Power Rankings
The 'Start Prepping for the 2016 Draft' Quatro
32.) Cleveland Browns (2-10 = 216-347)
31.) San Diego Chargers (3-9 = 247-324)
30.) San Francisco 49ers (4-8 = 178-291)
29.) Tennessee Titans (3-9 = 245-296)
All these four teams are out of it and need to start looking ahead to next year to best position themselves. For some, that means the ability to draft a QB high. I'm not a huge college fan, and from what I know none of the big QBs seem too intriguing, but the Browns and 49ers need solutions (Blaine Gabbert is NOT a solution), and even the Chargers may want to look for an eventual Rivers replacement as Philip gets further along in his 30s. The Titans are on the other side where they have their QB. Marcus Mariota is a future Top-10 QB. They do need a coach though. Maybe if they win another game or two Mike Mularkey takes the job full-time, but even that is a decision that needs to be made carefully. It is very rare that interim head coaches that get the job full time succeed, but the Titans have some history there with Jeff Fisher getting the full-time job the same way. The other three teams may be on coaching searches as well, but I wouldn't be shocked if Mike McCoy is given another year, and with Tomsula it is definitely tough to fire a coach after one year - though he seemed like an interim coach given his ties to the Harbaugh era.
The 'Wasted Potential' Duo
28.) Dallas Cowboys (4-8 = 223-277)
27.) St. Louis Rams (4-8 = 189-257)
The Cowboys finally won a game with Matt Cassel. The Rams probably wish they had Matt Cassel. At different points in this season both of these teams looked like playoff teams. The Cowboys started 2-0 in a division where the Eagles and Giants started 0-2. And then Tony Romo got hurt. It seems plainly obvious that the Cowboys would be the clear favorite in the NFC East had Romo stayed healthy. Instead, a promosing defense where the defense has shown some improvement was laid to waste. The Rams are similar but for them it was more the QB and the offense as a whole being exposed than injuries. If anything, it was the injury to Nick Foles's backup that really ended them. There are no winners in that Foles / Bradford trade in the end. This seasons probably spells the end for the Jeff Fisher era, and maybe the Rams in St. Louis era itself.
The 'Ships Passing in the Night' Duo
26.) Miami Dolphins (5-7 = 240-300)
25.) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8 = 275-341)
24.) Washington Redskins (5-7 = 257-286)
The Jaguars may be a game worse by record than the Dolphins or Redskins, but their future looks a whole lot brighter. Blake Bortles stats are a bit misleading because of the high TD total (27), as he still needs to work on his accuracy (57.7%), but with him and the two Allen's, you have a good, young core to build around. The defense still needs work, but that is an easier problem than the QB to fix. In a way, they're passing the Dolphins (and Redskins) in future outlook. Ryan Tannehill used to be that guy, steadily improving each of his first three years, but has cratered in Year 4. This isn't totally shown by his stats, but they are down across the board from last year and his big games have usually been built by garbage time stats - like last week's against the Jets. As for the Redskins, they may end up really ruing this season for what it couldn't become. With Romo out and the Giants throwing away four games, the division was all theirs but they couldn't beat Matt Cassel at home. Kirk Cousins is not the long term answer. All three teams have QB questions, but, surprisingly, the answer may be clearest in Jacksonville.
The 'Better Things are Ahead' Duo
23.) Baltimore Ravens (4-8 = 272-291)
22.) Detroit Lions (4-8 = 253-315)
I picked the Ravens to go 12-4 this year, but it is hard to go 12-4 when you lose your best defensive player, your top receiver, your best running back and your QB. It also is hard when you blow 2-4 easily winnable games. Despite the injuries, had the Jaguars been called for a false start, and had they not blown late leads to Cleveland and Oakland, they would be 7-5. Anyway, better things are ahead because as the Ravens point differential shows, this is a still a well coached and talented team that is just going through the ringer this week. For the Lions, it is actually somewhat similar. They had some awful games early, but the Lions have been a good team for most of the year. They were one yard away from beating the Seahawks in Seattle, and a Hail Mary - or questionable facemask penalty - away from beating the Packers, for hte second time. The future is a little more murky given their cap situation, but the Lions are not that far away from the team that went 11-5 last year.
The 'Soft Underbelly of the NFC' Quatro
21.) New Orleans Saints (4-8 = 299-380)20.) Philadelphia Eagles (5-7 = 278-302)
19.) Atlanta Falcons (6-6 = 279-257)
18.) Chicago Bears (5-7 = 251-290)
I have no idea which of these four teams is the best. I have no idea which is the worst. They all have a reasonably high peak, but also a very low floor. The Eagles have the best playoff shot, but might be the worst team if you take away random special teams plays. The Saints have the best QB but a historically bad defense. The Eagles have a reasonably tough schedule, and it is shaping up that Week 17 will once again decide the NFC East with the Giants playing the Eagles. The Falcons started 5-0 and are pulling a Giants v. 2009 type collapse - that team too started 5-0 including some dominant wins, then finished 3-8. The Bears, finally, just lost to Blaine Gabbert at home ten days after beating Aaron Rodgers on the road. Who knows really? I do find it ironic that the Falcons somehow still have a positive point differential, which speaks again to them losing a lot of close games the last few weeks. The biggest issue with them is turnovers in crucial spots as they really should be 8-4 right now. I'm sure the rest of the NFC is quite upset that they are not 8-4, giving the Seahawks an easy way into the playoffs.
The 'Best Worst Division Race' Duo
17.) Indianapolis Colts (6-6 = 259-305)
16.) Houston Texans (6-6 = 253-264)
The division will likely be decided in Week 15, with the Colts hosting the Texans. Andrew Luck is expected to be back for that game, and the Texans have never won in Indianapolis. Never. Even in the year Peyton was hurt, the same year the Texans won the division and made the playoffs, the Texans couldn't beat a Dan Orlovsky-led Colts team. The Colts in their first three games with Hasselbeck showed that the roster isn't as bad as people thought. Last week, it showed that it is still flawed in many ways, including impact players on defense. The Texans have a few of those impact players, but little else. I credit both of these teams for battling through adversity and still converging to .500, making it even more staggering the NFC East can't get a team there. Still, after dealing with so many unfair quips that the AFC South was a bad division, I have to admit that it definitely is one now.
The 'You Don't Want to See Us' Duo
15.) New York Giants (5-7 = 307-296)
14.) Oakland Raiders (5-7 = 284-314)
Neither of these two teams play much defense, but when they are on, they have offenses that can play up in shootouts. The Giants are definitely the best team in the NFC East empirically. They are the only team with a positive point differential, and have the OBJ to catch ridiculous passes and an offense that is at worst effective and at best dominant. Of course, they've literally thrown away three games, including Week 1 and the Patriots game and probably should be 7-5 right now. The Raiders also probably should be 7-5, though they've also won a few last-minute games so 5-7 may be right. The Raiders have some growing up to do in terms of game management and in the art of not fumbling or throwing interceptions in close games. They also have some 'getting better' to do on defense. Still, they have a great core on offense, led by Derek Carr. Before this past game, Carr was #4 in Football Outsiders' DYAR stat and #5 in DVOA, basically a Top-5 QB for this season. He's been squarely in the Top-10 for the year and has a really bright future, along with Amari Cooper. There is a future in Oakland, but for now they will remain a fairly loud out.
The 'You Absolutely Want to See Us' Duo
13.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6 = 271-298)
12.) Minnesota Vikings (8-4 = 238-232)
The Buccaneers are a shocking 6-6, and with a somewhat light schedule can push .500 and position themselves well to be thought of as a trendy playoff pick for 2016. Quick warning for the Bucs, the last two times that happened were after their 10-6 season in 2010 (went 3-13 in 2011) and the 7-9 season in 2012 (went 4-12 in 2013). Jameis is a good player who is still improving. He needs to desperately work on his passing control. Jameis is accurate in that he throws to the right people, but the passes are too often a step ahead or behind limiting YAC. Cam Newton was the same way early. Overall, the Buccaneers are getting built much like Lovie's last team, though this time with a far more promising QB. The Vikings are now what the Buccaneers likely will be in 2016, but the Vikings probably have more questions at QB. Is Teddy Bridgewater that good? Maybe teams were right to pass on him in the draft last year. He's such a limited player. The defense is good but needs more production from their highly drafted players. The offense needs more production from their o-line. The Vikings got exposed a bit and their schedule coming up is tough as well. There is a slim chance that the Buccaneers pass them. Very slim, but in a way I want it to happen.
The 'Strong Defense, Variable Offense Wild Card' Trio
11.) Buffalo Bills (6-6 = 296-278)
10.) New York Jets (7-5 = 295-248)
9.) Kansas City Chiefs (7-5 = 321-240)
All three of these teams are fighting for at most two spots and probably one. The Chiefs have by far the easiest schedule left and are a decent bet to finish 11-5, and probably a guaranteed 10-6. The Bills and Jets have similar schedules, with them playing each other once and both playing Dallas. The Bills also play the Eagles and Redskins (the Bills, the secret driver of the NFC East race), while the Jets play Tennessee at home and New England. The Jets have a leg up and in a wild-card race the head-to-head may not matter. The Bills pretty much have to beat the Jets to have a shot. The Chiefs are lucky that they are not wading in these pools and get the kiddy pool of four non-playoff teams to finish the season, but if someone survives this Bills / Jets battle and reaches the playoffs, they would definitely have earned it.
The 'Second Tier NFC Competitors' Duo
8.) Green Bay Packers (8-4 = 289-238)
7.) Seattle Seahawks (7-5 = 305-229)
The Packers escaped with their playoff lives from Detroit. They've often had to struggle in Detroit over the years so it wasn't that surprising, but that was a huge win for a team that probably just needs to go 2-2, including a win over Minnesota in Week 17, to win that division. The Packers probably don't want to enter the Wild Card morass anyway. Obviously they are having issues on offense and a miracle win over the Lions doesn't change that, but the defense showed up. The Packers also know that a big win in Minnesota isn't as impressive at it seems. The Seahawks should heed that advice, and they should also heed that wins over Baltimore / Cleveland / St. Louis (their next three opponents) don't mean they are ready to go to Arizona or Carolina to win big playoff games. I still feel these two are a step below the big two, but last year's NFC Championship Game participants are not done yet.
The 'If One of Us don't win the AFC, This is College Basketball' Quatro
6.) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5 = 311-240)
5.) Denver Broncos (10-2 = 269-210)
4.) New England Patriots (10-2 = 375-247)
3.) Cincinnati Bengals (10-2 = 334-196)
The Steelers still have some issues ahead, namely because they are not playing the Colts each week. Just a week before we saw how bad that defense can look, and they are still currently on the outside looking in to make the playoffs and need to win one of the two big games they have coming up against Cincinnati and Denver. For the other three, the name of the game is now positioning. The Broncos and Bengals both control their destiny in that if either run the table, they are the #1 seed. The Patriots control their destiny for the #2 seed. A loss by any of these three throws a lot into whack. There is a lot to be decided, but getting that #1 seed will be crucial for any of the three - especially Denver who is looking like they will stick with Osweiler. The Broncos offense with Osweiler has averaged 19 points a game against two marginal to bad defenses in Chicago and San Diego... but of course he's the next superstar!
The 'Admit it, you want this to be the NFC Championship Game' Duo
2.) Arizona Cardinals (10-2 = 382-232)
1.) Carolina Panthers (12-0 = 373-243)
The Panthers and Cardinals have played two playoff games - both in Carolina. Both are memorable for how bad they were. The first was the Delhomme meltdown in January, 2009, when the #2 Panthers quickly took a 7-0 lead and proceeded to have their QB just implode with five interceptions in a 33-13 Cardinals win. Given how close the Cardinals came to winning the Super Bowl that year it is hard to remember how big an upset that was at the time. The Panthers were 8-0 at home winning most of those easily and the Cardinals were viewed as the worst playoff team in years at the time (since '08, there have been many worse teams). The next game was last year, when a Ryan Lindley-led Arizona team went to play the 7-8-1 Panthers and the Panthers won, limiting the Cardinals to like 80 total yards. The Panthers were 7-8-1, but before that were 3-8-1. Their only loss since that record would be the next one in Seattle. If these two meet this year, it has a chance to be special. The Panthers biggest weakness is the deep pass, with the Cardinals love. Both teams play exciting and eminently watchable styles on both sides of the field. Given the late window of the NFC Championship Game this year, it would be played at night in Charlotte as well. Hopefully it happens as it would be a football fan savant's dream.
Projecting the Playoff Field
AFC
1.) Cincinnati Bengals = 14-2
2.) Denver Broncos = 13-3
3.) New England Patriots = 13-3
4.) Indianapolis Colts = 9-7
5.) Kansas City Chiefs = 10-6
6.) Pittsburgh Steelers = 9-7
NFC
1.) Carolina Panthers = 15-1
2.) Arizona Cardinals = 13-3
3.) Green Bay Packers = 11-5
4.) New York Giants = 8-8
5.) Seattle Seahawks = 10-6
6.) Minnesota Vikings = 10-6
Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games
16.) San Francisco 49ers (4-8) @ Cleveland Browns (2-10) (1:00 - FOX)
15.) Detroit Lions (4-8) @ St. Louis Rams (4-8) (1:00 - FOX)
14.) Seattle Seahawks (7-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (4-8) (1:00 - FOX)
13.) San Diego Chargers (3-9) @ Kansas City Chiefs (7-5) (1:00 - CBS)
12.) Dallas Cowboys (4-8) @ Green Bay Packers (8-4) (4:25 - FOX)
11.) Tennessee Titans (3-9) @ New York Jets (7-5) (1:00 - CBS)
10.) Washington Redskins (5-7) @ Chicago Bears (5-7) (1:00 - FOX)
9.) Oakland Raiders (5-7) @ Denver Broncos (10-2) (4:05 - CBS)
8.) New Orleans Saints (4-8) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) (1:00 - FOX)
7.) Indianapolis Colts (6-6) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) (1:00 - CBS)
6.) New York Giants (5-7) @ Miami Dolphins (5-7) (MNF - ESPN)
5.) Minnesota Vikings (8-4) @ Arizona Cardinals (10-2) (TNF - NFLN)
4.) Atlanta Falcons (6-6) @ Carolina Panthers (12-0) (1:00 - FOX)
3.) Buffalo Bills (6-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) (1:00 - CBS)
2.) New England Patriots (10-2) @ Houston Texans (6-6) (SNF - NBC)
1.) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (10-2) (1:00 - CBS)
The 'Start Prepping for the 2016 Draft' Quatro
32.) Cleveland Browns (2-10 = 216-347)
31.) San Diego Chargers (3-9 = 247-324)
30.) San Francisco 49ers (4-8 = 178-291)
29.) Tennessee Titans (3-9 = 245-296)
All these four teams are out of it and need to start looking ahead to next year to best position themselves. For some, that means the ability to draft a QB high. I'm not a huge college fan, and from what I know none of the big QBs seem too intriguing, but the Browns and 49ers need solutions (Blaine Gabbert is NOT a solution), and even the Chargers may want to look for an eventual Rivers replacement as Philip gets further along in his 30s. The Titans are on the other side where they have their QB. Marcus Mariota is a future Top-10 QB. They do need a coach though. Maybe if they win another game or two Mike Mularkey takes the job full-time, but even that is a decision that needs to be made carefully. It is very rare that interim head coaches that get the job full time succeed, but the Titans have some history there with Jeff Fisher getting the full-time job the same way. The other three teams may be on coaching searches as well, but I wouldn't be shocked if Mike McCoy is given another year, and with Tomsula it is definitely tough to fire a coach after one year - though he seemed like an interim coach given his ties to the Harbaugh era.
The 'Wasted Potential' Duo
28.) Dallas Cowboys (4-8 = 223-277)
27.) St. Louis Rams (4-8 = 189-257)
The Cowboys finally won a game with Matt Cassel. The Rams probably wish they had Matt Cassel. At different points in this season both of these teams looked like playoff teams. The Cowboys started 2-0 in a division where the Eagles and Giants started 0-2. And then Tony Romo got hurt. It seems plainly obvious that the Cowboys would be the clear favorite in the NFC East had Romo stayed healthy. Instead, a promosing defense where the defense has shown some improvement was laid to waste. The Rams are similar but for them it was more the QB and the offense as a whole being exposed than injuries. If anything, it was the injury to Nick Foles's backup that really ended them. There are no winners in that Foles / Bradford trade in the end. This seasons probably spells the end for the Jeff Fisher era, and maybe the Rams in St. Louis era itself.
The 'Ships Passing in the Night' Duo
26.) Miami Dolphins (5-7 = 240-300)
25.) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8 = 275-341)
24.) Washington Redskins (5-7 = 257-286)
The Jaguars may be a game worse by record than the Dolphins or Redskins, but their future looks a whole lot brighter. Blake Bortles stats are a bit misleading because of the high TD total (27), as he still needs to work on his accuracy (57.7%), but with him and the two Allen's, you have a good, young core to build around. The defense still needs work, but that is an easier problem than the QB to fix. In a way, they're passing the Dolphins (and Redskins) in future outlook. Ryan Tannehill used to be that guy, steadily improving each of his first three years, but has cratered in Year 4. This isn't totally shown by his stats, but they are down across the board from last year and his big games have usually been built by garbage time stats - like last week's against the Jets. As for the Redskins, they may end up really ruing this season for what it couldn't become. With Romo out and the Giants throwing away four games, the division was all theirs but they couldn't beat Matt Cassel at home. Kirk Cousins is not the long term answer. All three teams have QB questions, but, surprisingly, the answer may be clearest in Jacksonville.
The 'Better Things are Ahead' Duo
23.) Baltimore Ravens (4-8 = 272-291)
22.) Detroit Lions (4-8 = 253-315)
I picked the Ravens to go 12-4 this year, but it is hard to go 12-4 when you lose your best defensive player, your top receiver, your best running back and your QB. It also is hard when you blow 2-4 easily winnable games. Despite the injuries, had the Jaguars been called for a false start, and had they not blown late leads to Cleveland and Oakland, they would be 7-5. Anyway, better things are ahead because as the Ravens point differential shows, this is a still a well coached and talented team that is just going through the ringer this week. For the Lions, it is actually somewhat similar. They had some awful games early, but the Lions have been a good team for most of the year. They were one yard away from beating the Seahawks in Seattle, and a Hail Mary - or questionable facemask penalty - away from beating the Packers, for hte second time. The future is a little more murky given their cap situation, but the Lions are not that far away from the team that went 11-5 last year.
The 'Soft Underbelly of the NFC' Quatro
21.) New Orleans Saints (4-8 = 299-380)20.) Philadelphia Eagles (5-7 = 278-302)
19.) Atlanta Falcons (6-6 = 279-257)
18.) Chicago Bears (5-7 = 251-290)
I have no idea which of these four teams is the best. I have no idea which is the worst. They all have a reasonably high peak, but also a very low floor. The Eagles have the best playoff shot, but might be the worst team if you take away random special teams plays. The Saints have the best QB but a historically bad defense. The Eagles have a reasonably tough schedule, and it is shaping up that Week 17 will once again decide the NFC East with the Giants playing the Eagles. The Falcons started 5-0 and are pulling a Giants v. 2009 type collapse - that team too started 5-0 including some dominant wins, then finished 3-8. The Bears, finally, just lost to Blaine Gabbert at home ten days after beating Aaron Rodgers on the road. Who knows really? I do find it ironic that the Falcons somehow still have a positive point differential, which speaks again to them losing a lot of close games the last few weeks. The biggest issue with them is turnovers in crucial spots as they really should be 8-4 right now. I'm sure the rest of the NFC is quite upset that they are not 8-4, giving the Seahawks an easy way into the playoffs.
The 'Best Worst Division Race' Duo
17.) Indianapolis Colts (6-6 = 259-305)
16.) Houston Texans (6-6 = 253-264)
The division will likely be decided in Week 15, with the Colts hosting the Texans. Andrew Luck is expected to be back for that game, and the Texans have never won in Indianapolis. Never. Even in the year Peyton was hurt, the same year the Texans won the division and made the playoffs, the Texans couldn't beat a Dan Orlovsky-led Colts team. The Colts in their first three games with Hasselbeck showed that the roster isn't as bad as people thought. Last week, it showed that it is still flawed in many ways, including impact players on defense. The Texans have a few of those impact players, but little else. I credit both of these teams for battling through adversity and still converging to .500, making it even more staggering the NFC East can't get a team there. Still, after dealing with so many unfair quips that the AFC South was a bad division, I have to admit that it definitely is one now.
The 'You Don't Want to See Us' Duo
15.) New York Giants (5-7 = 307-296)
14.) Oakland Raiders (5-7 = 284-314)
Neither of these two teams play much defense, but when they are on, they have offenses that can play up in shootouts. The Giants are definitely the best team in the NFC East empirically. They are the only team with a positive point differential, and have the OBJ to catch ridiculous passes and an offense that is at worst effective and at best dominant. Of course, they've literally thrown away three games, including Week 1 and the Patriots game and probably should be 7-5 right now. The Raiders also probably should be 7-5, though they've also won a few last-minute games so 5-7 may be right. The Raiders have some growing up to do in terms of game management and in the art of not fumbling or throwing interceptions in close games. They also have some 'getting better' to do on defense. Still, they have a great core on offense, led by Derek Carr. Before this past game, Carr was #4 in Football Outsiders' DYAR stat and #5 in DVOA, basically a Top-5 QB for this season. He's been squarely in the Top-10 for the year and has a really bright future, along with Amari Cooper. There is a future in Oakland, but for now they will remain a fairly loud out.
The 'You Absolutely Want to See Us' Duo
13.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6 = 271-298)
12.) Minnesota Vikings (8-4 = 238-232)
The Buccaneers are a shocking 6-6, and with a somewhat light schedule can push .500 and position themselves well to be thought of as a trendy playoff pick for 2016. Quick warning for the Bucs, the last two times that happened were after their 10-6 season in 2010 (went 3-13 in 2011) and the 7-9 season in 2012 (went 4-12 in 2013). Jameis is a good player who is still improving. He needs to desperately work on his passing control. Jameis is accurate in that he throws to the right people, but the passes are too often a step ahead or behind limiting YAC. Cam Newton was the same way early. Overall, the Buccaneers are getting built much like Lovie's last team, though this time with a far more promising QB. The Vikings are now what the Buccaneers likely will be in 2016, but the Vikings probably have more questions at QB. Is Teddy Bridgewater that good? Maybe teams were right to pass on him in the draft last year. He's such a limited player. The defense is good but needs more production from their highly drafted players. The offense needs more production from their o-line. The Vikings got exposed a bit and their schedule coming up is tough as well. There is a slim chance that the Buccaneers pass them. Very slim, but in a way I want it to happen.
The 'Strong Defense, Variable Offense Wild Card' Trio
11.) Buffalo Bills (6-6 = 296-278)
10.) New York Jets (7-5 = 295-248)
9.) Kansas City Chiefs (7-5 = 321-240)
All three of these teams are fighting for at most two spots and probably one. The Chiefs have by far the easiest schedule left and are a decent bet to finish 11-5, and probably a guaranteed 10-6. The Bills and Jets have similar schedules, with them playing each other once and both playing Dallas. The Bills also play the Eagles and Redskins (the Bills, the secret driver of the NFC East race), while the Jets play Tennessee at home and New England. The Jets have a leg up and in a wild-card race the head-to-head may not matter. The Bills pretty much have to beat the Jets to have a shot. The Chiefs are lucky that they are not wading in these pools and get the kiddy pool of four non-playoff teams to finish the season, but if someone survives this Bills / Jets battle and reaches the playoffs, they would definitely have earned it.
The 'Second Tier NFC Competitors' Duo
8.) Green Bay Packers (8-4 = 289-238)
7.) Seattle Seahawks (7-5 = 305-229)
The Packers escaped with their playoff lives from Detroit. They've often had to struggle in Detroit over the years so it wasn't that surprising, but that was a huge win for a team that probably just needs to go 2-2, including a win over Minnesota in Week 17, to win that division. The Packers probably don't want to enter the Wild Card morass anyway. Obviously they are having issues on offense and a miracle win over the Lions doesn't change that, but the defense showed up. The Packers also know that a big win in Minnesota isn't as impressive at it seems. The Seahawks should heed that advice, and they should also heed that wins over Baltimore / Cleveland / St. Louis (their next three opponents) don't mean they are ready to go to Arizona or Carolina to win big playoff games. I still feel these two are a step below the big two, but last year's NFC Championship Game participants are not done yet.
The 'If One of Us don't win the AFC, This is College Basketball' Quatro
6.) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5 = 311-240)
5.) Denver Broncos (10-2 = 269-210)
4.) New England Patriots (10-2 = 375-247)
3.) Cincinnati Bengals (10-2 = 334-196)
The Steelers still have some issues ahead, namely because they are not playing the Colts each week. Just a week before we saw how bad that defense can look, and they are still currently on the outside looking in to make the playoffs and need to win one of the two big games they have coming up against Cincinnati and Denver. For the other three, the name of the game is now positioning. The Broncos and Bengals both control their destiny in that if either run the table, they are the #1 seed. The Patriots control their destiny for the #2 seed. A loss by any of these three throws a lot into whack. There is a lot to be decided, but getting that #1 seed will be crucial for any of the three - especially Denver who is looking like they will stick with Osweiler. The Broncos offense with Osweiler has averaged 19 points a game against two marginal to bad defenses in Chicago and San Diego... but of course he's the next superstar!
The 'Admit it, you want this to be the NFC Championship Game' Duo
2.) Arizona Cardinals (10-2 = 382-232)
1.) Carolina Panthers (12-0 = 373-243)
The Panthers and Cardinals have played two playoff games - both in Carolina. Both are memorable for how bad they were. The first was the Delhomme meltdown in January, 2009, when the #2 Panthers quickly took a 7-0 lead and proceeded to have their QB just implode with five interceptions in a 33-13 Cardinals win. Given how close the Cardinals came to winning the Super Bowl that year it is hard to remember how big an upset that was at the time. The Panthers were 8-0 at home winning most of those easily and the Cardinals were viewed as the worst playoff team in years at the time (since '08, there have been many worse teams). The next game was last year, when a Ryan Lindley-led Arizona team went to play the 7-8-1 Panthers and the Panthers won, limiting the Cardinals to like 80 total yards. The Panthers were 7-8-1, but before that were 3-8-1. Their only loss since that record would be the next one in Seattle. If these two meet this year, it has a chance to be special. The Panthers biggest weakness is the deep pass, with the Cardinals love. Both teams play exciting and eminently watchable styles on both sides of the field. Given the late window of the NFC Championship Game this year, it would be played at night in Charlotte as well. Hopefully it happens as it would be a football fan savant's dream.
Projecting the Playoff Field
AFC
1.) Cincinnati Bengals = 14-2
2.) Denver Broncos = 13-3
3.) New England Patriots = 13-3
4.) Indianapolis Colts = 9-7
5.) Kansas City Chiefs = 10-6
6.) Pittsburgh Steelers = 9-7
NFC
1.) Carolina Panthers = 15-1
2.) Arizona Cardinals = 13-3
3.) Green Bay Packers = 11-5
4.) New York Giants = 8-8
5.) Seattle Seahawks = 10-6
6.) Minnesota Vikings = 10-6
Looking Ahead to Next Week's Games
16.) San Francisco 49ers (4-8) @ Cleveland Browns (2-10) (1:00 - FOX)
15.) Detroit Lions (4-8) @ St. Louis Rams (4-8) (1:00 - FOX)
14.) Seattle Seahawks (7-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (4-8) (1:00 - FOX)
13.) San Diego Chargers (3-9) @ Kansas City Chiefs (7-5) (1:00 - CBS)
12.) Dallas Cowboys (4-8) @ Green Bay Packers (8-4) (4:25 - FOX)
11.) Tennessee Titans (3-9) @ New York Jets (7-5) (1:00 - CBS)
10.) Washington Redskins (5-7) @ Chicago Bears (5-7) (1:00 - FOX)
9.) Oakland Raiders (5-7) @ Denver Broncos (10-2) (4:05 - CBS)
8.) New Orleans Saints (4-8) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) (1:00 - FOX)
7.) Indianapolis Colts (6-6) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) (1:00 - CBS)
6.) New York Giants (5-7) @ Miami Dolphins (5-7) (MNF - ESPN)
5.) Minnesota Vikings (8-4) @ Arizona Cardinals (10-2) (TNF - NFLN)
4.) Atlanta Falcons (6-6) @ Carolina Panthers (12-0) (1:00 - FOX)
3.) Buffalo Bills (6-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) (1:00 - CBS)
2.) New England Patriots (10-2) @ Houston Texans (6-6) (SNF - NBC)
1.) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (10-2) (1:00 - CBS)
