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The NFL regular season is three weeks from ending, meaning the playoffs are on the horizon. As many as 21 teams still have a realistic shot at making the playoffs.
Because the Saints and Falcons lost this past week to fall to 5-8, the 4-8-1 Panthers are amazingly now back in the race for the NFC South. Even more amazing is one of those teams is going to host a playoff game against a team that could possibly have twice as many wins as the division winner.
That's because the 9-4 Lions, Seahawks, Eagles and Cowboys could all get to 12 wins and still be wild-card teams, meaning they'd play on the road against a South winner that may have just six wins.
Also, we're now hitting the stretch of games in when teams can start clinching playoff berths. First, here's a look at he updated playoff standings, per ESPN:
|
|
NFC |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
DIV |
CONF |
SOS |
REASON |
|
1 |
Arizona |
10 |
3 |
0 |
.769 |
2-1-0 |
7-2-0 |
.519 |
NFC West Champ |
|
2 |
Green Bay |
10 |
3 |
0 |
.769 |
4-1-0 |
7-3-0 |
.497 |
NFC North Champ |
|
3 |
Philadelphia |
9 |
4 |
0 |
.692 |
3-0-0 |
5-4-0 |
.471 |
NFC East Champ (Wins tie break over Dallas based on head-to-head win percentage.) |
|
4 |
Atlanta |
5 |
8 |
0 |
.385 |
4-0-0 |
5-5-0 |
.455 |
NFC South Champ (Wins tie break over New Orleans based on head-to-head win percentage.) |
|
5 |
Seattle |
9 |
4 |
0 |
.692 |
2-1-0 |
7-2-0 |
.516 |
Wins tie break over Detroit based on best win percentage in common games. Wins tie break over Dallas based on best win percentage in conference games. |
|
6 |
Detroit |
9 |
4 |
0 |
.692 |
3-0-0 |
7-2-0 |
.484 |
Wins tie break over Dallas based on best win percentage in conference games. |
|
7 |
Dallas |
9 |
4 |
0 |
.692 |
2-2-0 |
6-4-0 |
.436 |
|
|
8 |
San Francisco |
7 |
6 |
0 |
.538 |
1-3-0 |
6-4-0 |
.532 |
|
|
9 |
Minnesota |
6 |
7 |
0 |
.462 |
0-4-0 |
5-5-0 |
.490 |
Wins tie break over St. Louis based on head-to-head win percentage. |
|
10 |
St. Louis |
6 |
7 |
0 |
.462 |
2-2-0 |
4-5-0 |
.551 |
|
|
11 |
New Orleans |
5 |
8 |
0 |
.385 |
2-2-0 |
4-5-0 |
.538 |
Wins tie break over Chicago based on best win percentage in common games. |
|
12 |
Chicago |
5 |
8 |
0 |
.385 |
1-3-0 |
4-5-0 |
.510 |
|
|
13 |
Carolina |
4 |
8 |
1 |
.346 |
2-2-0 |
4-6-0 |
.542 |
|
|
14 |
NY Giants |
4 |
9 |
0 |
.308 |
1-3-0 |
2-7-0 |
.564 |
|
|
15 |
Washington |
3 |
10 |
0 |
.231 |
1-2-0 |
1-8-0 |
.487 |
|
|
16 |
Tampa Bay |
2 |
11 |
0 |
.154 |
0-4-0 |
1-8-0 |
.455 |
|
|
|
AFC |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
DIV |
CONF |
SOS |
REASON |
|
1 |
New England |
10 |
3 |
0 |
.769 |
2-1-0 |
7-2-0 |
.529 |
AFC East Champ |
|
2 |
Denver |
10 |
3 |
0 |
.769 |
4-0-0 |
8-1-0 |
.538 |
AFC West Champ |
|
3 |
Indianapolis |
9 |
4 |
0 |
.692 |
4-0-0 |
7-3-0 |
.471 |
AFC South Champ |
|
4 |
Cincinnati |
8 |
4 |
1 |
.654 |
2-2-0 |
5-4-0 |
.446 |
AFC North Champ |
|
5 |
Pittsburgh |
8 |
5 |
0 |
.615 |
3-2-0 |
7-3-0 |
.407 |
Wins tie break over San Diego based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Baltimore (Pittsburgh wins tie break over Baltimore based on best win percentage in division games). |
|
6 |
San Diego |
8 |
5 |
0 |
.615 |
2-2-0 |
6-4-0 |
.462 |
Wins tie break over Baltimore based on head-to-head win percentage. |
|
7 |
Baltimore |
8 |
5 |
0 |
.615 |
2-3-0 |
4-5-0 |
.484 |
|
|
8 |
Houston |
7 |
6 |
0 |
.538 |
3-1-0 |
6-3-0 |
.452 |
Wins tie break over Cleveland, Kansas City and Miami based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Buffalo (Miami wins tie break over Buffalo based on best win percentage in division games). |
|
9 |
Miami |
7 |
6 |
0 |
.538 |
3-1-0 |
6-4-0 |
.506 |
Wins tie break over Cleveland and Kansas City based on best win percentage in conference games. Division tie break was initially used to eliminate Buffalo (Miami wins tie break over Buffalo based on best win percentage in division games). |
|
10 |
Kansas City |
7 |
6 |
0 |
.538 |
1-3-0 |
5-4-0 |
.513 |
Wins tie break over Buffalo and Cleveland based on best win percentage in conference games. |
|
11 |
Buffalo |
7 |
6 |
0 |
.538 |
3-2-0 |
4-6-0 |
.494 |
Wins tie break over Cleveland based on head-to-head win percentage. |
Looking at division clinching scenarios for Week 15, we have three possibilities in the AFC.
The Colts can clinch the AFC South division title with:
1) WIN or TIE vs. Texans
The Cols host Houston holding a two-game lead and a win or tie would give them the head-to-head advantage in their season series and at least a two-game lead with two games left. If Houston wins, they would split the season series and Houston could still win the division on overall record.
The Patriots can clinch the AFC East division title with:
1) WIN or TIE
The only thing preventing New England from clinching in this case would be a Miami victory as that would give the Dolphins a season sweep over the Patriots and they could still tie at 10-6.
The Broncos can clinch the AFC West division title with:
1) WIN or TIE vs. Chargers
Denver has a two-game lead and has a game Week 15 at the Chargers. Denver already has an advantage against Kansas City with a season sweep and a better division record, so the Chiefs can't catch them. A Denver win would get them to no worse than 11-5 and the Chargers will be three back with two to play.
A Denver-San Diego tie would give the Broncos a two-game lead with two to play. If San Diego beats Denver in this scenario, they would be one game back with two to play and can win on overall record.