NFL Playoff Picture: Teams With Most on the Line in Week 16
With only a couple weeks left in the NFL season, parts of the playoff picture are becoming clear.
The Patriots are in the playoffs and will probably have home field advantage, and the Panthers and Bengals will be sitting at home watching. Then again, they pretty much have been out since Week 8.
With two games separating all 32 football teams from the playoffs, for some, it's win or go home, and for some, it's win twice and hope the right teams lose or go home.
For these 10 teams, a win in Week 16 would mean everything. More importantly, for these 10 teams, a playoff berth stemming from a win this week would either acknowledge the expectations placed on them this season, or continue their improbable run.
Honorable Mention: Kansas City Chiefs
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Unlike the others on the list who are fighting to make sure they're in the playoffs, the Chiefs are mainly fighting for a division win (though they could still miss the playoffs).
They face the Titans, who finally seem to be getting back on track, and they'll need that win, or else the Oakland Raiders game at the end of the year will give the silver and black an opportunity to play spoiler.
Honorable Mention: San Francisco 49ers
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The 49ers should be out of the playoff picture with their 5-9 record. Because of how bad the NFC West is, they are only one game out of first.
If the Seahawks lose their game and they beat the Rams, suddenly they'll be in a three-way tie for first, which is sad in a way.
Perhaps there will be a divisional change in the offseason?
10. New Orleans Saints
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It should be a safe bet that the Saints are in the playoffs, but if they lose to the Falcons and the Buccaneers win, then suddenly there could be trouble.
At 10-4, they should have a playoff spot in hand, but if they end up 10-5 and rank along with a couple 9-6 teams, then Week 17 will become more important.
This is a big game simply because they can clinch a playoff spot with a win and not have to worry.
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9. New York Giants
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At 9-5, the Giants still have the upper hand in the NFC playoff battle, but after the way they lost to the Eagles, they could very well be reeling.
As a team, they will need to shake that off and defeat the Packers, who could steal the Giants' playoff spot if they lose.
If they win, they are in the playoffs.
8. Indianapolis Colts
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Suddenly, the Colts have gone from being almost out of the playoffs, to right back in the thick of the race.
The Raiders are not going to go down quietly, so they'll need to bring their best game.
They may have beaten the Jaguars last week to tie with them, but a loss here and a win by Jacksonville puts them on the outside looking in, somewhere the Colts are not used to being.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Buccaneers are 99 percent out of the playoff race.
If they win this Sunday's game against the Seahawks though, that number comes down quite a bit, as they will face the one team they need to in the final game of the season: the Saints.
Granted, if the Saints win, then this game will not matter, so all the Bucs can do is go out and win.
6. Oakland Raiders
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The Raiders are in the exact same boat as the Bucs, only they need to win their division.
They face the Colts in their most important game of the year, simply because if they win and the Chiefs lost their game, then the rivalry game between the two in the final week of the season will mean more than it has in a long time, especially if the Chargers lose in Week 16.
5. Seattle Seahawks
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I did not expect them to still be in the playoff hunt this late, I'll be honest.
This game means two things for the Seahawks.
First, a win against Tampa keeps them in the hunt for the division title.
Second, it keeps them in the hunt for a .500 record. Both the Seahawks and Rams want to avoid winning a division title with a sub-.500 record.
4. St. Louis Rams
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This is why Sam Bradford's likely the rookie of the year; he's made the Rams relevant in the playoff hunt already.
They need to win this game for the exact reasons as Seattle, but this game means more because a loss to the 49ers could potentially create a three-way 6-9 tie for first in the NFC West.
That's just embarrassing, and something the Rams want to avoid.
3. San Diego Chargers
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While the Chiefs and Raiders try to win their games, the Chargers will be facing a must-win game as well. They have an easy two games coming up against the Bengals and Broncos.
If they win, then they could be tied for the division lead, whereas if they get upset, then they could very well be eliminated.
Week 17's game could actually end up meaning even more, as the Chiefs-Raiders match could decide their fate.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
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The Jaguars have been the underdogs all year, and looked like they were finally going to clinch the division before losing to the Colts.
Now, they have a must-win game against the Redskins.
It's must-win not only because they should have no problems winning it, but because they need to keep up with the Colts in case they win their game as well.
1. Green Bay Packers
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What happened to the Packers this year? I had them winning the division and making a nice playoff run, but injuries to Ryan Grant and Aaron Rodgers made that task difficult, and now they're on the outside looking in.
They need to win this game against the Giants just to have a shot at making the playoffs, as they'll be tied for that final wild card spot.
If the Bears lose their game this week, then the Bears-Packers rivalry will again be elite, as they will be battling for the divisional crown, and the loser could very well end up out of the playoffs entirely.
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