NFL Playoff Scenarios 2015-16: AFC, NFC Bracket Picture and Pre-Week 15 Odds

Just two weeks ago, the Cleveland Browns were the only NFL team eliminated from the playoffs. Since then, four other AFC and three NFC teams no longer have a chance at the postseason.

However, only three teams—the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals—have actually clinched a playoff spot, and none are locked into any seed.

Below is a look at the current playoff picture and the odds for the remaining Week 15 games that will help knock out a few more teams on the road to Super Bowl 50:

Sunday, Dec. 20	Time (ET)	Away	Home	Spread	Prediction
Monday, Dec. 21	Time (ET)	Away	Home	Spread	Prediction
	1 p.m.	Chicago Bears	Minnesota Vikings	MIN -5.5	Minnesota, 19-14
	1 p.m.	Atlanta Falcons	Jacksonville Jaguars	JAX -2.5	Jacksonville, 24-20
	1 p.m.	Houston Texans	Indianapolis Colts	IND -1	Houston, 27-21
	1 p.m.	Carolina Panthers	New York Giants	CAR -3.5	Carolina, 35-24
	1 p.m.	Tennessee Titans	New England Patriots	NE -15.5.	New England, 41-13
	1 p.m.	Buffalo Bills	Washington	BUF -2.5	Washington, 20-17
	1 p.m.	Kansas City Chiefs	Baltimore Ravens	KAN -6	Kansas City, 27-17
	4:05 p.m	Cleveland Browns	Seattle Seahawks	SEA -16.5	Seattle, 34-6
	4:05 p.m.	Green Bay Packers	Oakland Raiders	GB -3	Oakland, 28-24
	4: 25 p.m.	Denver Broncos	Pittsburgh Steelers	PIT -7.5	Pittsburgh, 25-16
	4:25 p.m.	Miami Dolphins	San Diego Chargers	EVEN	San Diego, 30-20
	4:25 p.m.	Cincinnati Bengals	San Francisco 49ers	CIN -5.5	Cincinnati, 40-10
	8:30 p.m.	Arizona Cardinals	Philadelphia Eagles	ARI -3.5	Arizona, 24-23
	8:30 p.m.	Detroit Lions	New Orleans Saints	NO -2.5	New Orleans, 28-21

Playoff Seed	AFC	NFC
1	New England Patriots 11-2	Carolina Panthers 13-0
2	Cincinnati Bengals 10-3	Arizona Cardinals 11-2
3	Denver Broncos 10-3	Green Bay Packers 9-4
4	Indianapolis Colts 6-7	Washington 6-7
5	New York Jets 9-5	Seattle Seahawks 8-5
6	Kansas City Chiefs 8-5	Minnesota Vikings 8-5
Still in the hunt	Pittsburgh Steelers 8-5	Atlanta Falcons 6-7
Still in the hunt	Oakland Raiders 6-7	Philadelphia Eagles 6-7
Still in the hunt	Buffalo Bills 6-7	New York Giants 6-7
Still in the hunt	Houston Texans 6-7	St. Louis Rams 6-8
Still in the hunt	Jacksonville Jaguars 5-8	Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-7
Still in the hunt		New Orleans Saints 5-8
Still in the hunt		Chicago Bears 5-8

Despite Injuries, Patriots Still on Top

The Broncos and Bengals have dealt with recent injuries to their quarterbacks, but neither have experienced the hardship the Patriots have.

New England has lost its top running back, wide receiver and tight end for at least one game this season.

ESPN's Trey Wingo is impressed with how head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots keep winning:

Dion Lewis, who came out of nowhere to score three touchdowns in his first four games, was lost for the year after suffering an injury in Week 9.

Enter LeGarrette Blount who had 703 yards and seven total touchdowns before he too was lost for the season in a Week 14 win against the Houston Texans.

Julian Edelman, the team's top receiver, hasn't played since Nov. 15 after also dealing with an injury, and All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski even missed one game and is still nursing a sore knee.

Quarterback Tom Brady said the Patriots are certainly a different team with Gronkowski on the field, per ESPN.com:

"

He's a huge influence on what we do offensively. He really toughed it out so I'm proud of him. He had a big touchdown catch. He's obviously a big part of what we do so it was great to have him out there. ... Football is always trust and anticipation and there's nobody that I trust more than Gronk.

"

With Blount injured, New England turns to Brandon Bolden and James White in the backfield. White, despite having just 61 yards from scrimmage coming into the season, had 10 receptions for 115 yards and a score in Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Getting the most out of who they have on the field is key as to why Brady and the Patriots have been so successful, and it's why they are once again on top of the AFC.

Current Wild Card Weekend Matchups

(6) Kansas City Chiefs at (3) Denver Broncos

(5) New York Jets* at (4) Indianapolis Colts

BYE: (1) New England Patriots; (2) Cincinnati Bengals

*Won Saturday night. If Kansas City wins its Week 15 game, it will move into the No. 5 spot and bump the Jets back to No. 6.

NFC East Winner Could Still Be "Loser"

It's Week 15, and the top three teams in the NFC East are all under .500. Two weeks ago, when the teams were 5-6 and 4-7, NFL Network analyst David Carr didn't think much of the division:

It's not a bad idea, but no matter what, the winner is going to host a playoff game during Wild Card Weekend. There is a good chance it could finish 7-9 and play the Seattle Seahawks—one of the hottest teams in the league right now.

If Russell Wilson and the Seahawks keep up their winning ways, they could be 11-5 heading on the road to play the "champion" from the NFC Least.

The visiting Seahawks would be a heavy favorite, especially considering Wilson's play of late, per NFL on ESPN:

Even more impressive is the fact that Wilson has not thrown an interception during that time while completing 75.4 percent of his passes.

But hey, the NFC East shouldn't really complain at this point. The fact that the winner will be playing, and at home no less, should erase any complaints of who they have to play.

It certainly could bring up talk about letting the top-six teams make the playoffs regardless of division, but then why even have divisions? 

And while a win may not be likely for a sub-.500 team, the Seahawks have actually seen it happen. They were the last team to enter the playoffs at 7-9 (Carolina was 7-8-1 last year) and actually defeated the New Orleans Saints, 41-36, in the 2011 playoffs.

The NFC East has certainly taken a lot of heat (rightfully so), but even the AFC South has two 6-7 teams leading the division. What makes it more glaring in the NFC is the fact that many thought the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants were going to be competitive this season.

Regardless of the ineptitude, one team from the East will be in the playoffs whether anyone likes it or not.

And hey, one of those "losers" may just pick up a win.

Current Wild Card Weekend Matchups

(6) Minnesota Vikings at (3) Green Bay Packers

(5) Seattle Seahawks at (4) Washington

BYE: (1) Carolina Panthers; (2) Arizona Cardinals