Play.
Is the Chiefs on alert against the Steelers?
Louis Riddick still thinks the Chiefs will win. (1:45)
The time is 11:35 PM.
We now have two. The Cowboys are the second team to qualify for the playoffs in 2021. We are aware that the Cowboys were not on the field in Nashville. The 49ers' loss to theTitans secured the Cowboys' spot, based on playoff scenarios confirmed Thursday morning by the league. If the Colts lose to the Cards on Sunday, then the Titans will win the division title.
We've put together a preview of our weekly snapshot of the NFL's playoff picture, which includes a bit of our own instincts and the Football Power Index (FPI) to give you a sense of the stakes. We'll update how it all worked out on Saturday, Sunday and Monday after threading scenarios for a few teams.
A team that has secured a first-round bye is indicated by the letters X and Y.
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A group of people.
1. The Kansas City Chiefs are doing well.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
The chances of the FPI winning the division are 98%.
The Chiefs have won seven games in a row and are getting better results than any other team in the league. They can win the division with a win over the Steelers and a loss by the Texans, and they don't have to worry about losing the head-to-head tie-breaker. They have a good chance of getting the first-round bye. The Chiefs can make the playoffs with a win this week.
Remaining schedule is at Broncos and at the Steelers.
2. The TennesseeTitans (10-5) are doing well.
There is a good chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
There is a chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Chargers.
Before Thursday night's comeback victory over the 49ers, the Titans had lost three of their past four games. The win knocked them up one spot in the division, but they will be overtaken by the Pats on Sunday. If the Colts lose to the Cards on Sunday, the Colts will be able to win the division. If the Colts win, the Titans will be in the playoffs with losses by the Dolphins, Bills, Broncos, Broncos, and Ravens.
Remaining schedule is at Texans and Dolphins.
Play.
Ryan Tannehill threw a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown in the fourth quarter.
3. The New England team is 9-5.
98% of the time, the FPI makes the playoffs.
The chances of the FPI winning the division are 45%.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Bills.
The loss to the Colts in Week 15 dropped the Pats from the top of the conference. The winner of the Bills and Pats game will take control of the division. It won't be a true title game because neither team can win it on their own. If the Dolphins lose to the Saints on Monday, the Pats will be able to seal the deal. To get into the playoffs, the Pats would need to win and get losses from the Raiders, Bolts, Colts, Ravens, Ravens, Colts and Bolts.
Remaining schedule is at Dolphins.
4. The Cincinnati team is 8-6).
There is a chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
42% of the time, the FPI has a chance to win division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Colts.
The Cincinnati team snapped their two-game losing streak and moved to the top of the division. The teams will meet on Sunday, despite the fact that they have a temporary head-to-head tie. Both teams will be trying to win the division title with a win. The permanent head-to-head tie-breaker would make the win/loss column look two games better if the Bengals win. If they win their remaining games, they'll win the North.
Remaining schedule is against the Ravens and the Chiefs.
5. The Indianapolis Colts are 8-6.
There is an 83% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
9% of the time, the FPI has a chance to win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is at the Bengals.
The Colts are still in the race. At this point, the Colts are not out of the running for a division title, but they are still a longshot. They should be riding high. They have a good chance of making the playoffs, and have the top wild-card spot.
Remaining schedule is at Raiders and atJaguars.
6. The Los Angeles Chargers are 8-6)
There are a lot of chances for the FPI to make the playoffs.
There is a chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the New England patriots.
The Bolts are in a good position to make the playoffs. It would be their second trip to the playoffs in the past eight years. They had a chance to overtake the Chiefs in the AFC West last week, but it will require help from a team that has closed out playoff positions in the past few years.
Remaining schedule is at Texans, Broncos and Raiders.
7. The Buffalo Bills are 8-6.
The chances of the FPI making the playoffs are 84%.
45% of the time, the FPI has a chance to win the division.
The current projected first-round match-up is at theTitans.
The Bills and Ravens have a common-games tie. The Bills have a chance to make the playoffs, and they have a chance to take over the lead in the division with a win at the Pats. If you had told the Bills a few weeks ago that they would have a chance to regain the lead in late December, they would have considered themselves fortunate. If they win their remaining games, they'll win the division.
Remaining schedule: at Falcons, Jets.
In the hunt for the football team.
The Baltimore Ravens are 8-6.
John Harbaugh has decided to go for a game-winning 2-point play twice in the past three weeks rather than take his chances in overtime because the Ravens are so decimated by injuries. They are on a three-game losing streak and have lost both games. The Ravens will have a chance to turn it around at the Cincinnati, but they only have a 45% chance of making the playoffs, and their division title odds are just 35%.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-13-1.
The level of difficulty is going to go up. The game at the Chiefs is not the kind of game they want while trying to stay in the race. The Pittsburgh FPI is giving them a chance to make it to the playoffs.
The Las Vegas Raiders are 7-7
The Raiders now have a 10% chance of making the playoffs. If you watched the Raiders struggle to overcome a team of backups last week, you probably don't have a lot of faith in their chances, given upcoming games against the Broncos, Colts and Bolts.
The Miami Dolphins are 7-7
The Dolphins got into this conversation. After a seven-game losing streak, they have won six in a row and have a chance to win on Monday at the Saints. The chances of them making the playoffs are still minuscule, but they exist.
The Cleveland Browns are 7-7
The tight race in the AFC North will allow the ClevelandBrowns to climb back into the race. The Cleveland Indians have a 16% chance of making the playoffs.
The Broncos are 7-7
The Broncos have a 9% chance of making the playoffs. They have a winnable game this week at the Raiders, but with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater likely out with a concussion, their playoff outlook is bleak.
The NFC is a part of the game.
1. The Green Bay Packers are 11-3).
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
The chances to win the division are still alive.
The Packers' Week 15 win in Baltimore gave them the first playoff spot in the league, and they also sewed up the North. They're 19-3 at Lambeau Field in three seasons under coach Matt LaFleur, and they're 6-0 at Lambeau Field this season. Their last two games are at home. They have a good chance of getting the No. 1 seed.
Remaining schedule: Vikings, at Lions.
Here's how the playoffs looks at the moment and what might happen in the future.
The picture and scenarios of the playoffs.
The interactive NFL Playoff Machine was created by ESPN.
The Football Power Index is a measure of standings.
2. The Dallas Cowboys are 10-4.
The chances to make the playoffs were slim.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will win the division.
The projected first-round opponent is the Vikings.
The 49ers lost to the Cowboys on Thursday night. Dallas has bigger goals in mind. The Cowboys have won three in a row. They have moved ahead of the other teams thanks to a better conference record, and they are still the favorites to win the division. They can win the division on Sunday night with a victory over Washington. Even if the Eagles lose to the Giants or the Cowboys lose to the Eagles, they can still win the division.
Remaining schedule is against Washington and the Eagles.
3. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are doing well.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the 49ers.
For the time being, the Cowboys have overtaken the Buccaneers in the race for the division title, but they can win it on Sunday. How will they be affected by the injuries suffered by Leonard Fournette and Mike Evans? Even without wining, the Buccaneers can still make the playoffs. If the Vikings and Eagles lose, or the Vikings lose and the Cowboys lose, or the Cowboys lose and the Eagles lose, they will do so.
Remaining schedule: at Jets and the Carolinas.
4. The ArizonaCardinals (10-4) are doing well.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
There is a chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Rams.
The team is going in the wrong direction. They've plummeted as far as they could, but they're still in the lead. Assuming they can get themselves back on track, the damage isn't as bad as it could be. They can get into the playoffs with a win or a loss by the Eagles or Saints. There are no scenarios for the West to win in Week 16.
Remaining schedule: Colts, Cowboys, and Seahawks.
5. The Los Angeles Rams are doing well.
There is a 99% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
There is a chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is at the Cards.
The Rams are in a tie for the lead in the division, but they are behind the Cards because of Arizona's better winning percentage. The Rams have a low chance of winning the division. There are several scenarios for the playoffs this weekend. If they beat the Vikings, they'll get a spot. The Rams can still make the playoffs if they lose in Minnesota. The Rams are keeping the heat on the Cards.
Remaining schedule: Vikings, Ravens, and 49ers.
6. The 49ers are 8-7
There is an 83% chance that the FPI will make the playoffs.
There is a 1% chance that the FPI will win the division.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Buccaneers.
The 49ers remained in the race despite their loss. If the Vikings and Saints win on Sunday, the 49ers will move down to the 7th spot, but they won't get knocked out of the top seven. The Niners are fortunate to have the Texans on their schedule. They probably don't deserve to be in the playoffs if they can't beat the Texans at home in Week 17.
Remaining schedule is at Rams.
Play.
Jimmy Garoppolo found Brandon Aiyuk in the back of the end zone to tie the game.
7. The Minnesota Vikings are 7-7
30% of the time, the FPI makes the playoffs.
The chances of the FPI winning the division have been eliminated.
The current projected first-round opponent is the Cowboys.
The Vikings have a better conference record than the Saints. They have a 30% chance of making the playoffs despite being eliminated from the division race.
Remaining schedule: Packers, Bears.
In the hunt for the nearest store.
The Philadelphia Eagles are 7-7
The Eagles kept their foot in the playoffs, and now have a 34% chance of making it. They head into a game against the Giants.
The New Orleans Saints are 7-7
The Saints secured a huge victory in Week 15 that will help them in a lot of different ways, but they don't have another game scheduled against a team that currently has a winning record. The Dolphins are up next, with the New Orleans' odds at 45%.
The Washington Football Team is 1-8.
Washington faces a quick-turn game against the Cowboys, which will affect its playoff chances.
