As the NFL regular season enters its final stretch, teams are making their push for the playoffs. With only a few weeks left to play, we’re taking a look at the projected playoff picture for both the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC).
In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs are sitting pretty atop the standings, with a 12-2 record and a comfortable lead over the rest of the conference. Barring a catastrophic collapse, the Chiefs will earn the number one seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Behind the Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills are looking strong with a 10-4 record, followed closely by the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Chargers, both of whom are 9-5. The Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets are also in the mix, with 8-6 records.
In the NFC, the Detroit Lions are the surprise team of the season, sitting atop the conference with an 11-3 record. Like the Chiefs, the Lions are all but assured of earning a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Behind the Lions, the Philadelphia Eagles are looking strong with a 10-4 record, followed by the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings, both of whom are 9-5. The Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers are also in the mix, with 8-6 records.
Here’s a look at the projected playoff bracket for both conferences:
AFC:
(1) Kansas City Chiefs (bye)
(2) Buffalo Bills (bye)
(3) Cincinnati Bengals vs. (6) New York Jets
(4) Los Angeles Chargers vs. (5) Baltimore Ravens
AFC Championship: (1) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (2) Buffalo Bills
NFC:
(1) Detroit Lions (bye)
(2) Philadelphia Eagles (bye)
(3) San Francisco 49ers vs. (6) Green Bay Packers
(4) Minnesota Vikings vs. (5) Dallas Cowboys
NFC Championship: (1) Detroit Lions vs. (2) Philadelphia Eagles
Of course, there’s still plenty of football left to be played, and the standings could change significantly over the next few weeks. But as it stands, these are the teams that are looking strong and poised to make a deep run in the playoffs.
