NFL Playoff Scenarios 2018: Complete Bracket Picture and AFC, NFC Odds

In 2007, the New York Giants had 30-1 odds to win Super Bowl XLII after stumbling to an 8-8 record the year before. To put that number in perspective, 15 of the NFL's 32 teams had better odds to win the Big Game.

However, the G-Men improved to 10-6, won three road NFC playoff games and defeated the 18-0 New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

A dark horse can come out of nowhere to win a title in any sport. While there are a few clear favorites to win the Super Bowl this year, it's not impossible for another team to steal the Lombardi Trophy, or at least a conference title.

We'll take a look at one team that could fit that bill this year and surprise in the postseason. In addition, you can find what we know of the NFL playoff bracket so far, some scenarios and Super Bowl LII, AFC and NFC odds, per OddsShark.

NFL Playoff Bracket Seeding Possibilities Post-Week 17

AFC

1. New England Patriots or Pittsburgh Steelers

2. New England Patriots or Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

4. Kansas City Chiefs

5. Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans or Buffalo Bills

6. Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills or Los Angeles Chargers

Jacksonville will host the No. 6 seed in the wild-card round, while the Kansas City Chiefs will be home for a matchup with the No. 5 seed.

The lowest seed remaining after the wild-card round will travel to face the No. 1 seed, while the highest seed faces the No. 2 seed on the road. The divisional-round winners will play in the AFC Championship, with the highest seed at home.

The simplest scenarios are as follows: The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers will get the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, as long as the Pats beat the New York Jets, who are 16.5-point underdogs per OddsShark, on Sunday.

Otherwise, the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans are in with wins, although they each can still make the playoffs with a loss and some help.

The simplest scenario for the Bills to make the playoffs is a win and a Ravens loss, while the Chargers can make it through a win, a Ravens win and a Titans loss.

NFC

1. Philadelphia Eagles

2. Minnesota Vikings or Carolina Panthers

3. Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams or Carolina Panthers

4. New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams or Carolina Panthers

5. New Orleans Saints or Carolina Panthers

6. Atlanta Falcons or Seattle Seahawks

The same playoff format applies for the NFC: The No. 6 and No. 5 seeds will travel to face the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively.

The lowest seed remaining after the wild-card round will then go to Philadelphia, while the other team will play the No. 2 seed, which will be the Minnesota Vikings if they beat the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The winners of the divisional-round matchups play in the NFC Championship Game, with the highest seed hosting.

The New Orleans Saints will win the NFC South with a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Carolina has already clinched a playoff berth but will win the NFC South with a victory and a Saints loss. The Los Angeles Rams are locked into a home playoff game in the wild-card round.

As for the last wild-card spot, the Atlanta Falcons will take it with a victory over the Carolina Panthers or a Seattle Seahawks loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals.

Seattle needs a win and a Falcons loss to make the postseason.

Super Bowl LII Odds (via OddsShark)

1. New England Patriots: 2-1

2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-1

3. Minnesota Vikings: 5-1

4. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-1

5. Los Angeles Rams: 10-1

6. New Orleans Saints: 10-1

7. Carolina Panthers: 14-1

8. Kansas City Chiefs: 14-1

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: 16-1

10. Atlanta Falcons: 25-1

11. Seattle Seahawks: 25-1

12. Baltimore Ravens: 33-1

13. Los Angeles Chargers: 66-1

14. Buffalo Bills: 125-1

15. Tennessee Titans: 125-1

AFC Odds (via OddsShark)

1. New England Patriots: 4-5

2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 11-4

3. Kansas City Chiefs: 7-1

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-1

5. Baltimore Ravens: 14-1

6. Los Angeles Chargers: 28-1

7. Buffalo Bills: 50-1

8. Tennessee Titans: 66-1

NFC Odds (via OddsShark)

1. Minnesota Vikings: 2-1

2. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-4

3. Los Angeles Rams: 5-1

4. New Orleans Saints: 5-1

5. Carolina Panthers: 8-1

6. Atlanta Falcons: 10-1

7. Seattle Seahawks: 14-1

The Dark Horse

After an 0-4 start, the Los Angeles Chargers have won eight of their last 11 games to move to 8-7. Although they need to leapfrog the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans to make the playoffs, the Bolts could do some damage once there.

Led by Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, the Bolts have one of the best pass rushes in the game. Per Football Outsiders, the Chargers have an adjusted sack rate of 7.8 percent, which ranks seventh in the NFL.

Shutdown cornerback Casey Hayward leads a talented secondary that has helped the Chargers into a fourth-place tie for interceptions (17) with one week to go. L.A. is also third in passing yards allowed per attempt (6.4) and fourth in quarterback rating allowed (77.3).

On offense, wideout Keenan Allen has emerged as a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver and one of the best pass-catchers in the game. Between Weeks 11-14, the former Cal Golden Bear accumulated 39 catches for 547 yards and four touchdowns on a 79.6 percent catch rate, per Pro Football Reference.

Running back Melvin Gordon has gained 1,457 yards from scrimmage, quarterback Philip Rivers has been good (outside of two three-interception performances) with 25 touchdown passes , and tight end Antonio Gates proved he's still got it with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown on Sunday against the New York Jets.

The Chargers are a well-rounded team, but the issue is that they would have a tough draw, with games against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild-card round and the New England Patriots in the divisional round should they get that far. The Bolts lost to both of these teams earlier this year, albeit by only a combined 11 points. 

Still, the Chargers have the pieces in place for a run and could go deep.