NFL Power Rankings Week 15: Indianapolis Colts and 10 Teams with Most To Gain
We are so close to the beginning of the NFL playoffs that we can smell it, but there is still a lot of jostling to be done before the playoff picture clears up a bit, as teams like the Indianapolis Colts are still right in the playoff mix, while others, like the San Francisco 49ers are clinging to life.
This week saw two eliminations, with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins officially being eliminated from playoff contention with losses this past week.
That brings the total number of those eliminated up to seven, which means 25 teams still have at least a mathematical chance of making the playoffs.
There are teams who will need a lot of help from other teams in order to still be able to be playing football in January, but then there are those who can help themselves a lot this week with a win.
So, here are 10 teams that can either improve their playoff standings or make their way closer to grabbing a playoff berth with a win this week.
10. Kansas City Chiefs
1 of 10
Every win the Chiefs get is another game that the surging San Diego Chargers can't overcome.
The Chargers have made a name for themselves in the past years for running together strings of wins down the final stretch of the season and winning the AFC West.
They have never, however, had to chase down a team as good as the Chiefs have been this season.
A win will put Kansas City at 9-5 and will start to make up for the throttling they were given at the hands of the Chargers last week.
9. San Diego Chargers
2 of 10
The Chargers like to live life on the edge, unfortunately for the people of San Diego, they are currently on the wrong edge of the playoff line.
Their win last week over Kansas City, however, as a push in the right direction for them.
This week, they have another game that they can easily win, as they are at home against the San Francisco 49ers.
With a win they will move to 8-6, and will at least keep pace with the Chiefs, while waiting for them to slip up at any point.
8. Miami Dolphins
3 of 10
Don't look now, but the Dolphins have a chance of making the playoffs, and it's not that far-fetched that it ends up that way.
The New York Jets had skated by for a month before skidding to a halt with consecutive losses to New England and Miami, and now the Dolphins look ready to take advantage.
Miami has three winnable games in the coming weeks, and it all starts with the Buffalo Bills this week.
If Miami wins this week, they go into another winnable game against Detroit next week, which would bring them to 9-6 with a trip to New England standing between them and 10-6.
By that time, it is likely that the Patriots will be sitting pretty at 13-2 and would have the No. 1 spot in the AFC clinched.
That would leave a team who would be mostly sitting their starters between Miami and a possible playoff spot.
It all must start this week, however, with a win over Buffalo.
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7. Chicago Bears
4 of 10
After getting embarrassed on their own turf by the Patriots (something that no team should hang their heads at at this point in the season), leaving only a game ahead of the Packers for the division lead.
Thanks to an Aaron Rodgers concussion, leaving the Packers one-dimensional offense without a real quarterback, the Giants lost as well, keeping them away from a tie.
Well, Green Bay has to travel to New England this week, and with that comes about a 94 percent chance of a loss for the Packers.
The Bears must take advantage of that this week in order to put more distance between themselves and the Packers before their Week 17 showdown.
6. New York Jets
5 of 10
The Jets are a healthy 9-4, but they are by no means safe at this point.
Everybody in the football world is calling them frauds, as they had rung up four unimpressive wins before laying two eggs in a span of just six days.
A win over Pittsburgh would be the perfect remedy to their recent sickness.
It would put them up at 10-4, giving them a win total that will almost certainly give them a playoff spot, and it would be a signature win over a team with many good wins to their own accord.
A win would break them off their current streak in which they have played uninspired football, and it would give them a breather from being berated by the media.
5. New York Giants
6 of 10
The Giants and Eagles meet this week in an NFC East showdown that could be the difference maker in the division.
With a win, the Giants would put the head-to-head match-up with Philadelphia tied, with each winning a game, along with putting both teams at 3-2 in the division.
The tie-breaker would then come down to record against common opponents, which is also tied, as both teams are 4-2 against like opponents.
However, taking it a step further, New York would gain the lead in the division, as their win-loss total in the conference would be 8-2, while Philadelphia's would drop to 6-4.
So, a win for the Giants would mean gaining the lead of the division and the fast track to some home games during the playoffs.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
7 of 10
Conversely, a win for the Eagles would all but mean winning the division for Philadelphia.
This will be one of the most important games of the week in terms of playoff positioning, and it will definitely be an explosive one.
If Philadelphia does end up winning the game on Sunday, then all they would have to do to wrap up the division is win one of their final two games against Minnesota and Dallas.
3. NFC West
8 of 10
Everyone's favorite division is basically up for grabs this weekend, as it has been for the past...well...every weekend this year.
All three teams with a legitimate shot at winning the division (I'm not ruling Arizona out yet because the division is so ridiculous, but c'mon man, there's no way...right?) have games that they will most likely lose coming up, because, well none of them are that good quite frankly.
So, if one of these three teams were to somehow end up winning their game this week it would basically put them in control of the division.
San Francisco goes up in a very losable game against San Diego, and an improbable win would likely tie them with Seattle and St. Louis at 6-8, but they would gain the lead of the division with a 3-1 record in the NFC West.
Seattle or St. Louis would each go to 7-7 with wins, each probably taking the lead of the division if one were to win.
It's amazing that such a terrible division is this interesting to me at this point in the season.
2. Indianapolis Colts
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The Colts find themselves in a veritable must-win this weekend in order to keep realistic playoff hopes alive as they face off against the red-hot Jaguars.
A win would leave them tied at 8-6 with Jacksonville and would make for an interesting couple of weeks in the AFC South.
If the Colts were to win, the tiebreaker would come down to their records against common opponents, as they would both have a 3-2 record in the division.
That would put Indianapolis into the division lead as they are 3-2 against common opponents and Jacksonville is 2-3.
That would then come down to the following week's games, as each team plays a team that the other has beat at some point this season. From there, things would get very interesting.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
10 of 10
Jacksonville has missed the playoffs in the past two seasons, and they haven't won a division title since 1999, a win on Sunday would almost certainly change all of that.
If Jacksonville wins on Sunday then they would have to lose both of their final two games, and the Colts would have to win their last two in order for the division lead to change hands again.
A win would all but put the Jaguars in the playoffs, and at a time where they are finally getting their act together and playing terrific football, they would be a challenge for any team.
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