NFL Power Rankings 2017: Week 16 Conference Standings and Latest Super Bowl Odds

In 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers joined the NFL as expansion teams. Twenty-two years later, neither team has won a Super Bowl, although Carolina has made it to the big game twice.

After going a combined 9-23 last year, however, the Jags and Panthers have matching 10-4 records in 2017. Both teams are on a roll right now and could conceivably meet in the Super Bowl.

Of course, that is a long way away, and numerous teams are standing in front of them, per the latest Super Bowl odds from OddsShark.

However, you'll find two cases below as to why both teams may end up meeting in the big game, in addition to the latest playoff standings and aforementioned Super Bowl odds.

AFC Standings

Division Leaders

1. New England Patriots: 11-3

2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 11-3

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-4

4. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-6

Wild Card

5. Tennessee Titans: 8-6

6. Buffalo Bills: 8-6

In the Hunt

7. Baltimore Ravens: 8-6

8. Los Angeles Chargers: 7-7

9. Oakland Raiders: 6-8

10. Miami Dolphins: 6-8

NFC Standings

Division Leaders

1. Philadelphia Eagles: 12-2

2. Minnesota Vikings: 11-3

3. Los Angeles Rams: 10-4

4. New Orleans Saints: 10-4

Wild Card

5. Carolina Panthers: 10-4

6. Atlanta Falcons: 9-5

In the Hunt

7. Detroit Lions: 8-6

8. Seattle Seahawks: 8-6

9. Dallas Cowboys: 8-6

NFL Power Rankings Based on Super Bowl LII Odds (via OddsShark)

1. New England Patriots: 11-5

2. Minnesota Vikings: 6-1

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-1

4. Philadelphia Eagles: 7-1

5. New Orleans Saints: 10-1

6. Los Angeles Rams: 10-1

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: 12-1

8. Carolina Panthers: 14-1

9. Atlanta Falcons: 16-1

10. Kansas City Chiefs: 16-1

11. Baltimore Ravens: 33-1

12. Seattle Seahawks: 40-1

13. Los Angeles Chargers: 50-1

14. Dallas Cowboys: 50-1

15. Detroit Lions: 80-1

16. Buffalo Bills: 80-1

17. Tennessee Titans: 125-1

18. Oakland Raiders: 250-1

19. Miami Dolphins: 500-1

20. San Francisco 49ers: Eliminated

21. Green Bay Packers: Eliminated

22. Washington Redskins: Eliminated

23. Arizona Cardinals: Eliminated

24. New York Jets: Eliminated

25. Cincinnati Bengals: Eliminated

26. Denver Broncos: Eliminated

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Eliminated

28. Houston Texans: Eliminated

29. Chicago Bears: Eliminated

30. Indianapolis Colts: Eliminated

31. New York Giants: Eliminated

32. Cleveland Browns: Eliminated

Jacksonville Jaguars

Not much needs to be said about the dominant Jacksonville Jaguars defense that hasn't been already, but they've allowed the league's fewest points per game (14.9) and the third-fewest yards per game (284.1).

They're also second in interceptions (20), tied for third in fumble recoveries (11) and third in takeaways (31). The Jags are first in sacks (51), first in completion percentage allowed (55.9 percent) and first in quarterback rating allowed (65.2).

All those numbers are impressive, but it's hard for any team to win on its defense alone. However, the Jags offense is springing to life in recent weeks thanks in part to the play of oft-embattled signal-caller Blake Bortles, who struggled for much of his first three years in Jacksonville but has broken through in year four.

Over the course of his last three games, Bortles has completed 71.4 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and no interceptions. That has earned him a stellar quarterback rating of 128.6 during that span. Furthermore, Football Outsiders ranks him in the top half of all signal-callers who have thrown at least 200 passes.

His pass-catchers have come through as well. First and foremost, former USC standout Marqise Lee has also enjoyed a breakout year, catching 56 passes for 702 yards and three scores. Two rookies (Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole) have also made a big impact in recent weeks, and running back Leonard Fournette has 1,136 yards from scrimmage in just 11 games.

Before this recent stretch of seven wins in eight games, the Jags went into Heinz Field and posted one of the most impressive victories of the year by any team when they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-9. The scary part is that the Jags have grown throughout the season and are a better team than they were back then. Don't be surprised if the Jags have a run in them.

Carolina Panthers

If the Carolina Panthers were an NCAA tournament team, they'd get a high seed based on the key criteria of having "signature" wins.

Thankfully, NFL playoff seedings are decided by wins and losses and not a committee in a room, but the Panthers have won six of their last seven games and sport impressive victories against the 11-3 Minnesota Vikings, 11-3 New England Patriots (on the road), 9-5 Atlanta Falcons, 8-6 Detroit Lions, 8-6 Buffalo Bills and the Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers.

Carolina also nearly beat the 12-2 Philadelphia Eagles, but a potential game-winning drive fell short at the end of the game.

Most notably, however, the Panthers have played the majority of the season without two key offensive stalwarts in center Ryan Kalil and tight end Greg Olsen, who have been paramount to the Panthers' success in the middle part of the decade.

However, both players are back, and the offense has looked fantastic recently. If his performance against the Green Bay Packers is any indication, Olsen has returned to the form that saw him earn three straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2014-2016. During that Packers contest, he amassed nine catches for 116 yards and one touchdown.

Furthermore, Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey showed why he was the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft on Sunday when he gained 136 yards from scrimmage and scored the game-opening touchdown.

The Stanford product has had more ups than downs in his first year in the NFL, but his usage has been moderate at best this year. Notably, McCaffrey hadn't touched the ball more than 11 times in any of his four preceding games prior to the Packers matchup.

However, it was clear from the get-go Sunday that the Panthers planned to give the ball to McCaffrey early and often, and he responded by amassing 12 rushes and catching six passes.

If that usage is a sign of things to come, then the Panthers offense will be very difficult for any team to stop. Coupled with a ferocious pass rush (second in adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders) and run-stopping unit (sixth in adjusted line yards), Carolina will be a tough out.