Week 12 in the NFL is officially in the books, which means there are six weeks (for some, only five games) left to get into the playoffs. And after a few key outcomes in Week 12, we now have a much clearer picture of who’s going to get in and who will be left out. Here’s where things stand as of now.
Week 12 Playoff Picture in the NFL
Perhaps the most crucial matchup to each team’s playoff hopes last week was Monday Night Football between the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers. With a win, the Panthers would’ve taken sole possession of first place in the NFC South. The 49ers dominated, though, and the Panthers slipped further from any realistic shot. They remain a half-game back, but they don’t look legitimate. The 49ers gave themselves a real boost in the tight NFC West.
The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams won in Week 12 as well, making this the most fascinating division race to watch. 1.5 games separate all three teams, and they could all make the playoffs. The Rams lead now, but there are several head-to-head games left that will make things wild in this division.
As mentioned, the NFC South is a two-man race, and while the Buccaneers are struggling, they’re still easily the favorites. Despite a Dallas Cowboys upset win over the Philadelphia Eagles, they’re still very much in the driver’s seat at 8-3 in the NFC East.
The NFC North is a three-team race, much like the NFC West. Right now, the surprisingly 8-3 Chicago Bears lead by a tiny margin. The 7-3-1 Green Bay Packers stayed afloat with a big win over the Minnesota Vikings. The Detroit Lions staged an impressive comeback to move to 7-4 and stay within a game of Chicago atop the division.
The New England Patriots won in less than convincing fashion, but a win is a win. It moved them to 10-2, the best record in the NFL, and gave them a 2.5-game lead over the Buffalo Bills. The Bills were upset by the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football, and with every passing week, a division title in New England looks more and more likely. Neither the New York Jets nor the Miami Dolphins is a factor at this point.
After a shocking 1-5 start, the Baltimore Ravens now lead the AFC North. This is also a two-man race, but the surging Ravens were victorious on Sunday, allowing them to tie the Pittsburgh Steelers. These two teams have two games against one another, but this is beginning to feel like Baltimore’s division to lose, which is shocking given how hot Pittsburgh started and how poorly Baltimore was playing.
The Indianapolis Colts suffered a crushing overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and that game provided a light for other AFC South teams. The Texans’ win moved them to 6-5, just two games back now. A Jacksonville Jaguars win puts them a game behind the Colts, so this race has all of a sudden gotten much more interesting.
Speaking of the Chiefs, that was a must-win game. The Denver Broncos, who were on a bye week as well as the Los Angeles Chargers, still maintain a tight grip on the AFC West. The Chargers trail by two games, but the Chiefs are likely playing for their wild-card lives the rest of the way.
In the wild card, though, the Chiefs are still not in the playoffs. The Chargers, Jaguars, and Bills currently hold the three AFC spots. The Chiefs, Texans, and Steelers are all out by a single game, and the Chiefs will need to outplay some of those teams thanks to tiebreakers.
In the NFC, the wild cards are the Seahawks, Packers, and 49ers after their big win. Still in the hunt are the Lions, Panthers, and Dallas Cowboys, though it certainly feels as if the only legit “in the hunt” team is the Lions.
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