NFL Playoff Picture Week 15: Latest AFC, NFC Standings and Bracket Scenarios

Christmas is right around the corner, which means the NFL playoffs aren't far behind. It seems like just yesterday we were reading stories about position battles in training camps across the league, but now, here we are with just three games remaining in the regular season.  

While the playoff standings obviously aren't yet set in stone, the seedings are starting to shake themselves out, especially in the NFC. For a complete look at the standings, head over to ESPN.com.

A few teams have already locked up berths in the postseason. In the AFC, the New England Patriots have clinched the AFC East and have the inside track to the top seed at 11-2. In the NFC, the 13-0 Carolina Panthers are rolling, and they have already clinched the NFC South and a first-round playoff bye. The Arizona Cardinals have also locked up a spot in the postseason as they currently sit at 11-2.

Other than that, the seedings and division winners have yet to be ironed out. So let's fire up the Playoff Machine and have a little fun with matchup scenarios, shall we?

NFC

We'll start with the NFC, which has a much clearer picture than its AFC counterpart. Carolina has its division locked up and will likely be the top seed. It's also hard to picture the Cardinals surrendering a three-game division lead with three games remaining.

The wild cards will likely go to whichever teams don't win the North and West, as the Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks all have at least a two-game edge on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The last spot that is truly up for grabs is the one reserved for the NFC East Champ. Washington, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants are all tied at 6-7. We're predicting the Giants to take home the division based on the fact that this is a quarterback league and the Giants have the best quarterback in Eli Manning.

It also helps to have a once-a-generation receiver. As SportsCenter noted, Odell Beckham Jr. has had a decent start to his career:

If Beckham continues to dominate the league—and we have no reason to think he won't—the Giants are the team to beat.

If everything goes the way it's going now, we could end up with a division game in the Wild Card Round with the Vikings facing the Packers.

If that is the case, good luck to the Giants or whichever team wins the East when the Seahawks come to town.

Should the Seahawks get the fifth seed and win on the first weekend, that would set up a monumental matchup against the Panthers. Can we sign up for that now, please?

AFC 

Things aren't so clear-cut in the AFC. The biggest variable is which team the AFC South will send as division champion. The Indianapolis Colts are currently in the driver's seat at 6-7. But the Houston Texans are also 6-7, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are lingering at 5-8.

The Colts and Texans play each other Sunday, so the winner of that game will take firm control of the division. Whichever team ends up taking the AFC South will get the No. 4 seed and a home game in the Wild Card Round.

Per Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star, the Colts got some good news this week as Andrew Luck returned to practice, but Keefer reported the 26-year-old is not yet ready to play. If Luck is unable to return in the regular season, it will be difficult for the Colts to hold on to the division.

Meanwhile, the Texans are having some quarterback woes of their own with Brian Hoyer ruled out because of a concussion, per ESPN.com's Tania Ganguli. T.J. Yates will start under center in Week 15, and as the Texans' Twitter page noted, Yates understands the importance of Sunday's game.

So if we figure the loser of this game is essentially out of the running, that leaves the winner and the Jaguars battling it out for the division crown.

The Jags' schedule (vs. Falcons, at Saints, at Texans) is certainly conducive to finishing 3-0. And would you rather have the combination of Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst, Yates or Blake Bortles helming your team with a playoff berth on the line? Give us the Jags.

Now that we've sorted that out, whom would the Jags play? The fourth seed hosts the fifth seed, which is currently the Kansas City Chiefs. Winners of seven straight, the Chiefs are on fire right now. Their schedule (at Ravens, vs. Browns, vs. Raiders) doesn't appear to have a loss on it, which would give them a final record of 11-5.

Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos travel to Pittsburgh this week and then have two home games against the Bengals and Chargers. Should the Broncos drop two games down the stretch and the Chiefs win out, the Chiefs would win the division, with their superior division record breaking the tie at 11-5.

Meanwhile, if the Steelers win out (vs. Broncos, at Ravens, at Browns), it would include a win over the aforementioned Broncos, which could drop Denver all the way to the sixth seed. 

The New York Jets currently own one of the wild cards, but with games remaining against the Patriots and Buffalo Bills, it will be tough for the Jets to hang on. And can you imagine if head coach Rex Ryan and the Bills stand in the way of a playoff berth for the Jets in Week 17. You know Ryan will pull out all the stops to knock out his former employer.

There's still a lot of work to be done in the AFC. Considering Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton's injury, it's not out of the question that the Bengals could surrender the division lead or miss the playoffs altogether. The Week 15 slate of games will provide us with much more clarity, so we will see which teams create some separation and seize control of the remaining playoff spots.