Current NFL Playoff Picture: Week 15

Yahoo Sports ^ | Dec 20, 2015 | Yahoo Sports Staff

[ETL]

(y=clinched division, x=clinched playoff berth, z= clinched home field)

AFC

East

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
y-New Eng	12	2	0	.857	435	269	166	7-1-0	5-1-0	4-0-0	9-1-0	3-2-0	W-2
NY Jets	9	5	0	.643	344	272	72	5-2-0	4-3-0	2-2-0	6-4-0	4-1-0	W-4
Buffalo	6	8	0	.429	341	336	5	3-3-0	3-5-0	3-2-0	6-5-0	1-4-0	L-2
Miami	5	9	0	.357	278	361	-83	2-4-0	3-5-0	0-5-0	3-7-0	1-4-0	L-2

North

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
x-Cinn	11	3	0	.786	378	243	135	5-2-0	6-1-0	4-1-0	8-2-0	3-2-0	W-1
Pittsburgh	9	5	0	.643	378	287	91	6-2-0	3-3-0	2-2-0	6-4-0	4-1-0	W-3
Baltimore	4	10	0	.286	292	360	-68	2-5-0	2-5-0	2-2-0	3-7-0	2-3-0	L-3
Cleveland	3	11	0	.214	253	387	-134	2-5-0	1-6-0	1-4-0	2-8-0	1-4-0	L-1

South

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
Houston	7	7	0	.500	275	301	-26	4-3-0	3-4-0	3-1-0	5-5-0	3-2-0	W-1
Indianapolis	6	8	0	.429	285	372	-87	3-4-0	3-4-0	3-2-0	4-6-0	2-3-0	L-3
Jacksonville	5	9	0	.357	343	380	-37	4-4-0	1-5-0	2-3-0	5-6-0	2-3-0	L-1
Tennessee	3	11	0	.214	269	359	-90	1-6-0	2-5-0	1-3-0	1-9-0	1-4-0	L-2

West

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
Denver	10	4	0	.714	308	259	49	4-2-0	6-2-0	3-2-0	6-4-0	3-2-0	L-2
Kansas City	9	5	0	.643	365	257	108	4-2-0	5-3-0	4-1-0	8-2-0	5-0-0	W-8
Oakland	6	8	0	.429	319	356	-37	2-5-0	4-3-0	2-2-0	6-4-0	2-3-0	L-1
San Diego	4	10	0	.286	280	348	-68	3-5-0	1-5-0	0-4-0	3-7-0	2-3-0	W-1

_________________________________________________________________

NFC

East

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
Washington	7	7	0	.500	316	332	-16	6-2-0	1-5-0	2-2-0	6-4-0	3-2-0	W-2
Philadelphia	6	8	0	.429	318	362	-44	3-4-0	3-4-0	2-2-0	3-7-0	2-3-0	L-1
NY Giants	6	8	0	.429	373	358	15	3-4-0	3-4-0	2-3-0	4-6-0	1-4-0	L-1
Dallas	4	10	0	.286	246	324	-78	1-6-0	3-4-0	3-2-0	3-8-0	2-3-0	L-2

North

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
x-Grn Bay	10	4	0	.714	347	265	82	5-2-0	5-2-0	3-2-0	7-3-0	4-1-0	W-3
Minnesota	9	5	0	.643	296	272	24	5-2-0	4-3-0	4-1-0	6-4-0	2-3-0	W-1
Chicago	5	9	0	.357	289	352	-63	1-6-0	4-3-0	1-4-0	2-8-0	1-4-0	L-3
Detroit	4	9	0	.308	267	336	-69	3-4-0	1-5-0	2-3-0	3-6-0	3-2-0	L-2

South

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
y-Carolina	14	0	0	1.000	449	278	171	7-0-0	7-0-0	4-0-0	10-0-0	5-0-0	W-14
Atlanta	7	7	0	.500	302	312	-10	3-3-0	4-4-0	0-4-0	4-6-0	1-4-0	W-1
Tampa Bay	6	8	0	.429	311	353	-42	3-4-0	3-4-0	3-2-0	5-5-0	2-3-0	L-2
New Orleans	5	8	0	.385	323	397	-74	3-3-0	2-5-0	2-3-0	4-6-0	1-4-0	W-1

West

Team	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA	Net Pts	Home	Away	Div	Conf	Last 5	Streak
y-Arizona	12	2	0	.857	445	269	176	5-1-0	7-1-0	4-1-0	9-1-0	5-0-0	W-8
x-Seattle	9	5	0	.643	370	248	122	5-2-0	4-3-0	2-2-0	6-4-0	5-0-0	W-5
St. Louis	6	8	0	.429	241	294	-53	5-3-0	1-5-0	3-1-0	5-5-0	2-3-0	W-2
San Francisco	4	10	0	.286	202	339	-137	3-4-0	1-6-0	0-5-0	3-7-0	1-4-0	L-2

(y=clinched division, x=clinched playoff berth, z= clinched home field)

*************************************************

If the season ended now:

AFC first-round byes: (1) Patriots; (2) Bengals

AFC wild card: (6) Steelers at (3) Broncos; (5) Chiefs at (4) Texans

NFC first-round byes: (1) Panthers; (2) Cardinals

NFC wild card: (6) Vikings at (3) Packers; (5) Seahawks at (4) Redskins

We now know half of the postseason field, but plenty will be decided in the final two weeks of the season.

Despite a 3-7 conference record and a rough 40-17 loss Sunday night, the Philadelphia Eagles would win the NFC East with wins in their last two games, but a loss Saturday to the Washington Redskins would crown Washington the division champion. The New York Giants also have a chance if the Eagles win on Saturday.

The AFC has its own three-team division race in the South, where the Houston Texans took control with a win at the Indianapolis Colts. But a Texans loss would give the Colts another chance and two Texans losses could make the Jacksonville Jaguars division champs at 7-9.

Several teams clinched postseason berths Sunday. The Cincinnati Bengals got in with a win but didn't get the Pittsburgh Steelers loss they needed to win the division. That Steelers win against the Broncos also gives the Kansas City Chiefs a real shot to win the West and possibly drop Denver all the way out of the postseason.

In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks secured playoff berths, and the Arizona Cardinals assured Seattle of a wild-card spot by clinching the West with a win at night.

Monday's and Thursday's games have no postseason significance, as the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders are among the 14 eliminated teams. But Saturday's Redskins-Eagles game looms large.

(y=clinched division, x=clinched playoff berth, all times Eastern)

y-1. New England Patriots (12-2, East champion; W 33-16 vs. Titans; @NYJ, @Mia)

• Clinched a first-round playoff bye with the Broncos' loss at the Steelers because of a better record (4-1) than the Bengals (2-2) in common games (Bills, Broncos, Steelers and Texans) and a better conference record (9-3) than the Broncos (8-4; the head-to-head loss wouldn't matter in a three-way tie).
  
• Would clinch the No. 1 seed with a win at the Jets.
  
  x-2. Cincinnati Bengals (11-3, North leader; W 24-14 at 49ers; @Den Mon, Bal)
  
• Clinched a playoff berth with a win at the 49ers because of a head-to-head win against the Chiefs in Week 4 and a better record (4-1) in common games (Bills, Browns, Raiders and Texans) than the Jets (2-3).
  
• Would clinch the North with a win/tie or Steelers loss/tie or by winning the strength of victory tiebreaker (Bills, Chiefs and Seahawks to Broncos, Cardinals and Colts).
  
  3. Denver Broncos (10-4, West leader; L 27-34 at Steelers; Cin Mon, SD)
  
• Would clinch the West with a win and Chiefs loss.
  
• Not assured of a playoff berth with only one more win.
  
  4. Houston Texans (7-7, South leader; W 16-10 at Colts; @Ten, Jac)
  
• Would clinch the South and No. 4 seed with two more wins or a win plus Colts loss or a win plus the strength of victory tiebreaker with the Colts (Bengals, Jets and Saints to Broncos, Dolphins and Falcons) or two Colts losses plus a Jaguars loss/tie.

  
  
  5. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5, top wild card; W 34-14 at Ravens; Cle, Oak)
  
• Lead the race for the No. 5 seed because of a better conference record (8-2) than the Steelers and Jets (6-4). Also beat the Steelers in Week 7.
  
• Would clinch a playoff berth with two wins.
  
• Would clinch the West with two wins plus a Broncos loss or a win plus two Broncos losses because of division record (5-1/4-2 to 4-2/3-3).
  
  6. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5, bottom wild card; W 34-27 vs. Broncos; @Bal, @Cle)
  
• Lead the Jets for the No. 6 seed because of a better record in common games (3-1 to 2-2 against the Browns, Colts, Patriots and Raiders).
  
• Would clinch a playoff berth with two wins.
  
• Would clinch the North with two wins and two Bengals losses and a better strength of victory than the Bengals (Broncos, Cardinals and Colts to Bills, Chiefs and Seahawks).
  

7. New York Jets (9-5; W 19-16 at Cowboys; NE, @Buf)

• Would clinch a playoff berth with two wins and a Chiefs loss or Steelers loss or Broncos loss.
  
  10.* Indianapolis Colts (6-8; L 10-16 vs. Texans; @Mia, Ten)
  * Trail the No. 8 Raiders because of conference record (6-4 to 4-6) and No. 9 Bills because of a head-to-head loss in Week 1, but Oakland and Buffalo are eliminated.
  
• Would clinch the South and No. 4 seed with two wins plus two Texans losses, or two wins plus a Texans loss plus winning the strength of victory tiebreaker, or a win against the Titans plus two Texans losses plus a Jaguars loss/tie at the Saints.
  
• Would be eliminated with a loss and Texans win.
  
  11. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9; L 17-23 vs. Falcons; @NO, @Hou)
  
• Lead the Dolphins for the No. 11 position because of a head-to-head win in Week 2.
  
• Would clinch the South and No. 4 seed with two wins and a Colts loss to the Titans and a Texans loss at the Titans because of a better conference record (6-6) than the Colts and Texans (5-7).
  
• Would be eliminated with a loss/tie at the Saints or Texans win/tie at the Titans.

  

  
  
  y-1. Carolina Panthers (14-0, South champion; W 38-35 at Giants; @Atl, TB)
  
• Clinched a first-round bye last week.
  
• Would clinch the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs with a win/tie or Cardinals loss/tie.
  
• Would lose a tie with the Cardinals because of conference record (11-1 to 10-2).
  
  y-2. Arizona Cardinals (12-2, West champion; W 40-17 at Eagles; GB, Sea)
  
• Clinched the West with a win at the Eagles.
  
• Would clinch a first-round playoff bye with a win/tie against the Packers.
  
  x-3. Green Bay Packers (10-4, North leader; W 30-20 at Raiders; @Ari, Min)
  
• Clinched a playoff berth with the Giants' loss to the Panthers.
  
• Would clinch the North with a win at the Cardinals plus Vikings loss to the Giants (later), or Week 17 win/tie against the Vikings.
  
• Would clinch a first-round bye with two wins and a Cardinals loss to the Seahawks.
  
  4. Washington Redskins (7-7, East leader; W 35-25 vs. Bills; @Phi Sat, @Dal)
  
• Would clinch the East and No. 4 seed with a win Saturday at the Eagles because of a head-to-head sweep of the Eagles and a split with the Giants plus a better conference record (7-5) than the Giants (6-6) if they finish tied.
  
• Would clinch the East with a win at the Cowboys and Eagles loss at the Giants.

  
  
  x-5. Seattle Seahawks (9-5, top wild card; W 30-13 vs. Browns; StL, @Ari)
  
• Clinched a playoff berth with a win against the Browns because of a better record (4-1) than the Falcons (2-3) in common games (Cowboys, 49ers, Panthers, Vikings).
  
• Lead the Vikings for the No. 5 seed because of a head-to-head win in Week 13.
  
• Would clinch the No. 5 seed with a win against the Rams and Vikings loss to the Giants (later).
  
  6. Minnesota Vikings (9-5, bottom wild card; W 38-17 vs. Bears; NYG night, @GB)
  
• Did not clinch a playoff berth in Week 15 because of a worse strength of victory than the Falcons and Seahawks if they finish in a three-way tie with Seattle.
  
• Would clinch a playoff berth with a Falcons loss/tie to the Panthers or Seahawks win/tie against the Rams or win/tie against the Giants.
  
• Would clinch the North with two wins or two Packers losses.

  
  
  7. Atlanta Falcons (7-7; W 23-17 at Jaguars; Car, NO)
  
• Would clinch a playoff berth (and No. 5 seed) with two wins and two Seahawks losses and two Vikings losses plus winning the strength of victory tiebreaker (currently teams the Falcons would have beaten have 57 wins to the Vikings' 49 and Seahawks' 45).
  
• Would be eliminated with a loss/tie to the Panthers or Seahawks win/tie against the Rams or Vikings win/tie against the Giants.
  
  10.* Philadelphia Eagles (6-8; L 17-40 vs. Cardinals; Was Sat, @NYG)
  * Trail the No. 8 Rams and No. 9 Buccaneers because of conference record (5-5 to 3-6) and a head-to-head loss to the Buccaneers in Week 11, but St. Louis and Tampa Bay are eliminated.
  
• Would clinch the East and No. 4 seed with two wins or a win against the Redskins plus Giants loss to the Vikings plus Redskins loss at the Cowboys because of a better division record (4-2 to 3-3) or a better record in common games (7-5 to 5-7) than the Redskins or Giants.
  
• Would be eliminated with a loss to the Redskins.
  
  11. New York Giants (6-8; L 35-38 vs. Panthers; @Min night, Phi)
  
• Would clinch the East and No. 4 seed with two wins and two Redskins losses but need to win the East outright.
  
• Would be eliminated with a Redskins win at the Eagles or loss at the Vikings.

[ETL]

2016 Super Bowl

NFL Football Odds Futures to Win Super Bowl 50
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA, 2/7/2016

New England Patriots (4 to 1)
Carolina Panthers (4.5 to 1)
Arizona Cardinals (5 to 1)
Seattle Seahawks (6 to 1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6.5 to 1)
Denver Broncos (10 to 1)
Green Bay Packers (10 to 1)
Cincinnati Bengals (30 to 1)
Kansas City Chiefs (30 to 1)
Indianapolis Colts (50 to 1)
New York Giants (50 to 1)
Minnesota Vikings (60 to 1)
Philadelphia Eagles (60 to 1)
New York Jets 65 to 1)
Houston Texans (100 to 1)
Washington Redskins (125 to 1)
Dallas Cowboys (250 to 1)
Jacksonville Jaguars (250 to 1)
Oakland Raiders (500 to 1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (500 to 1)
Atlanta Falcons (1,000 to 1)
Buffalo Bills (1,000 to 1)

http://www.footballlocks.com/nfl_futures_odds.shtml

[al_c]

Long shot for Superbowl is AFC South v NFC East. The division winners of both will be doing good to get past the wildcard round

[Hot Tabasco]

Monday night football tonight, the game of the year!

Lions 4-9 vs. Saints 5-8.....

NOT!

How Detroit was able to swing 2 Monday night appearances this year is beyond me.......Maybe the schedulers were promised new Fords......

[Hot Tabasco]

Oh, I forgot, GO SAINTS!

[NormsRevenge]

Here’s to a cold snowy blustery day at Lambeau field against the VIKES in a Wild card. Too bad Oakland tanked yesterday.

[PROCON]

Thanks.

I'm glad to see my Seahawks in playoff form after the horrible 4-5 start.

They should be tough throughout the season and into the play-offs.

I love this time of year, not only Christmas but College Bowl games and NFL football, Woo-Hoo!

Oh yeah, AND my family :-)

[ExCTCitizen]

My Packers are in...

[cld51860]

Cardinals suffered a huge blow last night while clinching the NFC West title. Tyrann Mathieu out with torn ACL. Not good.

[kidd]

The Eagles, at 6-and-8,
are STILL in control of their own destiny.

Amazing.

[DoodleDawg]

My Chiefs were 1 and 5 and considered out of it. Then the Royals win the World Series and suddenly the Chiefs go on a tear. Now they’re 9 and 5 with two home games against Cleveland and Oakland. If they win out, and if Denver loses to Cincinnati next Monday, then they go from 1 and 5 to division champs. What a year.

[TexasCajun]

How 'bout them Division Leading Texans!!!

(Gotta throw it out now, might probably change next week!)

[Salvavida]

GO CHIEFS!!!!!

[SZonian]

Any team from the NFC East to make it in is nothing short of a warmup for the opposition...terrible Division. None deserve to go.

[ez]

Looks like my Jets are probably going to finish out of the playoffs with a 10-6 record. That’s what they get for losing to Oakland and Buffalo.
I would propose a rule.that no team can make the playoffs.with a losing record. This seems obvious to me. If a division winner is under 500 they forfeit their spot to a third wild card team.

[Liberty Valance]

LOL! And we got that Dallas Cowboy ginger QB!
Its all good. ;o)

[hattend]

Oh how I miss John Elway and TD... Go Broncos!

[ETL]

The Broncos became my number 4 favorite team a few years ago, because of Payton Manning. My top 3 are the Colts, Giants, then Jets, in that order. Even though I’ve lived in New York City all of my nearly 60 years, I became a Colts fan as a 13-year-old, following their victory in the ‘71 Super Bowl.

As a kid I had a plain white football helmet I used to play tackle football at the local field (only hispanic guys play soccer there now). Anyway, being a Colts fan, and not having the money to by an “official” one, I very amateurishly painted a Colts horseshoe on each side of the helmet.

[hattend]

I figured Denver would have this all wrapped up by now, even with Manning out.

But the last two outings just have me dumbfounded! They hold Oakland to -12 yards rushing in the first half, and lose. Then, they go out to a 27-10 lead in the first half against the Steelers and don’t score again in the second half.

What kind of pep talk are they getting at halftime? C’mon, Brock, lets pull out a win this next game!

I was a Dolphins fan until I was in Denver for military school during their 77-78 Super Bowl season. I got caught up in the “Orange Crush” hoopla and have been a big Denver fan ever since.

[Cincinatus]

Yeah, that's pretty good all right.

But don't forget the Houston sports mantra: Texans, Astros, Rockets -- they never fail to disappoint.

[TexasCajun]

The Texan’s just hired somebody’s “Practice Quarterback” for our Backup to the Backup to the Backup to the Backup Quarterback.