead
NFL Playoff Picture is a weekly look at the teams jockeying to secure their shot to make it to Super Bowl LV.
AFC| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiefs (y) | West | 13-1 |
| 2 | Steelers (x) | North | 11-2 |
| 3 | Bills (y) | East | 11-3 |
| 4 | Titans | South | 10-4 |
| 5 | Browns | North | 10-4 |
| 6 | Colts | South | 10-4 |
| 7 | Dolphins | East | 9-5 |
x = clinched playoff berth
y = clinched division title
z = clinched first-round bye
The playoff picture in the AFC is becoming much clearer. Only nine teams remain in contention for seven postseason spots.
The Kansas City Chiefs tightened their hold on the top seed in the conference Sunday as they passed their toughest remaining test with a narrow 32-29 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Kansas City can get to a franchise-record 14 wins with a victory over the Atlanta Falcons next weekend.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can stay a game behind the Chiefs if they defeat the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. However, in order to regain the No. 1 seed, the Steelers will need to make up a game somewhere with just three contests left.
Don't look now but the Buffalo Bills have won four in a row. The AFC East champions are eyeing one of those two top seeds and are waiting for the Chiefs and Steelers to slip up.
The Tennessee Titans reached 10 wins for the first time since 2008, but were unable to clinch a playoff spot. Wrapping up a playoff position won't be easy in Week 16 as the Titans will face the NFC-leading Green Bay Packers.
With their win on Sunday night, the Cleveland Browns significantly improved their chances of ending the longest playoff drought in the NFL. The Browns have a 92% chance of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2002, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Trailing right behind the Titans are the division-rival Indianapolis Colts. Though they have matching 10-4 records, Tennessee owns the tiebreaker based on a better win percentage in division games.
Still hanging tight are the Miami Dolphins. They currently sit in the seventh and final AFC playoff spot, but they own just a 40% chance of maintaining it. The Baltimore Ravens - who share a 9-5 record yet trail them in the conference standings - have a better than 90% chance of taking a wild-card position.
In the hunt| Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Ravens | North | 9-5 |
| Raiders | West | 7-7 |
Why are the Ravens favored to jump into the top seven? Baltimore's remaining two games are against the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins play the Las Vegas Raiders next week and the Bills in Week 17.
Due to their loss on Thursday to the Los Angeles Chargers and their two-game losing streak, the Raiders own just a 2% chance of making the playoffs.
NFC| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Packers (y) | North | 11-3 |
| 2 | Saints (x) | South | 10-4 |
| 3 | Seahawks (x) | West | 10-4 |
| 4 | Washington | East | 6-8 |
| 5 | Rams | West | 9-5 |
| 6 | Buccaneers | South | 9-5 |
| 7 | Cardinals | West | 8-6 |
x = clinched playoff berth
y = clinched division title
z = clinched first-round bye
It wasn't pretty on Saturday night, but the Packers maintained their hold on the top seed in the NFC with a win over the Carolina Panthers. They lead the Saints by one game with two contests remaining, but will face a strong challenge as their shoddy run defense will go up against Derrick Henry and the Titans on Sunday Night Football in Week 16.
Just like that, the Saints have lost two straight. They'll need to sweep their remaining games and hope the Packers drop their last two in order to get that coveted first-round bye.
The Seattle Seahawks received an unexpected gift on Sunday. After the Seahawks clinched a playoff spot with a win over the Washington Football Team, they watched as the Los Angeles Rams lost to the previously winless New York Jets. That loss allowed Seattle to climb back into the lead in the NFC West and slot back into the third seed.
Washington's loss keeps things interesting in the NFC East. The Football Team still maintains a one-game advantage and a 66% chance at taking the division crown.
The Rams are surely reeling from their upset loss on Sunday, but they won't have to wait long for an opportunity to make amends. L.A. will face Seattle in Week 16 and can regain the lead in the NFC West with a victory. The Rams took their head-to-head matchup in Week 10.
Though the Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain in the second wild-card spot after a comeback win over the Falcons, a path to the NFC South title has opened up. The Bucs can snatch the division crown away from the Saints if they win out and New Orleans drops its final two games.
The Arizona Cardinals maintained their tenuous hold on the final wild-card spot. The division title is out of reach, but there's a realistic possibility for three teams to emerge from the NFC West and make this year's postseason. An unexpected challenger is creeping up on the Cards, however.
In the hunt| Team | Division | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Bears | North | 7-7 |
| Vikings | North | 6-8 |
| Cowboys | East | 5-9 |
| Giants | East | 5-9 |
| Eagles | East | 4-9-1 |
The suddenly hot Chicago Bears would sit in the seventh seed had the Cardinals lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Bears need to keep winning and hope Arizona slips up in order to make the postseason.
The Minnesota Vikings are heading in the opposite direction. The Vikes are barely alive after losing to two of their closest competitors in back-to-back weeks.
The entire NFC East is still mathematically alive because no one has stepped up to claim the division. The Giants are a game back of Washington and own the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series, but the Dallas Cowboys have leapfrogged them in the standings, and the Philadelphia Eagles still own a 9% shot.
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