While Christmas is a time of contemplation and idleness for many, the really hot phase of the season is only just beginning for the professionals of the National Football League. Quite a few will think twice about the double serving of dessert on Christmas Day, as they have to be fit these days for an emphatic push towards the playoffs. Half the league is shaking and still hoping for their place in the postseason, a scenario in which it is not always easy to keep track of things!
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The fans of the NFL are eagerly awaiting the next three weeks, as this is where many teams decide what has become of this season. Ardent playoff hopes have to deal with all sorts of adversities, as the wheat from the chaff is separating in many places and many teams have to do with the wear and tear of a long season as well as the increasingly chaotic Covid 19 situation in the league. With all the unpredictable, one thing is very clear: There is definitely tension under the Christmas tree and early in the New Year, because the race for the playoff spots sometimes seems closer than it has been for a long time.
Almost the entire AFC still wants to go to the NFL playoffs
In the AFC, only one team can think of itself relatively safe in the postseason and they are the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) around superstar Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid’s men shouldn’t sit back too much either, because their remaining program with Pittsburgh and guest appearances in Cincinnati and Denver is anything but easy. The situation of the Conference Primus shows how close things will be in the AFC this year.
Second place (New England with 9-5) and tenth place (Pittsburgh with 7-6-1) in the playoff picture are separated by just one defeat and landslide-like movements can be expected here almost every week. Several direct duels are still pending, few of which are more important than the AFC East Battle next weekend between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills. The latter seem to be slowly regaining their shape, just in time, one might think.
AFC North promises historical drama
The finish in the AFC North should also be extremely dramatic. The bitterly hostile teams are all there with six or seven defeats and are still looking collectively for some solutions to certain ongoing problems (e.g. Pittsburgh’s offensive, Cincinnati’s Constance, Baltimore’s health, Cleveland’s offensive). As the gods of the game plan wanted, all teams play two more times against a direct division competitor and so the helmet straps should ideally be tightened a little over the next few weeks.
Even potential dark horses for the postseason like the Chargers with all-world youngster Justin Herbert or the Indianapolis Jonathan Taylors (of course, they also have a defense) left far too many feathers over the season to feel safe in any way. Overall, the conference is currently lacking a really dominant team, but this could change very quickly if one of the many balanced teams such as Tennessee, New England or Buffalo runs hot.
Green Bay clearly claims the role of favorites in the NFC
In terms of depth, the NFC can’t really keep up with its sister conference, but there are definitely more established top teams at the top. In addition to the so far most convincing Green Bay Packers (11-3), many experts believe defending champions Tampa Bay, the Dallas Cowboys, the Arizona Cardinals or the Los Angeles Rams will have a big hit. Behind the top teams, the San Francisco 49ers have fought their way back in an impressive way, but remaining away games in Tennessee and at the Rams could show the euphoria limits.
The Packers at the top don’t care about such arithmetic games, their remaining program is definitely feasible (two home games against the Browns and Vikings and a trip to Detroit) and offers them the best chance to secure home rights through the entire playoffs. The mystical Lambeau Field could perhaps tip the scales later, especially for a team that was perhaps the most consistent of all the favorites throughout the season. The pressure doesn’t decrease, especially when Aaron Rodgers hits another NFC Championship Game.
Troubled teams in the lower NFL playoff window with puncher’s chance
It is of course the same for the teams in the back of the field, you could sleep well yesterday. It could well be that after the last three NFL game days a team with a negative season balance will move into the postseason again, like the Washington Football Team last year. Whether Ron Rivera’s men, the Philadelphia Eagles or the New Orleans Saints (7-7, extremely feasible remaining program with Miami, Carolina and Atlanta), there will probably be a team in the NFC that for one reason or another is in the Postseason limps. As the Saints’ recent shutout against Tampa Bay shows, that doesn’t mean these guys will be cannon fodder per se.
A very special factor could play the Covid-19 situation in the league in the coming days. With a number of decimated squads, upcoming games will not only be much more difficult to predict, but no team can really feel safe in the face of a number of uncertainties. This increases the explosiveness of the individual games even more, which is already an extremely important character in the NFL. But that’s how it should be around Christmas …
Finally, an overview of the remaining programs of all NFL playoff candidates:
AFC
Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) vs Steelers, @ Bengals, @ Broncos
New England Patriots (9-5) vs Bills, vs Jaguars, @ Dolphins
Tennessee Titans (9-5) vs 49ers, vs Dolphins, @ Texans
Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) vs Ravens, vs Chiefs, @ Browns
Indianapolis Colts (8-6) @ Cardinals, vs Raiders, @ Jaguars
Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) @ Texans, vs Broncos, @ Raiders
Buffalo Bills (8-6) @ Patriots, vs Falcons, vs Jets
Baltimore Ravens (8-6) @ Bengals, vs Rams, vs Steelers
Cleveland Browns (7-7) @ Packers, @ Steelers, vs Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1) @ Chiefs, vs Browns, @ Ravens
Miami Dolphins (7-7) @ Saints, @ Titans, vs Patriots
Denver Broncos (7-7) @ Raiders, @ Chargers, vs Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders (7-7) vs Broncos, @ Colts, vs Chargers
NFC
Green Bay Packers (11-3) vs Browns, vs Vikings, @ Lions
Dallas Cowboys (10-4) vs Football Team, vs Cardinals, @ Eagles
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4) @ Panthers, @ Jets, vs Panthers
Arizona Cardinals (10-4) vs Colts, @ Cowboys, vs Seahawks
Los Angeles Rams (10-4) @ Vikings, @ Ravens, vs 49ers
San Francisco 49ers (8-6) @ Titans, vs Texans, @ Rams
New Orleans Saints (7-7) vs Dolphins, vs Panthers, @ Falcons
Washington Football Team (6-8) @ Cowboys, vs Eagles, @ Giants
Minnesota Vikings (7-7) vs Rams, @ Packers, vs Bears
Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) vs Giants, @ Football Team, vs Cowboys
Atlanta Falcons (6-8) vs Lions, @ Bills, vs Saints – .
