Play.
The 62-yard touchdown was scored by Cousins.
The Vikings extend their lead in the fourth quarter as Kirk Cousins throws a 62-yard touchdown to K.J. (0:39)
11:30 PM.
The word business had been running out of ways to say that the picture in the playoffs is chaotic. We started getting some clarity on Monday night. We got a little more on Thursday.
The game in Buffalo gave us an idea of where the AFC is going. We predicted that the New England Pats would win a road game against the Bills by running on all but three of their plays. The win gave the Pats the top spot in the conference and pushed the Bills back into the race for the two wild-card spots.
The Pittsburgh Steelers saw their playoff chances fall to nearly unrecoverable depths in a wild 36-38 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
There are still many questions for the AFC. There are still teams near the top who have a chance to fall out of the race, and there are still teams outside the top 7 who could still win their division.
According to the research, every team in a conference has at least four losses through Week 13 of the football season, which is the first time in 19 years.
The Baltimore Ravens dropped their fourth game of the season on Sunday, a 20-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that left them in a logjam with 8-4 teams atop the AFC before Monday night's game.
The first playoff elimination of 2021. The Houston Texans lost to the Indianapolis Colts 31-0. After upsetting the Vikings for their first win of the season, the Detroit Lions avoided a similar fate.
Let's take a look at the entire picture. We'll combine the Football Power Index with a little bit of human instinct to sketch out where the league is headed.
Go to:AFC
A group of people.
1. New England is 9-4
Monday night's victory was the seventh in a row for the Pats. The win put them in the driver's seat in the AFC East and gave them the best chance to win the title. The bye will allow the team to rest for the stretch run.
Next up: at Colts.
2. The TennesseeTitans are 8-4.
After sitting at home on their Week 13 bye, theTitans moved back into contention for everything they had been missing, including home-field advantage in the playoffs. They will focus on the final stretch that includes only one game against an opponent that currently has a winning record.
Next up: a game with the Jags.
3. The Baltimore Ravens are 8-5
It's time for nail-biting in Baltimore. Baltimore will play four teams with winning records and one with a.500 record in their final five games. The Ravens are in a good position to make the playoffs, but not the top seed. They are still considered the favorites in the AFC North by FPI.
Next stop: at Cleveland.
4. The Kansas City Chiefs are.
The Broncos and Raiders are two games behind the Chiefs in the AFC West. They are just a half-game behind the Pats in the race for home-field advantage in the playoffs, but they are still statistically even with the Ravens and theTitans. It's notable that they are still in the conversation six weeks after they were.
Next up: Raiders.
5. The Los Angeles Clippers (7-5).
One of the hardest teams to figure out in the league is the Bolts. They have lost to the Vikings and Broncos in the past month. They're in the race for the wild-card spot. Their Week 13 win in Cincinnati gave them a head-to-head advantage over another wild-card competitor and pushed their conference record to 5-3. They have two games left on their schedule, one against the Giants and the other against the Texans. Is 9-8 a good enough record to get into the playoffs?
Next up is the Giants.
6. The Cincinnati Bengals are 4-7.
There is no way to sugarcoat it. In the Week 13 loss to the Chargers, the Cincinnati Bengals missed a chance to win the game. The team has less than a 50% chance of making the playoffs.
The next game is against the 49ers.
7. The Buffalo Bills are 7-5)
The Bills missed a chance to win the division and challenge for home field advantage in the playoffs. They're fighting for a wild-card spot with a tough schedule that includes games against the Buccaneers and the Pats.
Next stop: at the Buccaneers.
In the hunt for the football team.
The Indianapolis Colts are 4-7.
The Colts are in good shape to make the playoffs despite facing a run of games against the Raiders, Raiders, and the Pats.
The Las Vegas Raiders are 3-6.
The Raiders lost to Washington in Week 13 and have since lost three of their past four games. Four of their five remaining opponents have a winning record.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 6-6
The Pittsburgh Steelers are down to a small chance of making the playoffs after their performance in Minnesota. Their remaining schedule is pretty brutal, with games against the Ravens, Ravens, and Chiefs. Their elimination from playoff contention is the only thing left.
The Cleveland Browns are 3-6.
In a weird twist, the Cleveland Browns will return to play the same opponent they faced in Week 13 after a bye.
The Denver Broncos are 6-6)
The Broncos could have taken over the lead in the division with a win. They fell back in the pack. The Lions are in Denver.
The Miami Dolphins have a losing record.
The Dolphins have won five games in a row heading into their bye and will have a favorable game against the Jets in Week 15. They'll play the Tennessee and New England teams in the last two games of the season.
The NFC is a part of the game.
1. The ArizonaCardinals are 10-2
After a bye week, the Cards were in better shape than they were before, and now they can make the playoffs with a win on Monday. The Packers and Buccaneers have easier schedules than the Cards, as they still have to face three teams with winning records. It has the best road record in the league, and both of its losses have come at home. State Farm Stadium is where three of the final five games of the season will be played.
Next up is the Rams.
2. The Green Bay Packers are 9-3.
The Packers sat back on their bye week in Week 13 and saw their advantage grow. It has been awhile since we thought about anyone other than Green Bay winning this division. The Packers have one game left against a team with a winning record. The question is whether they can overtake the Cards for the top seed.
Next up: Bears.
Here's how the playoffs looks at the moment and what might happen in the future.
Who is currently in the playoffs?
The Playoff Machine is a program on the ESPYS.
The Football Power Index is a measure of standings.
