The playoff picture is getting clearer but won’t be complete until the completion of the Sunday Night game between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers…
AFC
#1 Seed - Tennessee Titans (13-2): Epic win over the Steelers and their top-rated defense. But will their stomping of the Terrible Towel cost them in the AFC Championship game?
#2 Seed - Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4): Steelers couldn’t get it done on the road in Tennessee. But they still get a bye and a second-round game at home…
#3 Seed - Miami Dolphins (10-5): What an amazing turnaround. And if they beat the Jets in the Meadowlands, the Dolphins win the AFC East. Unbelievable!
#4 Seed - Denver Broncos (8-7)/San Diego Chargers (7-8): No matter who wins, the AFC West has become a huge embarrassment. At least Ed Hochuli is off the hook…
Wild Card #1 - Indianapolis Colts (11-4): Eight wins in a row and they still don’t loo impressive…
Wild Card #2 - Baltimore Ravens (10-5): Beat Jacksonville and they’re in…
In the Playoffs with…
New England Patriots (10-5): …a win over the Bills AND a loss by the Ravens or the Dolphins.
New York Jets (9-6): …a win over Miami AND a loss by the Patriots or the Ravens.
Eliminated: Buffalo Bills (7-8); Houston Texans (7-8); Cleveland Browns (4-11); Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10); Oakland Raiders (4-11); Kansas City Chiefs (2-13); Cincinnati Bengals (3-11-1)
NFC
#1 Seed - New York Giants (12-3): A missed 50-yard field goal gives the Giants homefield advantage, an amazing feat considering how many players this team has lost…
#2 Seed - Carolina Panthers (10-5): A missed 50-yard field goal and suddenly the Panthers a win away on the road against the Saints to keep a first-round bye…
#3 Seed - Minnesota Vikings (9-6)/Chicago Bears (9-6): Vikings win and they’re in. Unfortunately, they have to play the defending champion New York Giants…
#4 Seed - Arizona Cardinals (8-7): Another West embarrassment…
Wild Card #1: Atlanta Falcons (10-5): Another impressive turnaround…
Wild Card #2: Dallas Cowboys (9-6): Win and they’re in…
In the Playoffs with…
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-6): …a win over the Raiders AND a Cowboys loss…
Chicago Bears (9-6): …a win over the Texans AND a Vikings loss OR a Cowboys AND Bucs loss.
Philadelphia Eagles (8-5-1): …a win over the Cowboys AND a Vikings or Bears loss.
Eliminated: Washington Redskins (8-7); New Orleans Saints (8-7); Green Bay Packers (5-10); San Francisco 49ers (6-9); Seattle Seahawks (4-11); St. Louis Rams (2-13); Detroit Lions (0-15)
The playoff picture is getting a lot clearer (now with official tiebreakers)…
AFC
#1 Seed - Tennessee Titans (12-2): Loss to the Texans suddenly puts home-field advantage in jeopardy…
#2 Seed - Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3): Big win over Ravens propels the Steelers into a huge showdown with the Titans…
#3 Seed - New York Jets (9-5): When they lose, it’s the end of the world. When they win, it’s the end of world. What will happen if they beat the Seahawks?
#4 Seed - Denver Broncos (8-6): Beat the Bills and the Broncos are in the playoffs…
Wild Card #1 - Indianapolis Colts (10-4): Seven wins in a row and counting…
Wild Card #2 - Baltimore Ravens (9-5): One call away and now they have to travel to Dallas…
Outside Looking In: Miami Dolphins (9-5); New England Patriots (9-5)
On Life Support: San Diego Chargers (6-8)
Eliminated: Buffalo Bills (6-8); Houston Texans (7-7); Cleveland Browns (4-10); Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9); Oakland Raiders (3-11); Kansas City Chiefs (2-12); Cincinnati Bengals (2-11-1)
NFC
#1 Seed - New York Giants (11-3): Two losses in a row with Panthers and Vikings up next…
#2 Seed - Carolina Panthers (10-4): Can the Panthers continue their run in the windy confines of the Meadowlands?
#3 Seed - Minnesota Vikings (9-5): The Vikings are suddenly becoming the team we all expected they would be at the start of the season…
#4 Seed - Arizona Cardinals (8-6): Cardinals need to get tough in a hurry if they expect to make any noise in the playoffs…
Wild Card #1: Dallas Cowboys (9-5): Team Turmoil wins a big one over the Giants…
Wild Card #2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5): Beat the Chargers and the Raiders, and the Bucs are in…
Outside Looking In: Atlanta Falcons (9-5); Philadelphia Eagles (8-5-1); Chicago Bears (8-6)
On Life Support: Washington Redskins (7-7);
Eliminated: New Orleans Saints (7-7); Green Bay Packers (5-9); San Francisco 49ers (5-9); Seattle Seahawks (3-11); St. Louis Rams (2-12); Detroit Lions (0-14)
The playoff picture is getting a little clearer (now with official tiebreakers)…
AFC
#1 Seed - Tennessee Titans (12-1): With Kerry Collins at the helm, the Titans clinch the AFC South crown and a first-round bye. Who’d have thunk it?
#2 Seed - Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3): Stunning comeback against the Cowboys propels the Steelers into a showdown with the Ravens…
#3 Seed - New York Jets (8-5): The suddenly mortal Jets still control their own destiny, starting with a home game against the Bills..
#4 Seed - Denver Broncos (8-5): Three games up on the Chargers with three to go…
Wild Card #1 - Indianapolis Colts (9-4): Six wins in a row and counting…
Wild Card #2 - Baltimore Ravens (9-4): Nice win over the Redskins with the Steelers up next…
Outside Looking In: Miami Dolphins (8-5); New England Patriots (8-5)
On Life Support: Buffalo Bills (6-7); San Diego Chargers (5-8)
Eliminated: Houston Texans (6-7); Cleveland Browns (4-9); Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9); Oakland Raiders (3-10); Kansas City Chiefs (2-11); Cincinnati Bengals (1-11-1)
NFC
#1 Seed - New York Giants (11-2): Ugly loss to the Eagles, but the Giants are still the class of the NFC having clinched the NFC East title already…
#2 Seed - Carolina Panthers (9-4): Panthers take a huge step by pounding the Bucs. And believe it or not, they can clinch home field if they run the table in their final three games…
#3 Seed - Minnesota Vikings (8-5): Vikings barely pull out a win against the Lions. This does not bode well for their long-term prospects…
#4 Seed - Arizona Cardinals (8-5): Cardinals clinch their first division title since 1975 and their first home playoff game since 1947!
Wild Card #1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3): Bucs still hold a two-game lead for the Wild Card…
Wild Card #2: Dallas Cowboys (8-5): Giants, Ravens and Eagles up next. Ruh-roh!
Outside Looking In: Atlanta Falcons (8-5); Philadelphia Eagles (7-5-1)
On Life Support: Washington Redskins (7-6); Chicago Bears (7-6); New Orleans Saints (7-6); Green Bay Packers (5-8)
Eliminated: San Francisco 49ers (5-8); Seattle Seahawks (2-10); St. Louis Rams (2-10); Detroit Lions (0-12)
The playoff picture as I see it…
AFC
#1 Seed - Tennessee Titans (11-1): Titans bounce back with crushing win over the Lions. And yes, a win over the Lions still counts…
#2 Seed - Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3): Impressive win on the road against the Patriots…
#3 Seed - New York Jets (8-4): Perhaps a home loss to the Broncos is exactly what the Jets need approaching the playoffs. Instead of talking Super Bowl, the Jets should start focusing on their next game..
#4 Seed - Denver Broncos (7-5): A win over the Jets and the Chargers loss to the Falcons may have finally sown up the AFC West…
Wild Card #1 - Indianapolis Colts (8-4): It wasn’t pretty, but it was the Colts fifth win in a row…
Wild Card #2 - Baltimore Ravens (8-4): Ravens keep finding ways to win…
Outside Looking In: New England Patriots (7-5), Miami Dolphins (7-5)
Eliminated: Kansas City Chiefs (2-10), Cincinnati Bengals (1-10-1)
NFC
#1 Seed - New York Giants (11-1): Giants continue to roll…
#2 Seed - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3): Good, tough win over the Saints…
#3 Seed - Arizona Cardinals (7-5): Cardinals give thanks they play in the NFC West
#4 Seed - Minnesota Vikings (7-5): Are the Vikings finally the real thing?
Wild Card #1: Carolina Panthers (9-3): Impressive win in Lambeau…
Wild Card #2: Atlanta Falcons (8-4): Who’d have thunk it?
Outside Looking In: Dallas Cowboys (8-4), Washington Redskins (7-5)
Eliminated: Seattle Seahawks (2-10); St. Louis Rams (2-10); Detroit Lions (0-12)
