Ranking the NFL Playoff Chances of Current 5-5 Teams

First, a belated Happy Thanksgiving. We hope you are getting ready to enjoy this piece while you're running around doing your early Christmas shopping on Black Friday.

It's been quite the year of imbalance in the NFL. Following Thursday's results, there are still just nine teams with winning records this season.

Eight clubs sit at a convenient 5-5, with more than half of those teams (five) residing in the AFC. So how many of the eight are playoff-bound, and what are each club's chances of getting to the playoffs? We rank them No. 8 to No. 1 here based on numerous factors, including remaining opponents, health and current performance.

Keep in mind that we aren't making postseason predictions—we're just laying out which clubs we feel have the inside track when it comes to grabbing a playoff spot. We've included each club's remaining schedule for your convenience as well.

8. Seattle Seahawks

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)
Dec. 6	at Minnesota Vikings (7-3)
Dec. 13	at Baltimore Ravens (3-7)
Dec. 20	vs. Cleveland Browns (2-8)
Dec. 27	vs. St. Louis Rams (4-6)
Jan. 3	at Arizona Cardinals (8-2)

Let's face it: The two-time defending NFC champions have backed themselves into a corner they may not be able to wiggle their way out of.

Just as was the case a year ago, the Seattle Seahawks trail the Arizona Cardinals by three games in the NFC West with six weeks to play.

The big difference this season is that the Cards have already dealt Pete Carroll's team a 39-32 setback in the Pacific Northwest. The Seahawks sit at 2-2 within their division this season.

In 2014, Carroll and Co. played five of their final six games versus their NFC West brethren and won them all. Simply put, the 2015 Seattle defense doesn't resemble its recent predecessors. Meanwhile, quarterback Russell Wilson has been sacked 35 times in 10 games, and running back Marshawn Lynch is hurting.

So are the team's playoff chances.

7. New York Jets

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	vs. Miami Dolphins (4-6)
Dec. 6	at New York Giants (5-5)
Dec. 13	vs. Tennessee Titans (2-8)
Dec. 19	at Dallas Cowboys (3-8)
Dec. 27	vs. New England Patriots (10-0)
Jan. 3	at Buffalo Bills (5-5)

Only four teams in the league have given up fewer yards per game this season. Only three have given up fewer rushing yards per game.

So why don't the New York Jets feel like one of the better defensive teams in the NFL as of late?

Whatever seems to be wrong, it's led to a 1-4 mark in the last five games following a 4-1 start.

Todd Bowles' club is one of the more opportunistic squads in the NFL, but despite the fact that the Jets have forced an impressive 20 turnovers in 10 games, 18 of those takeaways have come in the team's five wins.

While veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick got off to a respectable start this season, he's completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes and has thrown a pair of interceptions in each of the team's last two games.

Meanwhile, Chris Ivory and the ground attack have been in a funk for a month or so, and the workhorse running back hasn't looked the same since getting banged up in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in late October.

The Jets are still talented, but that early-season momentum has faded in a big way.

6. Indianapolis Colts

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)
Dec. 6	at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)
Dec. 13	at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6)
Dec. 20	vs. Houston Texans (5-5)
Dec. 27	at Miami Dolphins (4-6)
Jan. 3	vs. Tennessee Titans (2-8)

Although the Indianapolis Colts managed to rally from a 21-7 deficit last Sunday for a 24-21 win at Atlanta, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and his teammates proved Andrew Luck wasn't the only member of the team to be bitten by the turnover bug this season.

Chuck Pagano's club has coughed up the ball an NFL-high 22 times this season, with three of those coming in the victory over the Falcons. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis defense still leaves a lot to be desired, ranking 27th in the NFL in total yards per game allowed while only totaling 14 sacks in 10 games.

The Colts have owned the AFC South in recent seasons and have won 16 straight divisional games dating back to December 2012. You get the feeling that impressive streak may come to an end this year.

5. Houston Texans

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	vs. New Orleans Saints (4-6)
Dec. 6	at Buffalo Bills (5-5)
Dec. 13	vs. New England Patriots (10-0)
Dec. 20	at Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
Dec. 27	at Tennessee Titans (2-8)
Jan. 3	vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6)

Yes, we are aware the Houston Texans have already lost to the Indianapolis Colts this year and have never won a game at Indianapolis (0-13). But we are also cognizant of the fact that Houston has a much better defense than the Colts these days.

Over their last 14 quarters, the Texans have allowed only two touchdowns. The team's 10-6 Monday night win at Cincinnati in Week 10 was a confidence-booster, and Houston managed to pull out the victory with assistance from backup quarterback T.J. Yates, who was solid in last Sunday's 24-17 win over the New York Jets.

Brian Hoyer returns this week, while wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is having an All-Pro Year. And guess who (or Watt) is leading the NFL in sacks once again?

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	at Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
Dec. 6	vs. Atlanta Falcons (6-4)
Dec. 13	vs. New Orleans Saints (4-6)
Dec. 17	at St. Louis Rams (4-6)
Dec. 27	vs. Chicago Bears (5-6)
Jan. 3	at Carolina Panthers (11-0)

You have to like what you're seeing from rookie quarterback Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers these days. The question here is whether they can sustain it for another month-and-a-half.

Lovie Smith's club has won three of its last four games following a 2-4 start, and the Bucs' resume this season includes road wins over the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.

Winston has not been a one-man show. Fourth-year running back Doug Martin is having a stellar year and looks more like the player who excelled as a rookie in 2012. The defense still has some issues, but Tampa Bay closes the season with five straight conference opponents, which gives the team ample opportunity to make a move.

3. Buffalo Bills

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	at Kansas City Chiefs (5-5)
Dec. 6	vs. Houston Texans (5-5)
Dec. 13	at Philadelphia Eagles (4-7)
Dec. 20	at Washington Redskins (4-6)
Dec. 27	vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-8)
Jan. 3	vs. New York Jets (5-5)

It's been an up-and-down season for the Buffalo Bills, who pummeled New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on Monday night at Foxborough but still found a way to come up short.

Still, Rex Ryan's team, when not playing three games versus the NFC East, has the Chiefs, Texans and Jets on its remaining schedule—all three teams are very much vying for a playoff spot in the AFC as well.

If the Bills defense plays like it has in recent weeks, the remaining opponents on the schedule should be a little worried. After giving up 34 points to both the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars in back-to-back losses, Buffalo has surrendered a total of 54 points in its last three games.

But the player to keep an eye on here is running back LeSean McCoy, who looks like he's regained his Pro Bowl form in recent weeks. The running game could carry this club to a place it hasn't been since 1999.

2. New York Giants

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	at Washington Redskins (4-6)
Dec. 6	vs. New York Jets (5-5)
Dec. 14	at Miami Dolphins (4-6)
Dec. 20	vs. Carolina Panthers (11-0)
Dec. 27	at Minnesota Vikings (7-3)
Jan. 3	vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-7)

It's easy to like the chances of the New York Giants, particularly when two of their divisional rivals look like turkeys on Thanksgiving Day.

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Eagles fell at Detroit 45-14, while the Dallas Cowboys not only lost at home to the Carolina Panthers 33-14 but lost their starting quarterback again—and this time for the remainder of the season, according to ESPN's Ed Werder.

On Sunday at Washington, Tom Coughlin's team can complete a sweep of the Redskins and open up a two-game lead in the NFC East with five weeks to play.

Quarterback Eli Manning and wideout Odell Beckham Jr. have been playing pitch and catch all season, and Rueben Randle has helped as well. Steve Spagnuolo's defense has allowed the second-most total yards in the league but has flashed the occasional good effort.

The Giants may only need to split their final six games to wrap up a division title. That's not necessarily an endorsement but a fact. And we have seen what Manning and Coughlin are capable of come playoff time.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

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Remaining schedule

Nov. 29	vs. Buffalo Bills (5-5)
Dec. 6	at Oakland Raiders (4-6)
Dec. 13	vs. San Diego Chargers (2-8)
Dec. 20	at Baltimore Ravens (3-7)
Dec. 27	vs. Cleveland Browns (2-8)
Jan. 3	vs. Oakland Raiders (4-6)

We will use the old "this isn't brain surgery" line here because, simply put, the Kansas City Chiefs are playing the best football these days of the eight teams on this list.

Andy Reid's club is riding a four-game winning streak, posting double-digit wins in each instance. The Chiefs have allowed a mere 73 points in their last six outings (18 points or fewer in each game) after allowing a disappointing 125 points during their 1-3 start.

Alex Smith continues to be careful with the football, while Charcandrick West is having a breakout campaign.

Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.