NFL Power Rankings: Would-Be Playoff Teams Heading in Wrong Direction

As the NFL moves toward the stretch drive, teams with postseason aspirations need to be locking up their divisions or scrambling to the top of the wild-card heap. These three may yet make the playoffs, but all their momentum is moving toward the bottom of the standings:

Cincinnati Bengals

A soft early schedule let the Bengals climb into AFC North contention, but reality has set in over the last two weeks. It’s not that the Bengals haven’t played well against the Steelers and Ravens, but two division losses are still two division losses.

With two more division opponents coming up next (including a visit to Pittsburgh), Cincy’s fate could be decided sooner rather than later. If A.J. Green’s knee injury doesn’t heal fast, it’s hard to like the Bengals’ chances of staying in the playoff hunt.

New York Jets

Just when it looked like Gang Green had gotten on track with three straight wins, a pair of awful performances in losses to New England and Denver have dropped them back 5-5. The defense may be good, but if the offense doesn’t start scoring more than 20 points a game again, it won’t be good enough.

The Jets have a legitimate shot to win out from here, as they play only one more team with a record above .500 (the inconsistent Giants). They would do well to start their turnaround next week, though, as they host the Bills in a matchup that could prove to be a wild-card elimination game.

Buffalo Bills

After a hot start highlighted by a home upset of New England, the Bills have come crashing back to earth. Today’s embarrassing 35-8 loss—their fourth in five games—came at the hands of the last-place Dolphins and sent Buffalo to 5-5 on the year.

Fred Jackson and company have ample opportunity to turn things around, with three of their final six games being eminently winnable home dates against Tennessee, Miami and Denver. However, it’s looking more likely that they’ll continue their slide with a road loss to the Jets next week, after which the rest of the schedule probably won’t matter.