Now it’s getting interesting.
Sure, the 2015 NFL season hasn’t lacked for drama since the first kickoff way back at the beginning of September, but Week 9 gave football fans their first taste of games with real playoff implications.
Maybe the league’s biggest surprise this season, the 8-0 Panthers took it to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, giving Carolina the upper hand in the battle for the NFC’s top seed.
Elsewhere, the injury-riddled Steelers survived a shootout with the Raiders in a game that could have wild-card implications come January. And finally, Week 9’s Sunday schedule ended with a bang as the Eagles outlasted the Cowboys in overtime to keep their NFC East aspirations afloat, while essentially ending Dallas’s season.
Things are only going to get better from here, so with the post-season coming into view, the latest edition of the NFL Power Rankings takes a look at each team’s chances at a playoff berth.
Note: All playoff percentages via Football Outsiders.