NFL Playoff Picture 2016: Bracket Scenarios and Latest Odds for Divisional Round

The seeds did not hold up in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs. Will that scenario change in the divisional playoffs?

In the AFC, the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos certainly hope so, and there may be good reason to believe each of those teams has an advantage.

The Patriots are the No. 2 seed in the conference, and they will host the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs. Andy Reid's team won its last 10 regular-season games and opened the postseason with a 30-0 trouncing of the Houston Texans.

The Chiefs clearly have plenty of momentum, but that may not be enough against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Patriots are getting healthy, as Julian Edelman has returned to practice and is expecting to play. If Edelman is in the lineup, that means Tom Brady should be able to throw to three quality targets in Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola.

Edelman has been out with a broken foot since suffering the injury in Week 9 against the New York Giants.

While the Patriots are getting healthy, the Chiefs are going in the opposite direction. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin suffered a high ankle sprain in the win over the Texans. If he can't play or he is limited in any way, that will take away much of the Chiefs' passing game.

Alex Smith will be forced to depend on tight end Travis Kelce, and that may not be enough. Kelce is a fine receiver with good run-after-the-catch ability, but it will be difficult to carry the passing game.

The Patriots are five-point favorites, according to Odds Shark. As well as the Chiefs have been playing, they may have a difficult time staying in contact if the Patriots get off to an early lead.

Game	Date, Time (ET)	Point Spread	Prediction	Next Opponent
Kansas City at New England	Jan. 16, 4:35 p.m.	New England (-5)	NE	If NE wins -- at Denver or vs. Pittsburgh; if KC wins -- at Denver or vs. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh at Denver	Jan. 17, 4:40 p.m.	Denver (-7)	Denver*	If Den. wins -- vs. New England or vs. Kansas City; if Pitt. wins -- at NE or at KC
Seattle at Carolina	Jan. 17, 105 p.m.	Carolina (-2.5)	Carolina	If Car. wins -- vs. Arizona or vs. Green Bay; if Sea. wins -- at Ariz. or at Green Bay
Green Bay at Arizona	Jan. 16, 8:15 p.m.	Arizona (-7)	Arizona*	If Ariz. wins -- at Carolina or vs. Seattle; if GB wins -- at Car. or vs. Seattle
*-Will win game but will not cover point spread.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have severe injury problems of their own as they prepare to play at Denver in the divisional playoffs.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back DeAngelo Williams and All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown all did not practice Wednesday. Roethlisberger (shoulder) and Brown (concussion protocol) are the two main weapons in the Pittsburgh offense, and if they can't play, it will make things much easier for the Denver defense.

The Broncos don't need help in that area, because they had the top-ranked defense in the league throughout the season. They are fast and aggressive, and while a healthy Pittsburgh offense could give them a major challenge, an injured group of Steelers will have a much harder time competing for 60 minutes.

The Denver offense is a big question mark with Peyton Manning under center. While he is one of the greatest quarterbacks in the game's history, Manning's season was torn apart by injuries and ineffectiveness.

He can read defenses and manage the game, but if he tries to stretch the defense with medium- and long-range throws, that may no longer work in the Broncos' favor.

If the Broncos and Patriots both win, Denver will host New England in the AFC Championship Game. If either the Chiefs or Steelers register an upset, that team will travel to Denver or New England in the conference title game. If both lower seeds are victorious, the Chiefs would host the Steelers in the title game.

The Carolina Panthers have been the best and most consistent team throughout the season, but that means nothing in the playoffs.

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They are the top seed, but don't expect the Seattle Seahawks to be impressed. The Seahawks won six of their last seven regular-season games and advanced to the divisional playoffs when Minnesota's Blair Walsh blew a 27-yard field goal in the game's final seconds.

However, the Seahawks are not just a lucky team. Russell Wilson was on a hot streak in the final seven games, compiling a 24-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in those games.

The Seahawks are worthy challengers, but MVP candidate Cam Newton and the Panthers should be fully prepared. Newton completed 296 of 495 passes this season for 3,837 yards. Compared to the rest of the league, the Carolina passing game ranked 24th in yards gained this season.

That's not overly impressive, but Newton made his passes count by coming through in the clutch. He had a 35-10 TD-to-interception ratio, and he also ran for 10 touchdowns. 

Tight end Greg Olsen is Newton's best and most dependable weapon. He caught 77 passes for 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns. While the rest of the receiving crew does not get a lot of publicity, Ted Ginn Jr., Jerricho Cotchery and Devin Funchess are capable receivers who combined for 18 TD receptions.

Head coach Ron Rivera has an aggressive and hard-hitting defense led by linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, while cornerback Josh Norman has been a game-changing cover man with 22 passes defensed and four interceptions (two for touchdowns). That defense will be tested by Wilson, but based on the regular-season results, the Panthers should find a way to survive and advance to host the NFC Championship Game.

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The Arizona Cardinals have been on a collision course with the Panthers throughout the season, but if they are going to make the trip to Carolina, they are going to have to defeat the Green Bay Packers at home.

Based on their Week 16 game with Green Bay, that should not be a problem because Arizona cruised to a 38-8 victory. However, the Packers rolled up 35 points in the final three quarters at Washington last week, and if they rediscovered their offense, they could make it much more difficult on the Cardinals.

If Bruce Arians can coax a maximum effort out of his Cardinals, they should find a way to score enough points behind Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown to get past the Packers. 

However, overconfidence could become a serious issue in this game. No matter what players say publicly prior to a game, it's hard to take an opponent seriously that you just routed in the next-to-last game of the season.

If the Cardinals jump off to a big lead early, a natural letup could occur, and the Packers and Aaron Rodgers are capable of making a big run. 

Arizona will get pushed hard in this game, and it may be uncomfortable in the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals will survive.

If the Cardinals and Panthers both win, the two teams will meet in the NFC championship at Bank of America Stadium. If one of those two teams is upset, the team that survives will host the conference title game against the Seahawks or Packers. If the two lower-seeded teams win, Green Bay will host Seattle for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

That last scenario is the game the Packers have been waiting on since blowing last year's NFC title game at Seattle. There's nothing Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy would like more than to get a chance for redemption at Lambeau Field against the Seahawks.