How unsettled is the NFL playoff race? With one game remaining in Week 14, not a single team has qualified for the postseason. That could all change Monday night, when the Cardinals host the Rams. The Cardinals will clinch a playoff berth with a win. A loss, on the other hand, would tighten the NFC West race and allow the Packers to ascend to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The biggest winner of the weekend was a team that didn’t even play. The Colts rose from the depths of the AFC race to the No. 6 spot thanks to losses by the Steelers, Bills and Bengals. Although the Colts have a difficult remaining schedule, they are atop five other six-loss teams in the conference. The biggest losers? The Jaguars, Lions and Jets were all eliminated from contention on Sunday.
What follows is our weekly snapshot of the NFL playoff picture, incorporating ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) and a bit of our own instincts to give you a sense of short- and long-term stakes, including Week 15 clinching scenarios for a handful of teams. We’ll update after Monday night’s game and again following Thursday night’s huge matchup between the Chiefs and Chargers.
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AFC
FPI chances to make playoffs: 99%
FPI chances to win division: 76%
The Patriots entered their bye week knowing they would come out of it atop the AFC no matter what happened in between. The Titans and Chiefs both won Sunday to match New England’s win-loss record, but the Patriots hold the tiebreaker at the moment because of a superior conference record.
Now, the Patriots head into a two-week stretch that could well decide the AFC East title. The Pats could clinch the division if they win Saturday at Indianapolis then beat the Bills at home in Week 16.
Next up: at Colts
FPI chances to make playoffs: 99%
FPI chances to win division: 98%
The Titans found a perfect antidote on Sunday for their two-game losing streak. The Jaguars showed up in Nashville and rolled over, as usual, giving the Titans an easy victory. It was the Titans’…
Source : espn
