Playoffs? Already the playoffs?
It’s early, but the playoff picture is at hand with four more weeks to go in the regular season, including with a divide emerging between the contenders and those who practically would have to run the table to have a shot to make the playoffs.
AFC
Tonight, the Broncos down 10-7 in the second quarter at home are in a de facto playoff game for the most part.
If the Broncos can’t beat the Browns at home to move them along in the playoff picture, well, is there much hope?
If the Broncos win to be 8-5, they are in the driver’s seat for the playoffs.
The Broncos also have a vested interest to pass the Chargers in their division, now at 8-4, for a higher seed and a weaker playoff opponent, even though practically speaking, the Broncos will be playing on the road no matter what if they do make the playoffs.
But if the Broncos lose tonight and will be 7-6, well guess what? There still is hope for the 7th seed because it gets worse after them in the AFC with the Colts and then the Dolphins for that 7th seed.
NFC
Here we can see the heated battles for the NFC West and the NFC South divisions, full of parity, for the third and fourth seeds and the important home playoff games in the first round.
For those two divisions, it’s practically winner-take-all and second play staying home.
Otherwise, the five other teams in the top seven are in the driver’s seat now.