NFL Playoffs 2018-19: AFC and NFC Predictions for Postseason

Let's dig deep into NFL playoff scenario. While the situation is not as complex as it was in other years, there are several spots that could change prior to the December 30 regular-season finish.

The Kansas City Chiefs (11-2) and the Los Angeles Chargers (10-3) are on their way to the playoffs, although one of those AFC West teams is likely to be the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs while the other will almost certainly be in the top spot.

The NFC is not so clear-cut, because the New Orleans Saints (11-2) and the Los Angeles Rams (11-2) are in the top two spots, but neither team is playing its best football at this point. The Saints, who are in the No. 1 spot as a result of a head-to-head victory over the Rams, lost a Week 13 game to the Dallas Cowboys and had to come from behind to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday.

The Rams saw their high-powered offense get handled by the third-seeded Chicago Bears Sunday night. That loss was quite significant because Los Angeles had been able to light up the scoreboard with ease throughout the season. However, Jared Goff, Todd Gurley and the Los Angeles offense were held to two field goals, and that takes quite a bit of the shine away from this unit.

With three full weeks to go in the season, along with the Week 14 Monday night game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks, what are the playoff scenarios in both the AFC and NFC?

The New England Patriots (9-4), Houston Texans (9-4) and Chargers all appear to be on track to play postseason football this year. 

The Chiefs are the only AFC side to clinch a playoff spot to this point. The Patriots would have done the same if they had been able to avoid losing on a 61-yard, multiple-lateral play on the final snap of the game Sunday on the road against the Miami Dolphins. 

Kenyan Drake ran 52 yards into the end zone following two laterals, and that allowed the Dolphins to earn a 34-33 victory. While Bill Belichick surely wants to move on to Pittsburgh and the Patriots still have a two-game lead in the AFC East, that defeat will not be easy to get over.

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

The Patriots play on the road against Pittsburgh and at home against the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets in the final three weeks of the season.

The Texans dropped a 24-21 decision at home to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, but they lead Indianapolis and Tennessee by two games in the AFC South.

The loss ended Houston's nine-game winning streak, and they should have an excellent chance to get back on track in Week 15 on the road against the Jets. They close the season with a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles and a home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Chiefs and Chargers meet in Kansas City Thursday night, and that game could allow the Chiefs to clinch the AFC West if they win because they would have a two-game lead as well as the tiebreaker edge.

Even if they lose, the Chiefs would still own the tiebreaker based on a superior divisional record, but the Chargers would be in a position to pounce and steal the division in the final two weeks of the season.

Kansas City closes with a road game against the Seattle Seahawks and what should be an easy home game against the Oakland Raiders. The Chargers close with a home game against the Baltimore Ravens and a road game against the Denver Broncos.

The Steelers (7-5-1) may be in free fall with three straight losses, but they still have a half-game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North. Head coach Mike Tomlin has to figure out a solution, but the Steelers have two tough games coming up at home against the Patriots and on the road at New Orleans before closing the season against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It's conceivable that the losing streak could reach five games. If that happens, the Baltimore Ravens (7-6) have a chance to steal the division. The Ravens had the Chiefs on the ropes Sunday, but they let them off the hook as they dropped a 27-24 overtime decision.

The Ravens host Tampa Bay in Week 15, but they have a tough game on the road against the Chargers in Week 16. They close the year with a home game against the Browns.

The Colts (7-6), Dolphins (7-6) and Tennessee Titans are chasing wild-card playoff positions heading into Week 14, and they could pounce if either the Ravens or Steelers continue to lose. The Week 17 meeting between the Colts and the Titans in Tennessee could turn out to be the most critical.

The Cleveland Browns (5-7-1) are not out of the playoff race. They beat the Carolina Panthers Sunday, and they close with a road game against the Denver Broncos, a home game against the Bengals and a road game against the Ravens. Sweeping those games is not out of the picture.

The Bengals (5-8) have not been eliminated, but they are clearly on extreme life support.

The Saints and Rams have clinched the NFC South and NFC West, respectively, and are on track for byes in the first week of the playoffs.

The Bears (9-4) bounced back from a Week 13 loss to the New York Giants with their impressive 15-6 win over the Rams. They have an excellent chance at finishing in the No. 3 spot in the NFC playoff structure, although their NFC Central lead could be vulnerable if they lose at home to the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 and on the road to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17.

The Dallas Cowboys (8-5) are the hottest team in the NFL with five straight victories, and that has given them a two-game lead in the NFC East. Like the Bears, they are in excellent shape to win their division, but they have more work to do with road games at Indianapolis and the New York Giants in Weeks 15 and 17 in addition to a home game against Tampa Bay in Week 16.

The Seattle Seahawks (7-5) and the Vikings (6-5-1) are holding on to the NFC's two wild-card spots, and that will still be the case after those two teams play Monday night in Seattle.

The Panthers (6-7), Eagles (6-7) and Redskins are all chasing the two wild-card leaders, and the Packers (5-7-1) still have a glimmer of hope.

The New York Giants (5-8), Detroit Lions (5-8) and Tampa Bay (5-8) would need multiple losses by Seattle and Minnesota to have a chance, while the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) are still alive, but just barely.

Predictions

AFC Playoff Predictions

1. Kansas City

2. New England

3. Houston

4. Pittsburgh

5. L.A. Chargers

6. Tennessee

The AFC is fairly clear, and the expectation is the Chiefs and Patriots will come away with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, while the Texans will win the AFC South and earn the No. 3 seed. The Chargers will finish as the top wild-card team as the No. 5 seed.

The Steelers could see their losing streak stretch to five games if they lose to the Patriots and Saints, but they could still win the division if they close with a home win over the Bengals.

The Ravens are likely to finish at 8-8 with two losses in their final three games, while the Browns could tie the Steelers at 8-7-1 if they sweep their final three games on the road against Denver, at home against Cincinnati and in the season finale at Baltimore.

However, even if that happens, the Steelers would win the division based on their 1-0-1 record against the Browns.

The final wild-card spot could come down to the Week 17 game between the Colts and Titans at Tennessee.

NFC Playoff Predictions

1. New Orleans

2. L.A. Rams

3. Chicago

4. Dallas

5. Seattle

6. Minnesota 

The Bears and Cowboys should join the Saints and Rams as division winners in the NFC. New Orleans and Los Angeles should secure the two top seeds.

Seattle and Minnesota appear to have the best chance of holding on to the wild-card spots, but if either one gets caught, the Green Bay Packers may have the best chance of stealing the final spot. That's because the Panthers and Redskins are in terrible slumps, while the Eagles have to play a road game against the Rams, a home game against the Texans, and they will close the year on the road against the Redskins.

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