Over the next five weeks, fans will be on the edge of their seats, as one game can decide whether a team will spend January fighting for the Lombardi Trophy or on the golf course.
The AFC East is one of the few divisions lacking a major playoff battle. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots currently have a comfortable two game lead over the second-place Miami Dolphins. While the Patriots’ defense has left much to be desired, Brady’s play means New England remains a favorite to reach the playoffs as a top-two seed, thus clinching an all-important bye in the first round of the playoffs.
After winning six straight games, the Dolphins are shockingly in a strong position to win a Wild Card spot. After starting the season 1-4, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Jay Ajayi lead a now potent Miami offense to give their fans hope after years of futile play.
Still, it is worth noting that the Dolphins have largely been playing weaker teams such as the 1-10 San Francisco 49ers, and have only won one of their six games by more than a touchdown. Games against the Baltimore Ravens and the Patriots over the next few weeks will prove whether or not the Dolphins are for real.
Standing at 6-5, the Ravens and the Steelers are likely competing for one spot in the playoffs. After starting the season 3-0, the Ravens then dropped three straight games, but now seem to be back on track. With one of the top defenses in the league, and the NFL’s best kicker in Justin Tucker, the Ravens are well built to win the close games necessary to make a deep run in January. Look for them to triumph over the Steelers, who have been highly inconsistent after a strong 4-1 start.
The AFC South is another division in which only the division winner is likely to advance to the playoffs. Yet again, the South remains the weakest division in the Conference with all teams struggling to stay above .500. With the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts facing a far tougher schedule than the Houston Texans, look for Houston to emerge victorious in the South only to go into the playoffs as the underdog in the Wild Card round.
Rounding out the AFC Playoff picture is a bloodbath in the West. The last couple weeks have not brought much clarity to the division, although the Denver Broncos have fallen behind the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs in the race for the division crown.
Derek Carr has continued to shine as quarterback, and the Oakland offense shows few signs of slowing down. I expect them to maintain their division lead and secure the other playoff bye.
Although they are both facing difficult schedules to close the season, I believe the Chiefs and Broncos are far stronger than the other Wild Card contenders. Miami and Pittsburgh have struggled against good teams and will likely give the West three playoff bound teams.
The Dallas Cowboys have been the story of the season and are currently running away with the division title in the NFC East. The Cowboys, led by rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, currently holds the best record in the NFL. Barring an epic collapse, Dallas should waltz into the playoffs and secure a first round bye.
Like Miami, the New York Giants too have been on a hot streak after a slow start to the season. However, unlike the Dolphins, the Giants have beaten some talented teams such as the Cowboys and Ravens. New York looks to have a commanding lead in the race for a wild card spot and should easily clinch a playoff spot.
After a hot start the Minnesota Vikings have floundered in the NFC North, while the Detroit Lions seem to be hitting their stride. Having been decimated by injuries to star players such as Adrian Peterson and faced with coaching turmoil when they fired offensive coordinator Norv Turner, Minnesota faces an uphill battle in their quest to reach the playoffs. The Lions, who have won their last three games, look to be in position to claim the NFC North divisional crown.
Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers, who lost four straight matchups against some weaker teams in the league, remain in the playoff picture after a win against the Philadelphia Eagles this past weekend. However, they remain on the outside looking in, with a tough schedule ahead.
Down south, the Atlanta Falcons remain perched atop the division as they have been all season. Matt Ryan and the offense continue to dominate opposing defenses.
And while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have won three straight games, sit just behind Atlanta, I still expect the Falcons to continue with the dominance they have displayed all season long. With a fairly weak schedule ahead after this week, I expect the Falcons to spend the first round of the playoffs resting up with the Cowboys by locking up the second seed in the NFC.
I also envision the Buccaneers building off their win against the Seattle Seahawks last weekend and locking up the other Wild Card spot, especially considering they only play one more team with a winning record, the Cowboys.
Perhaps the least exciting division in the league is the NFC West. Unlike their AFC counterparts, only one team in the division has a winning record: the Seahawks. Sitting three games ahead of second place Arizona Cardinals, Seattle should have no problem clinching the division, and only an epic collapse would cause them to miss the playoffs.
What remains to be seen, however, is if the Seattle Seahawks can also snag a first round bye, in what should be an exciting battle between Seattle, Atlanta and Detroit. Sitting so far below .500, the Los Angeles Rams and the Cardinals would have to win all their remaining games to even have a shot at play come January.
NFL fans, get ready for a wild December.
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