There are only two weeks left in the NFL regular schedule, and the playoff picture is far from clear.
Week 15 in the NFL was one of the ugliest in recent memories with teams across the league playing a whole lot of bad football. Unsurprisingly, that resulted in a big shakeup in the NFL playoff picture heading into the final couple of weeks.
The biggest changes came in the NFC. The Green Bay Packers, who looked to be in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed (they just needed to win out and have the Arizona Cardinals lose), now find themselves fighting for their playoff lives. They fell all the way from No. 2 to No. 6. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks might have the most to gain from Green Bay’s slip-up in Buffalo. Seattle’s path to the NFC’s top seed is a clear one, as they still have a game with the Cardinals on the schedule.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions find themselves in position for a first-round bye after falling behind the Packers a few weeks back.
Things aren’t much clearer on the AFC side, though. The Patriots and Broncos clinched their divisions and both should cruise to the first-round byes. But after that, it’s still very much uncertain. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers seem safe for now, but if they slip up, there are three 8-6 teams ready to make a move.
See the entire playoff picture below.
AFC
First-round byes
1. New England Patriots (11-3)
2. Denver Broncos (11-13)
Wild-card round matchups (Jan. 3-4)
No. 6 Baltimore Ravens at No. 5 Indianapolis Colts (10-4)
No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals (9-4-1)
NFC
First-round byes
1. Arizona Cardinals (11-3)
2. Detroit Lions (10-4)
Wild-card round matchups (Jan. 3-4)
No. 6 Green Bay Packers (10-4) at No. 5 Dallas Cowboys (10-4)
No. 4 Seattle Seahawks (10-4) at No. 3 New Orleans Saints (6-8)
Playoff scenarios via NFL.com
Thumbnail photo via Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports Images
