NFL Playoff Scenarios 2015-16: AFC and NFC Bracket Picture Entering Week 15

Heading into Week 15, the NFL playoff picture has transformed from a series of abstract possibilities to complicated calculus.

With three weeks to spare, the Carolina Panthers have already secured a first-round bye, while the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots wrapped up playoff bids. This weekend, as many as five teams can officially join them. ESPN.com offered blueprints for each to clinch a postseason spot.

If the season ended today, the Pittsburgh Steelers would delight AFC competitors by watching from home as the 6-7 Indianapolis Colts play instead. Before NFC fans laugh at the conference's division-induced absurdity, the 6-7 Washington Redskins currently have a home playoff bout lined up against the 8-5 Seattle Seahawks.

Much can change in three weeks. Remember when the Atlanta Falcons held a wild-card ticket?

Let's look at what's at stake during Week 15's slate.

AFC Playoff Picture

Seed	Team	Record	WK 15 OPP
1	New England Patriots	11-2	vs. TEN
2	Cincinnati Bengals	10-3	@ SF
3	Denver Broncos	10-3	@ PIT
4	Indianapolis Colts	6-7	vs. HOU
5	Kansas City Chiefs	8-5	@ BAL
6	New York Jets	8-5	@ DAL (Sat.)
In the Hunt	Team	Record	WK 15 OPP
	Pittsburgh Steelers	8-5	vs. DEN
	Oakland Raiders	6-7	vs. GB
	Buffalo Bills	6-7	@ WAS
	Houston Texans	6-7	@ IND
	Jacksonville Jaguars	5-8	vs. ATL

AFC's playoff contenders have suffered significant injuries to key offensive players throughout the year. The Steelers lost Le'Veon Bell for the season, and the Kansas City Chiefs are rolling despite missing Jamaal Charles. Few Patriots skill players are fully healthy, forcing Tom Brady to pick up the slack.

And don't forget all the quarterback ailments. ESPN's Adam Schefter detailed the conference's state of emergency under center:

The aforementioned matchup between Charlie Whitehurst and T.J. Yates could come this weekend when the Colts play the 6-7 Houston Texans for first place in the AFC South. According to the Indianapolis Star's Zak Keefer, Andrew Luck, who has been out since Nov. 8, will not play:

In all fairness, Indianapolis might have its No. 2 quarterback instead of the third-string Whitehurst. Matt Hasselbeck left Sunday's 51-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars early, but head coach Chuck Pagano is keeping his fingers crossed for the sore 40-year-old's being ready by Sunday.

“Yeah, I’m hopeful,” Pagano said earlier this week, via ESPN.com's Mike Wells. “He’s banged up, like a lot of the guys. He’s a warrior. He came back in that game after taking a few good licks. Matt is a tough guy and great competitor. I fully anticipate him being available for us.”

Either way, the Colts have other issues on their plate. They have allowed 96 points over their last two games, erasing the frequently cited "undefeated with Hasselbeck starting" stat. Not even a healthy, peak Luck can do anything to offset such a defensive catastrophe.

Is their poor defense a grand opportunity for Yates, or is Yates the perfect opponent for a Colts rebound? According to Houston's official Twitter page, the team officially ruled out starter Brian Hoyer due to a concussion:

Don't rule out the Jacksonville Jaguars' winning the division. Seriously. Football Outsiders bumped up their playoff odds to 8.6 percent after they pummeled the Colts, and they'll face a Falcons franchise looking to avoid a seventh straight loss.

Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals are reeling, despite each holstering 10 wins and competing for a first-round bye. After losing quarterback Andy Dalton, the Bengals get the San Francisco 49ers at the best possible time. The Broncos, however, head into Pittsburgh averaging 17.8 points through five games with Brock Osweiler under center.

NFC Playoff Picture

Seed	Team	Record	WK 15 OPP
In the Hunt	Team	Record	WK 15 OPP
1	Carolina Panthers	13-0	@ NYG
2	Arizona Cardinals	11-2	@ PHI
3	Green Bay Packers	9-4	@ OAK
4	Washington Redskins	6-7	vs. BUF
5	Seattle Seahawks	8-5	vs. CLE
6	Minnesota Vikings	8-5	vs. CHI
	Atlanta Falcons	6-7	@ JAX
	Philadelphia Eagles	6-7	vs. ARI
	New York Giants	6-7	vs. CAR
	St. Louis Rams	6-8	vs. TB (31-23 W)
	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6-8	@ STL (31-23 L)
	Chicago Bears	5-8	@ MIN
	New Orleans Saints	5-8	vs. DET (Mon.)
	Dallas Cowboys	4-9	vs. NYJ (Sat.)

The NFC will likely keep the drama to a minimum. Aside from a dreadful but wide-open NFC East, the only mystery revolves around whether the Green Bay Packers or Minnesota Vikings will seize the NFC North. Considering the loser will likely settle for a wild-card bid—and No. 5 seed, if lucky—the stakes aren't astronomical.

Don't be shocked if the NFC East eliminates the possibility of a nine-win team claiming the division after this Sunday. All currently 6-7, the New York Giants face the undefeated Panthers, while the Eagles take on the 11-2 Arizona Cardinals. This gives Washington a golden opportunity to snatch sole possession for first, but a home tilt against the Buffalo Bills resembles a coin-flip game.

Football Outsiders gives Philadelphia—who faces Washington and New York after Arizona—the highest probability of winning the anemic grouping:

Team	Remaining Opponents	Odds to Win
Philadelphia Eagles	ARI, WAS, @ NYG	44.9 %
Washington Redskins	BUF, @ PHI, @ DAL	31.1 %
New York Giants	CAR, MIN, PHI	23.5 %
Dallas Cowboys	NYJ, @ BUF, WAS	0.5 %

With the winner poised to be served to Seattle on a silver platter, it's hard to muster up the strength to care. 

Despite starting the season 2-3, the Seahawks can clinch a wild-card bid this weekend with a win and some help. New York, Washington and Atlanta may not cooperate like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did on Thursday night, but the Seahawks will handle their business against the Cleveland Browns.

Before declaring "They're back," did they ever actually go anywhere? Do close losses to the Packers, Cardinals, Bengals and Panthers count as a crisis? They're certainly fine now, ranked No. 2 in Football Outsiders' team efficiency and No. 5 in point differential following a dominant four-game winning streak.

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

They have scored 141 points over the past four games while allowing 56. Russell Wilson has made a late surge into the MVP discussion, procuring 16 passing touchdowns, a 75.4 completion percentage and no turnovers during that stretch.

Everyone has taken notice of Wilson's seismic impact. Everyone except Browns head coach Mike Pettine, who wouldn't anoint him a top-tier quarterback to Pat McManamon.

"Would you put him there with the guys that can transcend their supporting cast? The Bradys, whether it's Aaron Rodgers, [Drew] Brees, [Ben] Roethlisberger, the ones that you would consider the two, three, four elite guys? No. But he's certainly played himself into that next tier," Pettine said on Wednesday.

He's definitely playing well enough to beat the Browns and avenge Week 1's loss to the St. Louis Rams. Ten or 11 victories will put them in good shape to secure the No. 5 seed, which currently looks as good as a first-round bye.