NFL Standings 2014: Updated Playoff Picture, Predictions for Top Week 15 Games

Somehow the final three-game stretch of the 2014 NFL season has already arrived, and exactly zero teams have clinched a playoff berth.

Convoluted pictures are still manifesting themselves in both the AFC and NFC. Since the AFC North has beaten up on the NFC South this year, both those divisions are tight, with the former cluster sporting healthy records at the expense of the latter.

ESPN West Palm's Ian Hest puts forth an interesting possibility in that context:

When Johnny Manziel's starting debut for a Cleveland Browns team with dim but present playoff hopes doesn't even crack the top three biggest games of the week, it's going to be a fun batch of action.

Here is a look at the postseason picture for both conferences, followed by a breakdown of the biggest Week 15 showdowns.

Rank	Team	Record
1	New England Patriots (AFC East)	10-3
2	Denver Broncos (AFC West)	10-3
3	Indianapolis Colts (AFC South)	9-4
4	Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North)	8-4-1
5	Pittsburgh Steelers	8-5
6	San Diego Chargers	8-5
7	Baltimore Ravens	8-5
8	Houston Texans	7-6
9	Miami Dolphins	7-6
10	Kansas City Chiefs	7-6
11	Buffalo Bills	7-6
12	Cleveland Browns	7-6

Rank	Team	Record
1	Arizona Cardinals (NFC West)	10-3
2	Green Bay Packers (NFC North)	10-3
3	Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East)	9-4
4	Atlanta Falcons (NFC South)	5-8
5	Seattle Seahawks	9-4
6	Detroit Lions	9-4
7	Dallas Cowboys	9-4
8	San Francisco 49ers	7-6

Analysis, Predictions for Top Week 15 Games

Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

The home finale for San Diego is a whopper, because the Chargers lost to New England in Week 14 and are now clinging to the AFC's No. 6 seed. After facing a quarterbacking legend in Tom Brady last week, Peyton Manning comes to town, which doesn't make matters much easier on the surface.

Manning hasn't been quite himself over the past two games, per NFL.com's Chris Wesseling:

And yet the Broncos still found a way to win those at Kansas City and home versus Buffalo, two teams above .500 still in the postseason picture. A revamped rushing attack spearheaded by C.J. Anderson has been a big reason for Denver's recent success.

After failing to run the ball well for much of the year themselves, the Chargers have welcomed feature back Ryan Mathews back to the fold. However, coach Mike McCoy's update on Mathews from Wednesday is not an encouraging one:

San Diego is pretty much playing for its season, along with any hope of remaining in the hunt for the AFC West divisional crown. With Mathews' health a perpetual question mark, Anderson's emergence and Manning due for a far better performance, Denver is a safe bet to win.

Should the Broncos grind out a road victory, they will apply pressure to New England, who holds the current tiebreaker for home-field advantage in the conference.

Prediction: Broncos 31, Chargers 27

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

This is a true crossroads game for the 49ers, who had done a good job overcoming numerous injuries before a grueling loss to Seattle at home in Week 13, followed by a disappointing defeat at Oakland.

Playing against the Seahawks takes a physical toll on opponents and can have a carry-over effect the following week. That appeared to happen to San Francisco, and now it has to travel to CenturyLink Field to try to keep its dwindling postseason chances intact.

QB Colin Kaepernick appears to have regressed after such a hot start to his time as the Niners' franchise signal-caller. Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke had a fair point about San Francisco's schematics:

If the Niners are meant to have any chance this Sunday, they must get back to their identity of pounding the rock with Frank Gore. Based on the last meeting, a 19-3 Seahawks win in which Gore carried the ball just 10 times, that doesn't seem to be in the cards.

Meanwhile, Seattle just went on the road and brought Philadelphia's flashy offense to a grinding halt in a 24-14 triumph. The NFC West title is still in play for the reigning Super Bowl champions, since Arizona isn't as formidable with Drew Stanton under center.

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll knows not to take perhaps his team's most bitter rival lightly, no matter how disoriented the Niners seem:

As desperate as San Francisco will be for a win, the incentive to secure home turf for the playoffs will help the Seahawks avoid any hangover from such a landmark Week 14 win.

Russell Wilson's uncanny improvisational skills can mitigate the Niners' elite front seven, and he can still produce big plays in the passing game against a rather thin San Francisco cornerback corps. The "Legion of Boom" secondary ought to feast on Kaepernick, leading to a rather easy Seattle sweep.

Prediction: Seahawks 24, 49ers 13

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Another divisional battle threatens to drastically alter the NFC side of things. Should the Eagles drop a second straight home game to a quality opponent, questions about QB Mark Sanchez will persist and put them under the microscope.

Dallas was thoroughly thrashed by Philly at home 33-10 on Thanksgiving, so there is little to lose from a perception standpoint for Dallas.

Remember that toll-exacting phenomenon I referenced earlier about the Seahawks? Check out this number from ESPN Stats & Info:

The Cowboys love to pound the rock with DeMarco Murray. A healthier Tony Romo—who played well in another Thursday outing in Week 14's win over Chicago—also swings the circumstances in Dallas' favor despite being in enemy territory.

Oh, and America's Team happens to be a perfect 6-0 on the road this season. Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett weighed in on that, per the team's official website:

"

I think we have the right kind of guys on our team. I think we have guys who are mentally tough. I think we're probably built better than we've been in recent years to go play on the road in a lot of different adverse circumstances, meaning we're a more physical team on the offensive line. We've allocated resources to those positions, and when you can control the line of scrimmage and run the football, typically you can tend to play anywhere, regardless of the environment. Whether it's a hostile crowd or dealing with weather or field conditions, if you can control the line of scrimmage, you give yourself a pretty good chance to win games.

"

For all the heat Romo has taken for not being clutch and how mediocre Dallas been for an extended period of time, this 2014 core is a different group.

In addition to some defensive improvements, the offensive line has served as the foundation for the Cowboys' success. That unit was beaten up and largely embarrassed in Week 13, and it will be eager to get after Philadelphia, whose defense's shortcomings have been masked by 24 takeaways—fourth most in the NFL—along with numerous non-offensive touchdowns.

The Eagles may be 6-1 at home, but they are on their heels, have an uncertain commodity at the most important position in Sanchez and will be hard-pressed to match Dallas' physical intensity.

Unless Philadelphia star running back LeSean McCoy can get loose for some big runs early, the home team may be in trouble. Look for the Cowboys to bring the pain, for Murray to have another stupendous performance and for Romo to outplay Sanchez as Dallas rises to the top of the NFC East.

Prediction: Cowboys 37, Eagles 28