NFL playoff picture: Raiders just about cooked after loss to Rams
Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks with Week 14 underway:
AFC
1. Buffalo Bills (9-3), AFC East leaders: Pretty good Sunday when, from the comfort of the couch – in the wake of Week 13’s victory at New England – you not only reclaim the divisional lead but also shift back onto the inside track for a first-round bye and home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: vs. Jets, vs. Dolphins, at Bears, at Bengals, vs. Patriots
2. Kansas City Chiefs (9-3), AFC West leaders: Their continued inability to slay the Bengals knocks them from the conference’s catbird seat. And the Week 6 loss to the Bills would currently mean the road to the AFC crown goes through Western New York and not K.C. On the plus side, a win at Denver coupled with a Chargers loss Sunday night confers yet another AFC West crown to the Chiefs. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, at Texans, vs. Seahawks, vs. Broncos, at Raiders
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3. Baltimore Ravens (8-4), AFC North leaders: They’re technically atop the division, by virtue of a tiebreaker, but QB Lamar Jackson’s knee injury renders that a very precarious perch. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, at Browns, vs. Falcons, vs. Steelers, at Bengals
4. Tennessee Titans (7-5), AFC South leaders: Ugly loss at Philadelphia … but they’ve got some cushion in the conference’s worst division. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, at Chargers, vs. Texans, vs. Cowboys, at Jaguars
5. Cincinnati Bengals (8-4), wild card No. 1: A third straight defeat of K.C. confirms them as a legit threat for back-to-back AFC titles. And Jackson’s injury further opens the door to bypass Baltimore, which beat Cincy in Week 5, atop the AFC North. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, at Buccaneers, at Patriots, vs. Bills, vs. Ravens
6. Miami Dolphins (8-4), wild card No. 2: A costly loss at San Francisco knocked them from first place in the AFC East all the way to sixth in the conference. And that Week 4 loss at Cincinnati, when QB Tua Tagovailoa was regrettably knocked out, keeps Miami behind the Bengals. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, at Bills, vs. Packers, at Patriots, vs. Jets
7. New York Jets (7-5), wild card No. 3: Heartbreaking loss at Minnesota, but their closest pursuers failed to make up ground. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Lions, vs. Jaguars, at Seahawks, at Dolphins
8. New England Patriots (6-6), out of playoff field: A season sweep of the Jets would be key if they can catch New York. A superior record in AFC games keeps them ahead of the Bolts at present. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, at Raiders, vs. Bengals, vs. Dolphins, at Bills
9. Los Angeles Chargers (6-6), out of playoff field: After suffering a lethal Week 18 loss in Las Vegas last season, the Bolts defeat in Sin City on Sunday may merely be crippling. Remaining schedule: vs. Dolphins, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Rams, at Broncos
10. Cleveland Browns (5-7), out of playoff field: QB Deshaun Watson may be back, but Sunday’s performance, at Houston no less, suggests that could be a near-term drawback for a team that probably can’t afford another defeat. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Ravens, vs. Saints, at Commanders, at Steelers
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7), out of playoff field: Postseason still looks like a long shot but winning three of four makes it more likely they’ll ward off coach Mike Tomlin’s first losing season. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Panthers, vs. Raiders, at Ravens, vs. Browns
12. Las Vegas Raiders (5-8), out of playoff field: Stunning loss to Rams on Thursday night pretty much puts their late-season postseason drive to bed. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, at Steelers, vs. 49ers, at Chiefs
NFC
1. Philadelphia Eagles (11-1), NFC East leaders: Beat the Giants on Sunday, and their playoff dance card is punched. Philly’s Week 2 rout of Minnesota effectively gives the Eagles a two-game edge in the race for the NFC’s top seed. Remaining schedule: at Giants, at Bears, at Cowboys, vs. Saints, vs. Giants
2. Minnesota Vikings (10-2), NFC North leaders: The Vikes can clinch division by beating Detroit and remain a viable threat for home-field advantage. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Colts, vs. Giants, at Packers, at Bears
3. San Francisco 49ers (8-4), NFC West leaders: The first-place Niners’ 4-0 division record is a major asset. Will it be enough to survive the foot injury to QB Jimmy Garoppolo? Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Seahawks, vs. Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Cardinals
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6), NFC South leaders: Tom Brady’s Monday magic act against New Orleans allowed Bucs to open 1½-game lead in division. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Bengals, at Cardinals, vs. Panthers, at Falcons
5. Dallas Cowboys (9-3), wild card No. 1: Doesn’t hurt getting a late-season serving of the lowly AFC South, including Sunday night’s dissection of Indianapolis. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, at Jaguars, vs. Eagles, at Titans, at Commanders
6. New York Giants (7-4-1), wild card No. 2: They could have done worse than tie, but that doesn’t change the fact Big Blue has one win in its last five outings. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, at Commanders, at Vikings, vs. Colts, at Eagles
7. Seattle Seahawks (7-5), wild card No. 3: Squeaking past the depleted Rams, in conjunction with Washington’s tie, puts them back in the final playoff post … and with only one more regular-season trip out of Seattle. Remaining schedule: vs. Panthers, vs. 49ers, at Chiefs, vs. Jets, vs. Rams
8. Washington Commanders (7-5-1), out of playoff field: Despite Sunday’s tie, they’ve still won six of eight. Still, that draw allowed Seattle to creep ahead on percentage points in the chase for the final wild card. Remaining schedule: Bye, vs. Giants, at 49ers, vs. Browns, vs. Cowboys
9. Detroit Lions (5-7), out of playoff field: No margin for error remains for a long shot run at NFC North throne, but they remain in second place in division with a shot at their first playoff visit in six years. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Jets, at Panthers, vs. Bears, at Packers
10. Green Bay Packers (5-8), out of playoff field: They’re now the league’s all-time winningest franchise after notching victory No. 787 at Chicago, but it’s going to take some doing to craft a fourth consecutive postseason trip. Remaining schedule: Bye, vs. Rams, at Dolphins, vs. Vikings, vs. Lions
11. Atlanta Falcons (5-8), out of playoff field: Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh gave the Bucs breathing room in a tight NFC North. An inferior record in common games keeps the Falcons back of the Pack. Remaining schedule: Bye, at Saints, at Ravens, vs. Cardinals, vs. Buccaneers
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