Despite many other professional sports leagues cancelling games with the recent surge in COVID cases, the NFL continues to chug along with the rescheduling route instead.
This past week, the scheduling changes resulted in several teams dealing with depleted rosters, a Monday double-header plus an extremely rare Tuesday double-header.
Week 15 saw the Chiefs and Colts take down the Chargers and Patriots, respectively, in performances that should scare their fellow AFC teams. The NFC standings were shaken up when the last-place Lions embarrassed the first-place Cardinals and the Saints shut out Tom Brady and the now-banged-up Buccaneers.
Here’s where we stand with only three games remaining before the wild-card round.
TOP CONTENDER FOR TOP SEED
1. Green Bay Packers (11-3; Last week: 1)
First team in … last team standing? The way Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are playing, that could very well be the case. The NFC North champs – and first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff spot – are rolling despite key injuries on the offensive line and on defence, not to mention an ailing toe for Rodgers. Upcoming matchups against a COVID-depleted Cleveland squad, an inconsistent Vikings team and the two-win Detroit Lions give them a strong shot at securing the coveted top seed in the NFC. – Sadler
THE 10-4 CHALLENGERS
2. Kansas City Chiefs (10-4; Last week: 6)
3. Los Angeles Rams (10-4; Last week: 4)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4; Last week: 2)
5. Arizona Cardinals (10-4; Last week: 3)
6. Dallas Cowboys (10-4; Last week: 7)
The Bucs remain ranked in the top five, mostly out of respect to Brady and the fact they’re the defending champions, but there are massive question marks with Chris Godwin done for the year, Leonard Fournette’s immediate future murky and Mike Evans dealing with a hamstring injury. Brady will get Antonio Brown back, which softens the Godwin news. – Johnston
PLAYOFF OPTIMISM
7. Indianapolis Colts (8-6: Last week: 9)
8. New England Patriots (9-5; Last week: 5)
9. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6; Last week: 8)
10. Buffalo Bills (8-6; Last week: 11)
11. San Francisco 49ers (8-6; Last week: 13)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6; Last week: 14)
13. Baltimore Ravens (8-6; Last week: 15)
Every club in this tier can feel optimistic about their hopes of not just reaching the post-season, but doing some damage once there.
We’ve been high on the Colts down the stretch and are feeling pretty good about that statement win over New England Saturday night. They might not be able to catch the Tennessee Titans in the division race considering they twice lost to their AFC South foes, but pit them head-to-head and we’re taking Colts all day. Jonathan Taylor has nearly 500 yards on the next leading rusher and it still feels like he’s only just getting warmed up. Watch out. – Sadler
PLAYOFF PESSIMISM
14. Tennessee Titans (9-5; Last week: 10)
15. New Orleans Saints (7-7; Last week: 23)
16. Minnesota Vikings (7-7; Last week: 17)
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1; Last week: 18)
18. Miami Dolphins (7-7; Last week: 19)
19. Denver Broncos (7-7; Last week: 16)
20. Las Vegas Raiders (7-7; Last week: 25)
21. Cleveland Browns (7-7; Last week: 12)
22. Philadelphia Eagles (7-7; Last week: 18)
Inconsistency has been a common theme this season and there are no better examples of inconsistencies than the teams at or hovering around .500. The Titans are the black sheep of this group at 9-5. As we’ve pointed out in recent weeks, Tennessee’s record is simply misleading with their top playmakers injured. The lone Titans win since mid-November was against the Jags in Urban Meyer’s final game before he got the axe.
The Browns are the one team in this tier we could see potentially having success in the playoffs – they just need to qualify first then get their starters back in the lineup. – Johnston
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
23. Washington Football Team (6-8; Last week: 20)
24. Atlanta Falcons (6-8; Last week: 22)
25. Seattle Seahawks (5-9; Last week: 24)
26. Carolina Panthers (5-9; Last week: 26)
27. New York Giants (4-10; Last week: 27)
These underperforming teams are not yet mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but none will participate in post-season football. Washington and Seattle are the most disappointing here since their pre-season expectations were highest. Washington has been plagued by injuries, while Seattle’s season was derailed by Russell Wilson’s finger injury. In hindsight, it doesn’t make sense that the Seahawks were able to beat the Colts and sweep the 49ers this year, two teams with massive momentum heading into the playoffs. – Johnston
ELIMINATED
28. Chicago Bears (4-11; Last week: 28)
29. New York Jets (3-11; Last week: 29)
30. Houston Texans (3-11; Last week: 30)
31. Detroit Lions (2-11-1; Last week: 31)
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12; Last week: 32)
At this point, even playing spoiler doesn’t come without its drawbacks, considering any victories in 2021 garbage time could lessen the value of their draft picks. And these clubs all need all the help they can get. Unfortunately for Bears fans, your 2022 first-round pick belongs to the Giants. – Sadler
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