NFL Playoffs 2019-20: AFC and NFC Predictions for Postseason

Thanks to a bevy of high-profile matchups this weekend, the NFL postseason standings are much closer to solidifying. Three matchups took place between current top-six teams in each conference, while nearly every other game in Week 14 featured at least one playoff hopeful. 

Atop their respective conferences are the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, each of whom defeated a formidable opponent today to run their records to 11-2. The Ravens beat the 9-4 Buffalo Bills on the road 24-17, while the 49ers outgunned the 10-3 New Orleans Saints, also on the road, in a 48-46 instant classic. 

In the third of three super-matchups this weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs edged out the struggling New England Patriots (when's the last time that phrase was used sincerely?) 23-16. 

The Patriots' seeding was unaffected by this loss, as they still own a first-round bye as the second seed. However, with their win, the Chiefs leapfrogged the AFC South leading-Houston Texans to take over the third slot, as Houston lost 38-24 to the Denver Broncos.

NFL Standings

AFC 

Division Leaders

1. Baltimore (11-2) 

2. New England (10-3) 

3. Kansas City (9-4) 

4. Houston (8-5) 

Wild-Card Race

5. Buffalo (9-4)

6. Pittsburgh (8-5) 

7. Tennessee (8-5) 

8. Cleveland (6-7) 

9. Oakland (6-7) 

10. Indianapolis (6-7) 

11. Denver (5-8)

NFC

Division Leaders

1. San Francisco (11-2) 

2. Green Bay (10-3)

3. New Orleans (10-3) 

4. Dallas (6-7) 

Wild-Card Race

5. Seattle (10-2)

6. Minnesota (9-4) 

7. Los Angeles Rams (8-5)

8. Chicago (7-6) 

9. Philadelphia (5-7)

Postseason Predictions

The Texans Will Miss the Playoffs

For a few years now, the Houston Texans have been loaded with high-level stars on both sides of the ball, but have consistently failed to surround their high-profile talent with solid positional depth. This hasn't prevented the team from making the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, but that success may be running out once again. 

Houston has a few good wins on its resume, notably defeating the Chiefs on the road and beating the Patriots last week. But most of their losses are ugly.

They lost to Kyle Allen and the Panthers in Week Four, got mauled 41-7 by the red-hot Ravens last month, and just yesterday lost by two touchdowns to the Broncos and rookie quarterback Drew Lock, who was making his second career start.

Ordinarily, an 8-5 record would situate a team fairly well in the playoff hunt. But the Texans play their biggest threat, the Tennessee Titans, twice over the final three weeks of the season, and the Titans are playing as well as they have in years.

Tennessee has won six of its last seven, scoring over 20 points in each of those games, and though most of their wins have come against non-playoff teams, they're playing consistently good football, a trait that most Titans teams have lacked in recent seasons. And if the Texans lose the AFC South to Tennessee, then they have to contend with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the sixth seed, a team that has over-performed all season. 

Houston could very well find itself on the outside looking in when the calendar flips to January. 

The NFC's Top Three Seeds Will Come Down to the Wire

As of Week 13, there are four teams in the NFC with at least ten wins—the 49ers (11-2), Packers (10-3), Saints (10-3) and Seahawks (10-3). Obviously, the 49ers and Seahawks are both members of the NFC West, so one of those teams will presumably win the first wild card slot and not be a part of the battle for a top seed. However, that division's winner will be, and it will have to duke it out with two other formidable opponents in the Saints and Packers. 

A big step in sorting out the top of the NFC was taken today with San Francisco's defeat of New Orleans. However, of those top four teams, the Niners have the toughest remaining schedule, as they still have to face the Seahawks and Rams one more time each, while Seattle, Green Bay and New Orleans all rank 15th or lower in remaining strength of schedule, per Tankathon. 

The Niners have certainly proven their worth as an NFC heavyweight this season, defeating Green Bay and New Orleans in two of the last three weeks and losing to the Ravens by a field goal in Week 13. But the top of this conference is tight as can be, and so the fate of the entire NFC may rest on that Week 17 San Francisco-Seattle matchup. Get your popcorn ready, folks.