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NFL Playoff Picture 2018: Week 12 Wild-Card Hunt, Standings and Super Bowl Odds
November 19, 2018
Football fans hoping for tight divisional races in the AFC may not get their wish, as all four division leaders are ahead by at least two games heading into Monday night's battle between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams.
The Chiefs (9-1) have a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC West, as Philip Rivers and Co. dropped a 23-22 decision at home to the Denver Broncos in Week 11. Prior to that, the Chargers had been in hot pursuit of the Chiefs.
Here's a look at the full standings heading into the Monday night game.
The New England Patriots (7-3) have a two-game lead over the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East, while the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2-1) have a 2.5-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North.
The Houston Texans (7-3), winners of seven in a row, lead the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans by two games in the AFC South.
The New Orleans Saints (9-1) and Rams (9-1) have even bigger advantages in the NFC.
The Saints dropped their season opener to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and were pushed hard by the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. However, they have reeled off nine straight victories and lead the Carolina Panthers by three games in the NFC South.
The Rams, meanwhile, have a four-game lead on the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West.
The NFC East is the tightest division in the NFL, but the first-place Washington Redskins (6-4) took a huge blow Sunday when quarterback Alex Smith suffered a broken leg that put an end to his season in the team's loss to the Texans.
The Redskins will try to hold off the Dallas Cowboys (5-5), whom they play Thanksgiving Day. The Cowboys, meanwhile, have recorded back-to-back wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons to get back in the race.
The Chicago Bears (7-3) picked up their most significant win of the season when they beat the Minnesota Vikings 25-20 Sunday night. The Chicago defense shut down the Vikings (5-4-1) early and forced quarterback Kirk Cousins to play come-from-behind football, and they were not able to close the deal.
Only the Redskins look vulnerable among division leaders.
The Chargers occupy the No. 1 wild-card spot in the AFC despite their loss to the Broncos, but the No. 2 spot is a logjam. The Dolphins, Ravens, Bengals, Titans and Colts are all tied at 5-5.
The NFC wild-card race is also wide-open, with the Panthers and Vikings leading the way. The Cowboys, Green Bay Packers (4-5-1) and Seahawks (5-5) are also in pursuit.
Super Bowl Odds
The Rams are the favorites at +325, according to OddsShark (bet $100 to win $325).
Next up: Saints (+400), Chiefs (+500), Patriots (+650), Steelers (+1000), Chargers (+1200), Vikings (+1600), Bears (+2000).