The playoff picture got clearer in some areas and murkier in others after last week's games. All AFC divisions have been decided, as are the Number One (Baltimore) and Number Five (Buffalo) seeds. A shocking loss by Pittsburgh keeps them on the outside, and gives Oakland an outside chance at the playoffs. Over in the NFC, the Packers clinched the NFC North, the Eagles become the frontrunner in the NFC East, and Minnesota falls to the sixth seed.
Power Rankings [Last week's rank]
1. Baltimore Ravens (13-2) [1]
2. New England Patriots (12-3) [2]
3. San Francisco 49ers (12-3) [3]
4. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) [5]
5. Green Bay Packers (12-3) [8]
6. New Orleans Saints (12-3) [6]
7. Minnesota Vikings (10-5) [4]
8. Buffalo Bills (10-5) [7]
9. Seattle Seahawks (11-4) [9]
10. Houston Texans (10-5) [12]
11. Dallas Cowboys (7-8) [10]
12. Tennessee Titans (8-7) [11]
Division Ranks [Last week's rank]
1. NFC West [1] : With two teams still vying for top seed in the NFC, this division has what it takes
2. NFC North [2] : Showing the gap between 2nd and 3rd, this division lost steam and still leads #3 by a significant margin
3. AFC East [5] : The only division in the AFC with two confirmed playoff teams
4. NFC South [4] : Atlanta's late rise is helping this division a bit, but the Saints still keep them afloat
5 (tie). AFC South [6] : Three teams with positive point differentials and a second possible playoff contender
5 (tie). AFC West [7] : Chiefs carry the load here
7. AFC North [3] : Trailing #4 NFC South by only 3/4 of a point, the Steelers loss dropped them down here
8. NFC East [8] : It's still possible the division winner will not break 50%
Sunday early games
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Bucs : Atlanta has been improving as late, and they want to quiet critics about their early season collapse (1-7 in the first half of the season!). QB Dan Quinn is on the hot seat and they want to finish with four wins. That said, I think the Bucs will surprise and play excellent ball. They are also dodging bad press in regards to Jameis Winston's reckless play, and I think someone on the coaching staff (perhaps MORE than one person) will sit him down and refocus him. The Bucs have a solid defense, Winston doesn't have to feel that he has to win all by himself. That focus should get them past the Falcons in a squeaker that will see at least three lead changes. BUCS, 23-20
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings : With the Vikings firmly entrenched as the sixth seed, I see them sitting some key players. They don't want to risk them getting hurt before the playoffs, a likely scenario giving the intense physical style of defense played by the Bears. The Vikings starting defense will likely play, though, so the Bears offense won't move much. This will be defensive battle, and I think a late Pick 6 will win the game. BEARS, 17-13
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals : The Bengals want more than one win this season, but I think the Browns will prevent that. The Browns have had to explain themselves too much this season, and they hope a strong finishing victory will reduce the turbulence for a few months. If Odell Beckham can keep his cool, they should perform well. Of course, asking Beckham to keep his head is like asking Donald Trump to admit his wall was a dumb idea. Never happening. BROWNS, 27-20
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions : The Pack clinched the division, but they need this win. If the Seahawks beat the 49ers on Monday night, the Pack nail the top seed in the NFC. On the other hand, a loss and a Saints win drags them to third seed and the loss of a first-week bye. Although banged up, the Pack will play for this win. PACKERS, 20-13
Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs : The Chiefs can still get the Number Two seed and a first-round bye if the Patriots lose, so they will play everyone so that they win this game. CHIEFS, 31-23
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots : The Pats want to get a first-round bye, so they will play their starters early. Their intention is to score enough so that some of them can rest in the second half, which might happen. PATS, 27-16
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers : Here's another new bunch of Seahawks fans, as the Saints have a chance for a first-round bye with a 49ers loss. In fact, if the Lions can beat the Pack, the Saints have an outside chance at the top seed. Incentive for Drew Brees to have another stellar day. SAINTS, 34-20
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills : This is a hard game to pick, because I'm not sure if the Bills will rest some of their starters. They cannot improve nor lose their Number Five seed, so it doesn't matter whether they win or lose. Coach Sean McDermott has stated that all starters will play at some point of this game, but he stressed that not all of them will start. That sounds like second and third team players will be rotated in and out. Could that allow the Jets to win this game? Hard to say, because we don't know how much juggling will be done. However, since players will be shifted in and out of the lineup, I think those frequent substitutions will be distracting enough to allow the Jets to squeak by. JETS, 17-13
Sunday late games
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams : Rams need a strong finish to quiet criticism regarding their collapse this year. I would not be so critical. After all, the NFL has a history of Super Bowl losers struggling to reach the playoffs the following season.. Still, the Rams will play hard in this game. RAMS, 27-16
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars : There are murmurings that the Colts should consider drafting a quarterback. Hey, Jacoby Brissett played very well. Okay, he was no Andrew Luck, but few people are. Still, this means Jacoby wants to have a good game to convince fans and administration alike that he deserves his position. COLTS, 23-16
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos : The Raiders have a shot at the playoffs. If Houston beats Tennessee and the Ravens beat Pittsburgh, the Raiders can get in with a win. They want that win, and they'll fight for it. RAIDERS, 24-20
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants : Okay, the Eagles did their part last week and beat the Cowboys. Now they need to beat the Giants in order to clinch the NFC East and reach the playoffs. The Giants offense has improved recently, but I don't think it has improved enough to beat the determined Eagles. EAGLES, 23-20
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens plan to rest most of their starters, which would normally mean that the Steelers should win easily. However, with Mason Rudolph injured and low confidence in Merrill Hodge among his teammates, I'm not sure how the offense will perform on the field. I'll pick the Steelers, mainly because they are playing for a playoff spot, but they could seriously lose this game. STEELERS, 16-13
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans : Houston cannot make the second seed, so they will not have a first week bye. Will it matter whether they are third or fourth seed? In other words, will they rest players? They are being quiet on that matter, because their big news has been that JJ Watt will return for the playoffs. Truthfully, I think the Texans would love to spoil the Titans chances for the playoffs, so I see them playing just enough to beat them. TEXANS, 27-23
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys : The Cowboys still have a shot at making the playoffs, if they think the Giants can pull off the upset. So they'll be pulling hard to win this game. The Redskins have a disadvantage with Case Keenum under center, so I think the Cowboys will do it. COWBOYS, 20-16
Sunday night
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks : Okay, here's what's at stake. The winner is the NFC West champ. If San Fran wins, they also lock in the Number One seed. If Seattle wins, they gain whatever seed is next after the Packers and Saints win. In other words, if both of those teams lose, Seattle is Number One. If both teams win, Seattle would be third seed. If only one team wins, Seattle gains a first-round bye. The loser of this game is the fifth seed. Both teams have played better on the road, so I'm not sure home field advantage really matters. No, this one is a grudge match, as the last time they played (and Seattle won), the 49ers were replaced at the top team in the NFC by those same Seahawks. You can be sure they don't want that happening again. Seattle has to be rattled by last week's home loss, and now they face an even tougher defense. This game will be close, but I see the road team pulling it out. 49ERS, 24-20
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