Teams in Legitimate Playoff Contention After week 11

There are only two more teams with a bye week (assuming no COVID postponements) on the schedule for the remainder of the season, so almost every team has just six games remaining to make their final pushes for the playoffs.  While only the Jets have been officially mathematically eliminated from postseason play, there are only a handful of teams that still have a real shot in each conference.  I'm going to give you my predictions on who I think will make the postseason from the AFC and NFC based on their current standings and remaining schedules.  Some teams have easier paths than others and tie breakers will likely be in place, so my following projections encompass both of those factors in order to provide the most accurate playoff picture you'll find anywhere.

x - clinched division
y - clinched wild card

AFC

1.  Pittsburgh Steelers (10-0) - x

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Ravens, vs. Washington, at Bills, at Bengals, vs. Colts, at Browns
• Predicted Final Record: 15-1
• Predicted Final Ranking: 1st

2.  Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) - x

• Remaining Schedule: at Buccaneers, vs. Broncos, at Dolphins, at Saints, vs. Falcons, vs. Chargers
• Predicted Final Record: 14-2
• Predicted Final Ranking: 2nd

3.  Buffalo Bills (7-3) - x

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Chargers, at 49ers, vs. Steelers, at Broncos, at Patriots, vs. Dolphins
• Predicted Final Record: 12-4
• Predicted Final Ranking: 3rd

4.  Indianapolis Colts (7-3) - x

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Titans, at Texans, at Raiders, vs. Texans, at Steelers, vs. Jaguars
• Predicted Final Record: 11-5
• Predicted Final Ranking: 4th

5.  Tennessee Titans (7-3) - y

• Remaining Schedule: at Colts, vs. Browns, at Jaguars, vs. Lions, at Packers, at Texans
• Predicted Final Record: 11-5
• Predicted Final Ranking: 5th

6.  Cleveland Browns (7-3)

• Remaining Schedule: at Jaguars, at Titans, vs. Ravens, at Giants, at Jets, vs. Steelers
• Predicted Final Record: 10-6
• Predicted Final Ranking: 8th

7.  Las Vegas Raiders (6-4) - y

• Remaining Schedule: at Falcons, at Jets, vs. Colts, vs. Chargers, vs. Dolphins, at Broncos
• Predicted Final Record: 11-5
• Predicted Final Ranking: 6th

8.  Baltimore Ravens (6-4) - y

• Remaining Schedule: at Steelers, vs. Cowboys, at Browns, vs. Jaguars, vs. Giants, at Bengals
• Predicted Final Record: 11-5
• Predicted Final Ranking: 7th

9.  Miami Dolphins (6-4)

• Remaining Schedule: at Jets, vs. Bengals, vs. Chiefs, vs. Patriots, at Raiders, at Bills
• Predicted Final Record: 9-7
• Predicted Final Ranking: 9th

The Broncos and Patriots, both sitting at 4-6, each have an outside chance of still reaching the playoffs, but I don't think either will be able to make up the three game deficit that they will need to make it into the postseason.  To summarize, here are my predicted playoff teams with their respective seeding and final records for the AFC:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (15-1)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)
3. Buffalo Bills (12-4)
4. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
5. Tennessee Titans (11-5)
6. Las Vegas Raiders (11-5)
7. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

NFC

The NFC teams are listed by their current playoff standings.  For example, while the Eagles have a terrible 3-6-1 record, they're slotted at #4 on the list because if the season ended today, that's where they would finish in terms of the playoffs since they would have won their division.

1.  New Orleans Saints (8-2) - x

• Remaining Schedule: at Broncos, at Falcons, at Eagles, vs. Chiefs, vs. Vikings, at Panthers
• Predicted Final Record: 14-2
• Predicted Final Ranking: 1st

2.  Los Angeles Rams (7-3) - y

• Remaining Schedule: vs. 49ers, at Cardinals, vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Seahawks, vs. Cardinals
• Predicted Final Record: 12-4
• Predicted Final Ranking: 5th

3.  Green Bay Packers (7-3) - x

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Bears, vs. Eagles, at Lions, vs. Panthers, vs. Titans, at Bears
• Predicted Final Record: 12-4
• Predicted Final Ranking: 3rd

4.  Philadelphia Eagles (3-6-1)

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Seahawks, at Packers, vs. Saints, at Cardinals, at Cowboys, vs. Washington
• Predicted Final Record: 4-11-1
• Predicted Final Ranking: 13th

5.  Seattle Seahawks (7-3) - y

• Remaining Schedule: at Eagles, vs. Giants, vs. Jets, at Washington, vs. Rams, at 49ers
• Predicted Final Record: 12-4
• Predicted Final Ranking: 6th

6.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4) - y

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Chiefs, vs. Vikings, at Falcons, at Lions, vs. Falcons
• Predicted Final Record: 11-5
• Predicted Final Ranking: 7th

7.  Arizona Cardinals (6-4) - x

• Remaining Schedule: at Patriots, vs. Rams, at Giants, vs. Eagles, vs. 49ers, at Rams
• Predicted Final Record: 13-3
• Predicted Final Ranking: 2nd

8.  Chicago Bears (5-5)

• Remaining Schedule: at Packers, vs. Lions, vs. Texans, at Vikings, at Jaguars, vs. Packers
• Predicted Final Record: 8-8
• Predicted Final Ranking: 9th

9.  Minnesota Vikings (4-6)

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Panthers, vs. Jaguars, at Buccaneers, vs. Bears, at Saints, at Lions
• Predicted Final Record: 8-8
• Predicted Final Ranking: 8th

10.  New York Giants (3-7)

• Remaining Schedule: at Bengals, at Seahawks, vs. Cardinals, vs. Browns, at Ravens, vs. Cowboys
• Predicted Final Record: 4-12
• Predicted Final Ranking: 14th

11.  Washington Football Team (3-7)

• Remaining Schedule: at Cowboys, at Steelers, at 49ers, vs. Seahawks, vs. Panthers, at Eagles
• Predicted Final Record: 4-12
• Predicted Final Ranking: 15th

12.  Dallas Cowboys (3-7) - x

• Remaining Schedule: vs. Washington, at Ravens, at Bengals, vs. 49ers, vs. Eagles, at Giants
• Predicted Final Record: 5-11
• Predicted Final Ranking: 4th

It was weird to put a 3-6-1 and three 3-7 teams on this list, but all those NFC East teams technically have good chances of winning the division and clinching the playoffs.  The Lions, 49ers, and Panthers all have four wins currently but due to injuries and remaining schedules, none of them will have a shot at the postseason.  To summarize, here are my predicted playoff teams with their respective seeding and final records for the NFC:

1. New Orleans Saints (14-2)
2. ​Arizona Cardinals (13-3)
   
3. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
   
4. Dallas Cowboys (5-11)
   
5. Los Angeles Rams (12-4)
   
6. Seattle Seahawks (12-4)
   
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)
   

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Written by Nick Swatson