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NFL Playoff Picture: Where we stand at midseason

The Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys all lead their respective divisions after failing to make the NFL playoffs a year ago.

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Week 8 of the NFL season is here, and so too is the midpoint of the 16-week season. After seven weeks of football, we know little more than we did entering the year, as title contenders have fallen, while bottom-feeders have risen.

The Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys all lead their respective divisions after failing to make the playoffs a year ago. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have already lost as many games (3) as last year's Super Bowl winning team did.

Here's a look at the NFL playoff picture as of now via ESPN's playoff standings.

NFC

Conference Rank

NFC

W

L

T

PCT

DIV

CONF

SOS

SOV

REASON

1

Dallas

6

1

0

.857

1-0-0

4-1-0

.394

.346

NFC East Champ

2

Arizona

5

1

0

.833

1-0-0

3-0-0

.630

.571

NFC West Champ

3

Detroit

5

2

0

.714

2-0-0

4-1-0

.471

.429

NFC North Champ (Wins tie break over Green Bay based on head-to-head win percentage.)

4

Carolina

3

3

1

.500

1-0-0

3-1-0

.529

.450

NFC South Champ

5

Philadelphia

5

1

0

.833

2-0-0

3-1-0

.412

.370

6

Green Bay

5

2

0

.714

2-1-0

3-2-0

.412

.286

7

San Francisco

4

3

0

.571

1-1-0

3-2-0

.688

.737

8

Seattle

3

3

0

.500

0-1-0

2-2-0

.630

.600

9

Chicago

3

4

0

.429

0-1-0

2-2-0

.500

.357

Wins tie break over NY Giants based on best win percentage in conference games.

10

NY Giants

3

4

0

.429

1-2-0

2-4-0

.500

.333

11

New Orleans

2

4

0

.333

1-1-0

2-3-0

.424

.231

Wins tie break over St. Louis based on best win percentage in conference games.

12

St. Louis

2

4

0

.333

1-1-0

2-4-0

.538

.167

13

Minnesota

2

5

0

.286

0-2-0

2-3-0

.485

.308

Wins tie break over Atlanta based on head-to-head win percentage. Wins tie break over Washington based on best win percentage in conference games.

14

Atlanta

2

5

0

.286

2-0-0

2-3-0

.359

.250

Wins tie break over Washington based on best win percentage in conference games.

15

Washington

2

5

0

.286

0-2-0

0-4-0

.455

.143

16

Tampa Bay

1

5

0

.167

0-3-0

0-4-0

.409

.571

AFC

Conference Rank

AFC

W

L

T

PCT

DIV

CONF

SOS

SOV

REASON

1

Denver

5

1

0

.833

1-0-0

3-0-0

.640

.684

AFC West Champ

2

Indianapolis

5

2

0

.714

3-0-0

5-1-0

.545

.381

AFC South Champ 
Wins tie break over New England and Baltimore based on best win percentage in conference games.

3

New England

5

2

0

.714

2-1-0

4-2-0

.371

.289

AFC East Champ 
Wins tie break over Baltimore based on best win percentage in conference games.

4

Baltimore

5

2

0

.714

2-1-0

2-2-0

.576

.525

AFC North Champ

5

San Diego

5

2

0

.714

1-1-0

4-1-0

.424

.333

6

Cincinnati

3

2

1

.583

1-0-0

2-2-0

.500

.429

7

Pittsburgh

4

3

0

.571

1-2-0

3-2-0

.409

.375

Wins tie break over Buffalo based on best win percentage in conference games.

8

Buffalo

4

3

0

.571

1-1-0

1-3-0

.559

.550

9

Kansas City

3

3

0

.500

1-1-0

3-2-0

.576

.615

Wins tie break over Cleveland and Miami based on best win percentage in conference games.

10

Miami

3

3

0

.500

1-1-0

2-2-0

.462

.385

Wins tie break over Cleveland based on best win percentage in conference games.

11

Cleveland

3

3

0

.500

1-2-0

2-3-0

.481

.308

12

Houston

3

4

0

.429

0-1-0

2-2-0

.441

.300

13

Tennessee

2

5

0

.286

1-1-0

2-3-0

.641

.500

14

NY Jets

1

6

0

.143

0-1-0

1-3-0

.529

.000

Wins tie break over Jacksonville based on best win percentage in conference games.

15

Jacksonville

1

6

0

.143

0-2-0

1-4-0

.618

.000

16

Oakland

0

6

0

.000

0-1-0

0-5-0

.444

.000


Though no team is eliminated from the playoffs yet, the Oakland Raiders, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars are in too big of a hole to make the playoffs with the rosters they have.

I would include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with them, but at 1-5, they're still just 2.5 games behind in the putrid NFC South. The winner of that division may very well have a losing record.