NFL Playoff Picture 2014: Analyzing Current NFC and AFC Outlook

Just two weeks remain in the NFL season, but nearly every spot in the playoffs is still up in the air. Several teams have already clinched a berth to the postseason, but the top seeds in both conferences and multiple divisions can still be secured.

In the AFC, the fight for the No. 1 seed is the most intriguing with the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos looking like the front-runners. On the other hand, the AFC North might produce three playoff teams that can compete for a title.

Meanwhile, the NFC has four division battles that are far from over. Some are slightly more intriguing than others, with the NFC South promising to produce a playoff team without a winning record.

Before Week 16 officially gets underway, here's a look at the current outlook for both conferences.

AFC	Record	NFC	Record
Division Leaders		Division Leaders
No. 1 New England Patriots*	11-3	No. 1 Arizona Cardinals*	11-3
No. 2 Denver Broncos*	11-3	No. 2 Detroit Lions	10-4
No. 3 Indianapolis Colts*	10-4	No. 3 Dallas Cowboys	10-4
No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals	9-4-1	No. 4 New Orleans Saints	6-8
Wild Card		Wild Card
No. 5 Pittsburgh Steelers	9-5	No. 5 Seattle Seahawks	10-4
No. 6 Baltimore Ravens	9-5	No. 6 Green Bay Packers	10-4
In the Hunt		In the Hunt
Kansas City Chiefs	8-6	Philadelphia Eagles	9-5
San Diego Chargers	8-6	Carolina Panthers	5-8-1
Buffalo Bills	8-6	Atlanta Falcons	5-9
Houston Texans	7-7
Miami Dolphins	7-7
Cleveland Browns	7-7

Analysis

Prior to looking at the AFC possibilities, let's start in the NFC, where every division is still up for grabs.

Whether it's the North, where the Green Bay Packers looked like the favorite for the No. 1 seed last week, or the South, where only one team will make it, all four have plenty of intrigue. This weekend, for example, features two major divisional battles.

The first is in the South, where the lowly New Orleans Saints (6-8) battle the even lower Atlanta Falcons (5-9) for a chance to remain in the hunt. ESPN Stats & Info points out how ridiculous the current situation is in the South:

Last year's champion doesn't even have a playoff spot secured with two weeks remaining. But with a win against the Arizona Cardinals this weekend, the Seattle Seahawks would still have a chance to win the West and earn a first-round bye.

If all goes right for the Seahawks, they might have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs—again.

Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

Up north, the Detroit Lions and Packers will have to wait another week for their pivotal showdown. But if Green Bay is unable to get past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday—which seems highly unlikely—the Lions could clinch the division with a victory this week.

Finally, the NFC East. Once a powerhouse division where as many as three teams might make the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are now fighting for their lives.

After the Cowboys won round two in Philly, they now hold the lead in the East and look like the class of the division again. Their reward? A matchup with the AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts. That's one reason why Trey Wingo of ESPN isn't sold on Dallas claiming the East:

Dallas still controls its own destiny and would put Philadelphia in the rearview mirror by winning out. A loss this weekend, however, puts Philly squarely back in the running with the horrendous Washington Redskins and New York Giants coming up.

Enough about the NFC. Let's look at the AFC, where all but one division is clinched. That group also just so happens to still have all four teams in the running for a postseason spot.

The AFC North has beaten up on each other all season and will likely be a bloodbath in the final two weeks. Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals make the playoffs with a victory this weekend but will likely match up for the division in Week 17.

New England and Denver have long been two favorites to meet up in the AFC Championship Game but will need wins this weekend to keep up with each other. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe offers the current situation for the Patriots:

A loss for the Broncos earlier in the season to the Pats means they will need some help to earn the No. 1 seed. Having 11 wins and a victory over the Colts in Week 1 gives Denver the inside track at a first-round bye regardless. 

After knocking off the Patriots last year at home to make the Super Bowl, New England still has a chance to return the favor at Gillette Stadium. If the Pats slip up, however, the Oakland Raiders might be the only thing standing in the Broncos' way of hosting the AFC playoffs—again.

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