If the playoffs ended today, here is how the bracket would be constructed:
Illustration: Yahoo Sports.
Chew on that image while this article talks about some of the teams you can’t see in this bracket.
On the outside looking in
In the NFC, the teams on the outside looking in are the 49ers, the Panthers, and the Vikings. What is curious about the 9ers is that while they are OUT of the playoffs as of now, they have a higher % -77% – to make the playoffs than the Bears, who are IN the playoffs – 44%. Directly below San Fran are the Carolina Panthers, who have a record of 5-5 (.500). The Panthers’ chances of making the playoffs are very low, at 14%. If Carolina is to win their week 11 matchup against the Falcons, their odds will rise to almost 25%, which, while still unlikely, is doable. However, if Carolina loses, they can all but kiss their chances goodbye, as their chances would drop to 7% with a loss to Atlanta. The last “bubble” team that can claim to have a realistic shot at making the playoffs is the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings sit at 4-5 and have a 16% chance of making the playoffs according to Next Gen Stats. The Vikings sit in the middle of the pack in terms of the most brutal remaining schedule, which is neither here nor there. It is essential to note that they play the Bears once, and the Packers twice – the Bears and Packers are 2 and 1.5 games ahead of the Vikings, respectively.
In the AFC, the bubble teams are the Kansas City Chiefs (5-4), the Houston Texans (4-5), and the Baltimore Ravens (4-5). Not many would have put money on the Kansas City Chiefs being out of the playoffs as of week 11; even fewer would have bet they’d be outside the playoffs at any point in the season. However, don’t worry, Chiefs fans; they have a current playoff probability of 71%, which means they are more likely to make the postseason than miss it. KC has a massive game in week 11 against the 8-2 Broncos; a win would ease talk and speculation, while a loss would set off alarm bells. The Texans are up against it; their QB is questionable with a concussion and has no timetable for his return. The Ravens have clawed their way back into playoff contention. At one point, Baltimore was 1-5 and looked like it was finished; they now sit at 4-5, with a very favorable week 11 matchup against the 2-8 Cleveland Browns.
In the picture
Now that you’ve had some time to digest, let’s briefly cover the postseason as currently calculated. Surprisingly, the Seattle Seahawks hold the #1 seed in the NFC, while the Indianapolis Colts have the top spot in the AFC. In the wildcard round, there are divisional rivalries between the Lions and Packers in the NFC and the Bills and Patriots in the AFC East. The current bubble teams are the Bears and Jaguars; the Bears have shown the potential to be a wild-card team, while the Jaguars have shown they can beat any team. That being said, neither instill the masses with a heightened level of confidence, especially with perennial contenders the Chiefs and 49ers breathing down their necks.
