We’re down to the final four weeks of the NFL season, and they’ll have vastly different meanings for each team. For some, they’ll be a chance to tune up for the playoffs; for others, they’re speed bumps on the way to the golf course.
Given that, we decided to look at the best-case scenario for every team for the remainder of this season, no matter how bleak that may be (looking at you, Jets).
This week, our expert panel includes editors Geoff Lowe and Craig Battle, and staff writer Emily Sadler.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2020 record: 11-1
Last week: 2
Best-case scenario: Building a dynasty
With Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes signed long term, a potential Super Bowl repeat could just be the beginning. While it's unlikely we see an NFL dynasty the likes of the Patriots again, this Chiefs core is set up for the long haul. (CB)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
2020 record: 11-1
Last week: 1
Best-case scenario: Regroup after that lone loss and steal the No. 1 seed back from Kansas City
As shocking as it was to see the Steelers' undefeated streak end at the hands of Washington (!?), the lessons that come with losing may have struck at the right time as Pittsburgh's offence was starting to stall and in need of a tune-up.
"At different points along the journey, you get a chance to learn about yourself -- who you are, what y you're made of, individually and collectively,” head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday. “And it takes the journey to reveal that. We're faced with a loss now, so we'll get an opportunity to smile in the face of it.” (ES)
3. New Orleans Saints
2020 record: 10-2
Last week: 3
Best-case scenario: A healthy Brees rides off into the sunset with his second Lombardi Trophy
Taysom Hill's heroics got them into the playoffs and have the Saints sitting in the NFC's top spot. But a pair of tough showdowns against the Chiefs and Vikings in back-to-back weeks will go a long way in determining which Brees we'll see this post-season upon his return. (ES)
4. Buffalo Bills
2020 record: 9-3
Last week: 4
Best-case scenario: The Steelers and Chiefs falter down the stretch
Josh Allen and the Bills have emerged from a bit of a mid-season lull as a team that is one Hail Murray away from riding a six-game winning streak into Sunday night’s huge clash with the 11-1 Steelers at Orchard Park. In a perfect world, not only do the Bills hand Pittsburgh their second loss of the season, but the Chiefs also drop some games the rest of the way and Buffalo finds themselves top of the AFC pack when the final whistle blows on Week 17. (GL)
5. Green Bay Packers
2020 record: 9-3
Last week: 5
Best-case scenario: New Orleans stumbles, Green Bay seizes top seed
It'll be tough to catch the top-seeded Saints, but the strength of schedule is on Rodgers' side. Winnable matchups against the Lions, Panthers, Titans and Bears could see Green Bay land atop the conference and earn themselves a bye. (ES)
6. Los Angeles Rams
2020 record: 8-4
Last week: 10
Best-case scenario: A Super Bowl berth
Flying under the radar for the most of the season, the Rams are now leading the NFC West by a tie break over the suddenly exceedingly vulnerable Seahawks. And whereas many were skeptical of this team as all their early wins were against NFC East teams, in the last four weeks L.A. has beaten Tampa, Seattle and Arizona. (CB)
7. Indianapolis Colts
2020 record: 8-4
Last week: 8
Best-case scenario: Rivers can stay healthy enough to claim the division
Philip Rivers has reportedly been playing through a pretty painful foot injury, which will likely require surgery once his season is through. All tied up with Tennessee atop the AFC South, the path to keeping that top spot won't be easy — dates with the Raiders, a hungry Texans team, and the Steelers will put Rivers to the test. (ES)
8. Cleveland Browns
2020 record: 9-3
Last week: 11
Best-case scenario: Playoffs!
This is not a drill. If the Baker Mayfield we saw Sunday against the Titans can continue to show up down the stretch, the Browns are in the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. (ES)
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020 record: 7-5
Last week: 9
Best-case scenario: Brady corrects his interception trend down the stretch
Brady puts an end to a troubling interception trend, which also puts an end to Tampa's losing skid that has seen them defeated in three out of the past four games. All three of those losses saw Brady throw at least two picks. (ES)
10. Seattle Seahawks
2020 record: 8-4
Last week: 6
Best-case scenario: A bounceback from Russell Wilson
Just 3-4 over their last seven, including a loss to the Giants this past weekend, the Seahawks will need to pull a 180 over the season’s final quarter if they want to claim the division. But if Russell Wilson can return to early-season form — he has just six touchdown passes to five interceptions over his last five games — this team can still make a run. It just doesn't seem as likely a result now as it did a month ago. (CB)
11. Tennessee Titans
2020 record: 8-4
Last week: 7
Best-case scenario: A pair of rebound wins all but clinches the division title
Matchups against the Jaguars and Lions should give Tennessee ample time to get back on track following their loss to Cleveland on Sunday. (ES)
12. Miami Dolphins
2020 record: 8-4
Last week: 12
Best-case scenario: Tua proves he’s the guy over the final month
Of course, the Dolphins would love to keep pace with the Bills over the last four games, overtaking them on the final day of the season to clinch the AFC East title. But the confidence that the team’s future at quarterback is secure in Tagovailoa’s hands is arguably much more important, and it’s fair to say Miami doesn’t have that confidence in No. 1 just yet. (GL)
13. Arizona Cardinals
2020 record: 6-6
Last week: 13
Best-case scenario: They manage to stop the bleeding
On Oct. 25, the Cards beat the Seahawks on a last-second field goal to move to 5-2 and put a death grip on "for real" status. Since then, they are 1-4, and now sit just outside the playoff picture. They're floundering on both sides of the ball, sitting in eighth in the conference, and heading to New York this weekend just as the Giants are figuring things out. (CB)
14. Baltimore Ravens
2020 record: 7-5
Last week: 15
Best-case scenario: A fully healthy club emerges from quarantine and gives Lamar Jackson a shot at playoff redemption
Three straight losses, followed by a COVID outbreak that left the roster in shambles has also done a number on Baltimore's playoff odds. (ES)
15. New England Patriots
2020 record: 6-6
Last week: 17
Best-case scenario: Belichick coaches them to four more wins
With four wins in their last five games, capped by a thorough 45-0 beatdown of the Chargers on the road this past weekend, the Patriots are back in the playoff conversation. But a jam-packed AFC wild-card picture means New England needs to win out and get some help to clinch a 12th-straight post-season berth.
If anyone can coach an unremarkable team to the playoffs against remarkable odds, it’s the GOAT. Don’t count these Patriots out just yet. (GL)
16. Minnesota Vikings
2020 record: 6-6
Last week: 16
Best-case scenario: Dalvin keeps Cookin'
If the Vikings are to complete their season turnaround and sneak into the playoffs, the NFL's leader in rushing touchdowns will need to continue to be a driving force. (ES)
17. Las Vegas Raiders
2020 record: 7-5
Last week: 18
Best-case scenario: The Dolphins fall apart
Yes, it was a gutsy, ice-in-the-veins finish on Sunday, but no team should need one against the winless Jets. If the currently eighth-seeded and largely uninspiring Raiders are going to make the playoffs, they'll need help in the form one of the teams ahead of them faltering, and who better than the Dolphins, who they face in Week 16? (CB)
18. San Francisco 49ers
2020 record: 5-7
Last week: 14
Best-case scenario: A healthy holiday
After the injuries this team faced this season, just making things interesting is a win. But after Monday's loss to the Bills, the ’9ers have just an 11.9 per cent shot at the playoffs. They’ve more than comported themselves well, though, and have earned a chance to kick their feet up this holiday season. (CB)
19. New York Giants
2020 record: 5-7
Last week: 25
Best-case scenario: The defence continues to play lights out
Big Blue has ridden a four-game winning streak to the top of the NFC East, and it’s been on the back of its defence that the team has risen. The Giants, or whoever eventually wins the division, are far from contenders, but sleeping on New York’s defence would be a mistake: defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s unit hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in its last four games – all wins.
If the Giants can keep this up on that side of the ball, they’ll win their first division title since 2011. (GL)
20. Washington Football Team
2020 record: 5-7
Last week: 26
Best-case scenario: The Giants lose
In their top-five defence, the Football Team has the best unit in the NFC East. And with slam-dunk Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith breathing some life into the offence, Washington should have a clear path to the division title. The only problem? They lost both division games to the Giants earlier this season, and so New York holds the tie-break should the two teams finish the season with the same record.
The Giants losing more games than the Football Team down the stretch would fix that problem. (GL)
21. Carolina Panthers
2020 record: 4-8
Last week: 21
Best-case scenario: Christian McCaffrey comes back strong to help the Panthers control the No. 1 seed ... sort of
It's tough seeing such talented stars watch the game from the sideline, making McCaffrey's late-season return a great story despite the Panthers' place in the standings. Just in time to play spoiler, too — the Panthers play Green Bay and New Orleans down the stretch, and could therefore ultimately determine who grabs the NFC's top spot.
Also, while he can't carry Carolina into the playoffs at this point, he could take some hopeful fantasy GMs to their league championships.... (ES)
22. Houston Texans
2020 record: 4-8
Last week: 19
Best-case scenario: A lost season could soon yield answers
With playoff hopes all but snuffed, the thing that's most needed in Houston right now is answers. Where, exactly, is this team headed? (ES)
23. Atlanta Falcons
2020 record: 4-8
Last week: 20
Best-case scenario: Spoiler alert!
The Falcons face Tampa Bay twice with the Chiefs between them, making them an interesting team to watch in the spoiler department. (ES)
24. Denver Broncos
2020 record: 4-8
Last week: 24
Best-case scenario: A strong finish for Drew Lock
Much of the optimism for this team heading into the season was based on Drew Lock's emergence down the stretch last season. But the team needs to see more of that Drew Lock than the one that has played much of this season. If they don't, the hunt for a franchise QB will begin again. (CB)
25. Detroit Lions
2020 record: 5-7
Last week: 29
Best-case scenario: A coaching search brings hope… again
After pulling the plug on this current leadership, the Lions are once again in need of direction. With playoff hopes buried but plenty of promising pieces on the roster, Detroit now has plenty of time to establish itself as a desirable destination for the game's next great winning GM-coach duo if they play this one right. (ES)
26. Chicago Bears
2020 record: 5-7
Last week: 22
Best-case scenario: Putting an end to this QB saga ... by starting fresh in next year's draft.
Unfortunately, their six-game skid has taught us a lot more about this Bears team than their 5-1 start did. This offence needs an overhaul. (ES)
27. Los Angeles Chargers
2020 record: 3-9
Last week: 23
Best-case scenario: Less embarrassing losses
Sunday’s beatdown at the hands of the Patriots was the nadir on a season with mixed blessings. Losses are fine — the higher the draft pick, the better — but no one wants to experience too many losses like Sunday’s. Get out of this season with heads held high and a rookie of the year QB, though, and the future is bright. (CB)
28. Philadelphia Eagles
2020 record: 3-8-1
Last week: 27
Best-case scenario: It’s complicated…
After the slowest, most painful band-aid pull in history, Carson Wentz was benched for Jalen Hurts on Sunday, and it’s at quarterback where the Eagles now have their biggest question mark. The best-case scenario is a complicated one, especially if Hurts performs well, and will really depend on who you ask.
From a team standpoint, it would be Wentz — who the team has invested serious money in over the next four seasons — emerging from this enforced break to resemble the player the team thought it was paying for, whether that emergence comes later this season or next season.
Another decent scenario would be realizing Hurts is the answer under centre, but that doesn’t solve the Wentz-money issue.
Like we said, it’s complicated. (GL)
29. Dallas Cowboys
2020 record: 3-9
Last week: 28
Best-case scenario: The coaching staff proves it can take the next step when Dak returns
Assuming the Cowboys do the right thing and make Dak Prescott one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks this off-season, the best-case scenario would be that Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff begin to show they have what it takes to help a team with one of the league’s best quarterbacks get to where it belongs.
McCarthy and company have four games to do that. Colour us skeptical. (GL)
30. Cincinnati Bengals
2020 record: 2-9-1
Last week: 30
Best-case scenario: Strong draft position brings O-line reinforcement
With Joe Burrow now beginning his long road to recovery, the Bengals' biggest priority isn't on winning games this season but rather on preparing for the next one by bringing in some serious help on the offensive line. (ES)
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
2020 record: 1-11
Last week: 31
Best-case scenario: A second-place finish (in the draft)
With some tough opponents coming up (Titans, Ravens, Colts), it's likely we'll see the Jaguars finish 2-14 at best. But that No. 1 draft pick feels as good as gone, considering the winless Jets' opponents: Seahawks, Rams, Browns, Patriots. (ES)
32. New York Jets
2020 record: 0-12
Last week: 32
Best-case scenario: They become the NFL’s third-ever 0-16 team
The Jets flirted with disaster this past weekend, nearly winning a game and almost veering off the track to the No. 1 pick this coming spring. If not for the heroics of Gregg Williams, whose final sacrifice for his team also cost him his job, New York may have endured one of the more painful seasons we’ve ever seen for naught. In a best-case scenario, no 2020 Jets game comes down to the final five seconds again. (GL)
