Even though it seems distant, the NFL Playoffs are still realistic for several teams; only seven so far this year have been officially eliminated and only four have clinched a spot. For the other 21 teams, however, anything is within reach.
Ever since Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have gotten hot, no one has been able to stop them. Looking for their third straight Super Bowl, the Chiefs couldn’t be closer with no one except the Bills having beaten them this year. Even though the Chiefs keep winning, they aren’t doing it in ways they would like. Of the Chiefs 12 wins, they have only won by an average of 5.41 points. Key injuries to Rashee Rice and Isaiah Pacheco haven’t helped, but the Chiefs keep finding ways to win. If anyone could over-take the Chiefs in the American Football Conference (AFC), it would have to be the one team that beat them, the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills are only two games behind the Chiefs and as of now, stand at 10-3. The offense and defense have both been above average for Buffalo, but what has stood out for them is the turnover differential. So far this year the Bills have had a +17 turnover differential, putting them tied for first in the NFL.
The Bills shouldn’t be the only team on the Chiefs’ radar; the Steelers, Texans, and Chargers are all young teams that are looking to make noise and try to surprise people. Point differential has been key for the Steelers who have put up a +17 turnover ratio. Meanwhile, the Texans and Chargers are both looking to use their young quarterbacks to try and bolster their team to make the playoffs. Both teams sit at 8-5 and have good chances to sneak in. The Broncos also have an 8-5 record in a packed AFC conference and are also trying to find their way.
This year, another surprising young team has rose their way up in the standings. The Detroit Lions have roared their way to a 12-1 record and have the best point differential in the NFL, outscoring their opponents 417-234 this year. Even though key injuries to Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeil have hurt, the Lion’s defense still ranks tenth in the league. The offense has also come alive this year with Jared Goff stepping up and throwing 25 touchdowns which puts him fifth in the NFL. Jahmyr Gibbs has also exploded like a firecracker going for 1,016 yards this year (fourth in the NFL). David Montgomery also gets his fair share, putting up 771 yards this year (sixteenth in the NFL) and has gotten 180 carries, just two more than Gibb’s 178. Amon Ra- St. Brown has always been reliable as well with St. Brown putting up 863 yards this year ranking him eleventh in the NFL.
The Lions currently have the best odds at making the Super Bowl and also have a 79% chance of earning the number one seed in the National Football Conference ( NFC ).
Even though the Lions have the lead in the NFC, the Vikings and Eagles are right behind their backs with both teams holding 11-2 records.
For Minnesota, the swing has always swung their way. Back in 2021, the Vikings held the all-time NFL record for playing the most one-score games at 14, but that year they finished 6-8 in them. But the next year in 2022, the Vikings had a historic 11-0 record in one-score games. The Vikings have played 38 one-score games in the NFL since 2021 which leads the league. This year the Viking’s luck continues with the team going 7-1 so far in one-score games. But it’s not just luck, The Viking’s offense ranks ninth in the NFL averaging 26.1 points per game thanks to wide receiver Justin Jefferson who has put up 1,170 yards this year which is good for second in the league. The defense though has not been able to generate above average numbers and could end up hurting the Vikings in the playoffs.
The Eagles meanwhile are also a threat in the NFC and have only given up 284.2 yards per game which ranks them first in the NFL. Running back Saquon Barkley has been Philadelphia’s go-to guy putting up 1,623 yards this year on the ground which is by far the most in the NFL. Thanks to Barkley, the Eagles have the best rushing offense in the NFL this year averaging 190.5 yards per game on the ground.
Trailing the Eagles by only a few games, the Packers find themselves at a weird spot being 9-4 but having little chance for a home playoff game.
The Commanders and Seahawks are both trying to keep up their historic seasons at 8-5. The Commanders haven’t won 10 games since 2012 when they lost the Wild Card Game. But the Seahawks this year are trying to surprisingly overtake the 49ers and win the division. The Rams are fighting for a playoff spot at 7-6 currently having a 36% of getting in.
Meanwhile the 49ers who made the Super Bowl last year have had some bad luck. Thanks to injuries that have hurt the team a lot, they find themselves going from a Super Bowl contender to a team that now only has a 4% chance of making the playoffs.
The Cowboys aren’t in much of a better spot though, for being a historic franchise the team has only won four playoff games since 1999, and sitting at a 5-8 record probably won’t even get them to the playoffs this year.
The race closest to watch in the NFC is between the Buccaneers and Falcons. The Buccaneers (Bucs) have a 68% chance of winning the division while the Falcons sit at 32%. Whoever ends up winning the division will get to host a home playoff game which could give either team a slight advantage.
Heading into another exciting end to the NFL season, only time can tell what teams can truly beat the odds and have a chance to compete for the Super Bowl. No matter what happens though, it will be exciting until the very end.
