NFL Standings 2014: Potential Playoff Teams Most in Need of Week 14 Wins

With so many teams tightly packed in the NFL standings, the margin for error is extremely small for those with playoff aspirations.

In some years, a small handful of teams distance themselves from the pack, thus creating some breathing room in the postseason races. That can extend to the wild-card teams, who might own a two- or three-game lead over the next-best team.

That isn't the case in 2014, with one game separating the top-seeded Arizona Cardinals from the sixth seed in the NFC and two games keeping the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins apart in the AFC.

Only four weeks remain in the regular season, which adds to the desperation for those teams still playing for a playoff spot.

Below you'll see the division standings heading into this weekend's action, followed by four teams that can least afford to lose if they still want to make it through to the postseason.

East
North
South
West
Team	W	L	T
New England Patriots	9	3	0
Miami Dolphins	7	5	0
Buffalo Bills	7	5	0
New York Jets	2	10	0
Cincinnati Bengals	8	3	1
Baltimore Ravens	7	5	0
Pittsburgh Steelers	7	5	0
Cleveland Browns	7	5	0
Indianapolis Colts	8	4	0
Houston Texans	6	6	0
Tennessee Titans	2	10	0
Jacksonville Jaguars	2	10	0
Denver Broncos	9	3	0
San Diego Chargers	8	4	0
Kansas City Chiefs	7	5	0
Oakland Raiders	1	11	0

East
North
South
West
Team	W	L	T
Philadelphia Eagles	9	3	0
Dallas Cowboys	9	4	0
New York Giants	3	9	0
Washington Redskins	3	9	0
Green Bay Packers	9	3	0
Detroit Lions	8	4	0
Minnesota Vikings	5	7	0
Chicago Bears	5	8	0
Atlanta Falcons	5	7	0
New Orleans Saints	5	7	0
Carolina Panthers	3	8	1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2	10	0
Arizona Cardinals	9	3	0
Seattle Seahawks	8	4	0
San Francisco 49ers	7	5	0
St. Louis Rams	5	7	0

Kansas City Chiefs

Just like that, the Kansas City Chiefs went from possibly challenging the Denver Broncos in the AFC West to third in the division and holding onto the final wild card in the AFC.

Over the last two weeks, Kansas City's given up more yards on the ground (393) than it's gained through the air (327). That's generally not a blueprint for success. A lot of the earlier fears about this team are coming to the fore.

During his press conference earlier in the week, head coach Andy Reid refused to be baited into sounding the alarm. He denied that Sunday's game carries any added significance that would be uncharacteristic for any other December matchup.

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

"It's hard to measure them right? You know that," Reid said, per the Chiefs' official site. "Every game in this league and now you're into December they become more magnified so you've got to make sure you take care of business, and you’ve got yourself ready to play."

The Chiefs meet the Arizona Cardinals, who are also on a two-game losing streak. Neither team can really afford to lose at this stage, with Kansas City in more danger. A defeat would almost certainly mean falling out of the wild-card race, and winning the division would almost be out of the question completely.

San Francisco 49ers

Just when the San Francisco 49ers began building momentum and started looking like a playoff contender again, they were awful at home to the Seattle Seahawks on Thanksgiving. The Niners are now third in the NFC West, and a date with the Seahawks looms again in Week 15.

San Francisco simply can't afford to lose on Sunday, especially when you consider its opponent is the Oakland Raiders. That would be a new low during an already frustrating campaign.

The 49ers are playing for more than the playoffs. It's no secret that head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke have butted heads in the past. But ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that making the postseason could secure Harbaugh a long-term deal with the team:

"

If the 49ers can pull off a 4-0 finish to the regular season and make a run in the postseason that some in the organization are still convinced is possible, Harbaugh could land a contract extension, sources said.

He will have one year remaining on his existing deal but has already rebuffed extension offers.

"

The alternative would possibly be trading Harbaugh to another team, which is seldom seen in the NFL. He could also take the Michigan job, which was a hot topic of debate even before the Wolverines fired Brady Hoke.

Even with a win over the Raiders, the 49ers still have a long way to go to get into the postseason. In their final three games, they go on the road to Seattle and then play the San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals at home.

That's a rough end to the regular season, one that would only get rougher with an embarrassing defeat to Oakland.

Buffalo Bills/Miami Dolphins

Marc Serota/Getty Images

The Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins are in the same boat to a certain extent. Both teams are stuck at 7-5, with the New England Patriots looking far and away the class of the AFC East. Neither team can afford to lose any ground in Week 14.

As things stand now, the Dolphins own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Bills by virtue of a better division record.

Looking at the schedules ahead, you understand why winning on Sunday is so imperative.

The Dolphins play Baltimore at home and New England next week on the road. On paper, that's a Patriots win. Losing two games in a row would eliminate Miami from the division race and put the Dolphins on shaky footing for one of the two AFC wild-card spots.

The Bills don't have it any easier, either. They travel to Denver this week and then welcome in the red-hot Green Bay Packers in Week 15. In the final week of the regular season, Buffalo heads to Foxborough, Massachusetts, to play New England.