NFL Playoff Picture 2014: Week 12 Standings, Super Bowl Odds and Wild Card Hunt
The 2014 NFL regular season is flying by, and many football fans have already started turning their attention to the Week 12 standings and how the playoff picture is shaking out with just a few weeks left on the schedule.
With elite teams like the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles all taking tough losses on Sunday, the postseason landscape has once again changed. There continues to be turnover at the top of the standings each week.
Here are the Week 12 standings, the full wild-card breakdown and the latest Super Bowl odds.
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AFC Playoff Breakdown
| New England Patriots | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Buffalo Bills | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| New York Jets | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Cleveland Browns | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Houston Texans | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Tennessee Titans | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Oakland Raiders | 0 | 10 | 0 |
Several serious postseason contenders took shocking losses on Sunday, and there were other teams on the brink of contention that put in dominant performances. The turnover in the AFC playoff hunt this week made for a very exciting day of football.
The biggest winner of the day was the New England Patriots. After destroying the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football, New England has entered the conversation as the No. 1 team in the AFC. Denver is in the same conversation, but a heartbreaking loss to the St. Louis Rams could shake the team’s confidence. How the Broncos bounce back in Week 12 will be imperative to their success for the remainder of the year.
The AFC North continues to be one of the most intense battles in football. While the Cincinnati Bengals are currently the division leaders, the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns are all 6-4 this season and fighting for a postseason berth. The Bengals may have the edge right now due to a tie earlier this season, but this is a battle that will likely come down to the last week of the regular season.
In the AFC South, most fans expected the Indianapolis Colts to run away with it, but a loss on Sunday and a victory from the Ryan Mallett-led Houston Texans has the division up for grabs. The Colts have more talent than Houston and should be able to capture the division crown, but the Texans will not go down without a fight.
As for the wild-card chase, the top team right now is the Kansas City Chiefs. After stunning the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, the Chiefs have a firm grip on a postseason berth, but the second wild-card spot is a free-for-all.
The Miami Dolphins currently hold the spot due to tiebreakers over the other four teams who also hold 6-4 records (the San Diego Chargers and the majority of the AFC North), but with just a few weeks left in the season, the turnover in the wild-card chase will make for an interesting run to the postseason for several talented teams.
NFC Playoff Breakdown
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| New York Giants | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Washington Redskins | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Green Bay Packers | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Chicago Bears | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Carolina Panthers | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| St. Louis Rams | 4 | 6 | 0 |
The cream of the NFC crop has been the Arizona Cardinals. Despite losing starting quarterback Carson Palmer to a season-ending knee injury, the team still managed to come out on Sunday and perform at an elite level. Replacement QB Drew Stanton played well in his first start after Palmer’s injury, and a victory over the Detroit Lions proved the team is still one of the best in the league.
The Lions sit in second place in the NFC standings despite the loss, making Arizona’s win even more impressive, but Detroit still deserves credit as one of the best all-around teams in the league. If the Lions can develop a reliable running game, it will be tough to stop them.
Another top team that took a loss Sunday was Philadelphia. With the Dallas Cowboys on bye this week, the two franchises are now both 7-3. The Cowboys currently hold the second wild-card spot, but the battle between Dallas and Philadelphia for the NFC East crown will be one of the most entertaining all year. Thank goodness the two teams play each other on Thanksgiving.
Without question, the worst division in football right now is the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons are currently the No. 4 team in the NFC playoff standings with a 4-6 record. New Orleans also holds the same record, and the two teams will be battling for the division lead for the remainder of the year. Regardless of which franchise from the division makes the postseason, a first-round loss is almost guaranteed.
Dallas and the Green Bay Packers currently hold the two wild-card spots, but the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers sit just one game back and will be contenders before the season is through.
There are seven playoff-caliber teams in the NFC right now (the team that wins the NFC South won't be a legitimate threat). With only six spots available, the final stretch toward the postseason should make the remaining schedule even more intense than the games that preceded it.
It’s going to be a fun time across the NFL.
Super Bowl Odds Breakdown
| Denver Broncos | 13-4 |
| New England Patriots | 6-1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 15-2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 9-1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 10-1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 12-1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 12-1 |
| Detroit Lions | 16-1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 16-1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 18-1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 22-1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 25-1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 40-1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 40-1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 50-1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 50-1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 50-1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 50-1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 150-1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 150-1 |
| Houston Texans | 200-1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 250-1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 250-1 |
| Chicago Bears | 300-1 |
| New York Giants | 500-1 |
| Washington Redskins | 500-1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 1000-1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 1000-1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2000-1 |
| New York Jets | 2000-1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 3000-1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 5000-1 |
The Super Bowl odds haven’t shifted greatly this week, but where bettors lay down their money should be much different after another wild week in the NFL. While wagers on Seattle and Denver looked like safe bets earlier this season, a smarter move this week would be putting your money on New England at 6-1 odds or Arizona at 12-1 odds.
The Patriots are red hot right now. Add in Tom Brady’s history against Peyton Manning, and New England returning to the Super Bowl isn’t a far-fetched concept. As for the Cardinals, the loss of a starting quarterback didn’t hurt the team the way many expected. At 12-1 odds, Arizona would yield a big return if the team goes on to win it all.
If you are looking for a wager that has even bigger odds, the wisest bet would be on Kansas City. At 25-1 odds, the Chiefs are a force in the AFC and viable championship contenders. With an elite rushing attack and a stellar defense, Kansas City has the potential to shock the NFL and make a deep run in the playoffs.
One division to stay far away from is the AFC North. All of the teams are hovering around 40-1 or 50-1 odds, but none has separated itself from the pack. There is always a chance that an experienced team like Baltimore hits its stride at the right time, but there is no guarantee the Ravens even make the playoffs right now.
Another division to stay away from is the NFC South. New Orleans is getting plenty of play at 22-1 odds, but another loss proves the Saints are not Super Bowl material. With the division-leading Falcons having 150-1 odds, stay away from this trap bet.
Overall, it’s hard to place a wager on the Super Bowl this early in the regular season without incredible odds. If I had to place one bet this week, it would be on the Chiefs at 25-1 odds.
*Stats via NFL.com.
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