The NFL playoff image modified drastically in Week 13, with the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers relinquishing management of the AFC and the NFC.
The Baltimore Ravens are actually in pole place to safe residence discipline benefit all through the playoffs in the former, whereas the New Orleans Saints are the present No. 1 seed in the latter and the solely crew to have already clinched a postseason berth.
Here’s what the playoff bracket appears like as the NFL enters December.
AFC
Baltimore Ravens (10-2)
Coupled with New England’s loss in Houston, Baltimore’s win over San Francisco on Sunday put the Ravens in cost of the AFC.
On an eight-game successful run, Baltimore holds the tiebreaker over each the Patriots and the Texans and its remaining schedule is comparatively benign.
A visit to Buffalo on Sunday is the hardest project, adopted by residence video games in opposition to the Jets and Steelers with a visit to Cleveland sandwiched in between.
New England Patriots (10-2)
It has taken three months, however the Patriots’ grip has lastly loosened up. Talk of a disaster in New England is overblown, however the reigning Super Bowl champions have points to deal with, specifically a stuttering offense that has left Tom Brady annoyed.
Starting with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, three of the Patriots’ remaining 4 video games are at residence and their solely journey is to the 1-11 Bengals.
Houston Texans (8-4)
The Texans defeated the Patriots for the first time below Bill O’Brien and took full management of the AFC South, thanks additionally to Indianapolis’ loss to Tennessee.
FiveThirtyEight’s statistical projections give the Texans a 90 p.c probability of reaching the playoffs, however Houston is unlikely to drive its approach in the prime two in the AFC because it trails the Patriots and the Ravens by two and three video games respectively.
Three TD passes 1 TD catch.@deshaunwatson’s prime performs from SNF. pic.twitter.com/rh98J5upYs
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 2, 2019
Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)
The Chiefs all however secured a fourth consecutive AFC West with a 40-Eight thrashing of the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Kansas City may transfer inside one sport of the Patriots if it wins in New England on Sunday, which might tighten the AFC race even additional.
To overtake Houston, nevertheless, Kansas has to hope the Texans—who maintain the tiebreaker over them—drop a sport.
Buffalo Bills (9-3)
Buffalo’s 26-15 win in Dallas on Thanksgiving Day moved the Bills inside one sport of their greatest report in twenty years and inside touching distance of a wildcard spot.
FiveThirtyEight offers them a 95 p.c probability of creating the playoffs and a win over the subsequent 4 video games must be sufficient to clinch a postseason berth.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)
The Steelers’ win over the Cleveland Browns offers them a slight benefit over the 7-5 Tennessee Titans in the race for the second wildcard spot by advantage of a greater convention report.
Pittsburgh has gained six of its final seven video games, however has video games in opposition to the Bills and the Ravens nonetheless to come back, which may in the end show season-defining.
NFC
New Orleans Saints (10-2)
The solely crew to have secured a playoff spot to date, the Saints have been handed the No. 1 seed on Monday evening after Seattle knocked San Francisco off the prime of the NFC West.
New Orleans holds the tiebreaker over the Seahawks and may maintain the benefit over the 49ers if it beats San Francisco at residence on Sunday.
Seattle Seahakws (10-2)
Seattle’s 37-30 win over Minnesota put it in cost the NFC West and in prime place to safe one in all the prime two spots in the NFC.
According to FiveThirtyEight, the Seahawks have a 62 p.c probability of successful the division, however the schedule may rely in opposition to them.
They face the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday and nonetheless have the 49ers at residence to come back in Week 17.
FINAL: The @Seahawks are actually in 1st place in the NFC West! #Seahawks #MINvsSEA
(by @Lexus) pic.twitter.com/7kizcsmb2L
— NFL (@NFL) December 3, 2019
Green Bay Packers (9-3)
Green Bay opened up a one-game lead over Minnesota at the prime of the NFC North after the Vikings misplaced to Seattle. The Packers journey to Minneapolis in Week 16 however would nonetheless end prime of the division in the event that they lose that sport, so long as they win at residence in opposition to Washington and Chicago in Week 14 and 15 and then defeat the Lions in Detroit in Week 17.
Dallas Cowboys (6-6)
The Cowboys are on a two-game dropping streak and are 0-5 in opposition to groups with a report above .500, however the Philadelphia Eagles’ ineptitude has left Dallas at the prime of the NFC East.
The Rams are the solely crew on the Cowboys schedule with a successful report, however a visit to Philadelphia in Week 16 may show essential for Dallas.
San Francisco 49ers (10-2)
The 49ers have the joint-best report in the league however have fallen to fifth in the NFC, as Seattle holds the tiebreaker.
Provided it matches the Seahawks’ report over the subsequent three weeks, San Francisco can erase the benefit with a win in Seattle in Week 17.
A visit to New Orleans on Sunday may go a good distance in the direction of figuring out the 49ers’ possibilities of end in the prime two in the NFC.
Minnesota Vikings (8-4)
Monday’s evening loss to Seattle dealt a blow to Minnesota’s possibilities of successful the NFC North, with a win over the Packers in Week 16 now not sufficient.
The Vikings, nevertheless, stay in management of the second wild card spot and have an 82 p.c probability of creating the playoffs.
