Monday, December 27, 2021

The playoff picture starts to take shape in the NFL

 After tonight's Miami-New Orleans game, there will be two weeks left in the NFL's regular season. Remember, it's a 17 game, 18 week schedule now, so the playoffs now start in the 3rd weekend in January. 


In the AFC, only one division title has been decided, and, of course, it was Kansas City, which beat Pittsburgh, 36-10 to wrap up its 6th straight division crown. Andy Reid's club wants to reach the Big Game for the 3rd consecutive year, and wouldn't mind facing anyone other than Tom Brady and Tampa Bay. In all, four games separate the four teams with two to play. Denver, Las Vegas, & the Los Angeles Chargers are all jockeying for 2nd place. The Chargers & Raiders are tied at 8-7, with Denver, at 7-8, having an outside chance, should they beat the Chargers next week.

Los Angeles:

Week 17: Home finale vs. Denver, Week 18 at Las Vegas.

Las Vegas:

Week 17: @ Indianapolis, Week 18 vs. Los Angeles.

Denver:

Week 17: @ Los Angeles, Week 18 vs. Kansas City.

Prediction: None of the three will advance. The Chargers are fading. Indianapolis is hot right now, and if the Raiders can't stop Jonathan Taylor, fuhgeddaboutit. Denver could get a charity win if the Chiefs wrap up the #1 seed and a bye. Only the top seed gets a bye this season in a new playoff format.

Final records:

Raiders: Most likely will finish tied with the Chargers at 9-8, and would claim 2nd on a tiebreaker.

Chargers: 3rd place at 9-8.

Broncos: Most likely will finish 8-9 if they get the charity win over KC. Otherwise 7-10.

In the AFC South, Tennessee holds a slim one game lead on the hard charging Colts, who have beaten New England & Arizona the last two Saturdays. The Titans will close the home schedule next week vs. Miami, and finish at Houston, which upset the Chargers on Sunday. The Colts, after hosting Las Vegas, finish with luckless Jacksonville.

Final records:

I see Tennessee going 1-1 in the final two weeks, but the Colts will sweep the final two games, and both teams will finish at 11-6. Tennessee will claim the division title based on sweeping the Colts in the regular season, and Indianapolis will claim a Wild Card berth.

Two games separate the four teams in the AFC North. Cincinnati holds a one game lead over Baltimore, which needs Lamar Jackson and/or Tyler Hundley back ASAP after getting blown out by the Bengals on Sunday. Cleveland has faded, and will play Pittsburgh & Baltimore the next two weeks. The Steelers will close with the Ravens. Cincinnati will play AFC West champ Kansas City next, then Cleveland. Baltimore will play the Rams, followed by Pittsburgh.

Final records:

The Bengals will clinch the division, as they & the Ravens will each go 1-1 the final two weeks. Cincinnati will finish 10-7, Baltimore 9-8.

In the East, Buffalo reclaimed 1st place via tiebreaker (better division record) in beating New England to gain a season split. Both are 9-6 heading into the final two weeks. Buffalo closes the season at home against Atlanta and the Jests. New England will get a breather next week, as they're next up for Jacksonville, and close with Miami. A Dolphins win tonight puts them within a game of the leaders heading into a Week 17 meeting at Tennessee.

Final records:

Buffalo will claim the division title for the 2nd straight season, finishing 11-6. New England will finish 10-7. Miami, including tonight's game, could go 2-1 and finish 9-8, stuck in 3rd place.

In contrast to the AFC, 3 NFC titles have been decided already, with two weeks left.

Dallas wrapped up the East by destroying the Washington Generics, 56-14, in a game that was over after the 1st quarter. The Cowboys can still play for the top seed in the conference and that all-important bye. They'll finish the home schedule against the fading Arizona Cardinals, then finish at Philadelphia.

Projected finish: 12-5. Philly always plays Dallas tough, and will cost them the #1 seed.

North champ Green Bay will finish the season with divisional play against Minnesota & the pathetic Detroit Lions. It's going to come down to Green Bay & Tampa Bay for the #1 seed, so the Packers will finish 14-3.

Defending champion Tampa Bay, after winning the Super Bowl as a Wild Card last season, clinched the South, and after routing Carolina on Sunday, will have a rematch with the Panthers in the home finale, but before that, they get the Jests at the Meadowlands, and Tom Brady has owned the Jests for years. Tampa will finish 13-4.

The only divisional race left in the conference is in the West. As noted, the Cardinals are choking away any chance of making the playoffs. They will be at Dallas next, then finish at home against Seattle, which can play spoiler. The Rams will play Baltimore next, then finish with San Francisco. Should Los Angeles run the table, they will edge out Tampa for the #2 seed by virtue of beating the Bucs in the regular season.

Of course, I could be wrong.



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