NFL Playoff Picture: 5 Ways Week 14 Could Shake Everything Up

With 13 weeks in the rear view mirror, we're getting to that time of year in the NFL where every win and every loss has a significant meaning in terms of the playoff picture. Let's quickly run down a couple of ways Week 14 could shake up the current playoff picture as it stands. 

For a current outlook on the playoff picture leading into Week 14, click here. 

If the Giants beat the Cowboys...

New York moves into the driver's seat in the NFC East. A head-to-head win over the Cowboys gives the Giants a tiebreaker at 7-6. Depending on what the Falcons, Lions and Bears did in their Week 14 games, Dallas would likely be on the outside looking in with a loss at home to New York.

If the Broncos beat the Bears...

Denver stays in control of the AFC West regardless of what Oakland does in Green Bay. The Bears, on the other hand, could fall from the No. 5 seed in the NFC to out of the picture altogether. The Lions host the 2-10 Vikings and the Falcons go to 4-8 Carolina. If both teams win and Chicago falls, the Bears are on the outside looking in.

If the Bengals beat the Texans...  

Cincinnati would have a firm grasp on the AFC's final wild-card position by increasing their tiebreaker (conference record) over both the Jets and Raiders. Over the final three weeks, Cincinnati has two winnable games with St. Louis and Arizona. Ten wins should get the Bengals into the playoffs. A loss for the Texans wouldn't be catastrophic, but coupled with a Titans win against the Saints could put the pressure on Houston down the stretch.

If Texans beat the Bengals...

The Jets, Titans and Raiders have golden opportunities to jump into the AFC's final wild-card spot. At 7-5, each team is held out of the position by a tiebreaker. The Jets have a very winnable game with the Chiefs while the Titans welcome New Orleans and the Raiders travel to Green Bay. If Houston takes care of business in Cincinnati, the Jets should be looking at a playoff spot.

If the Panthers beat the Falcons...

Atlanta could be in trouble in the short term. A loss would drop their conference record—a major tiebreaker—to 5-5. If you're also giving Detroit a win at home against Minnesota, Detroit takes a one-game lead over the Falcons. That puts pressure on the Falcons to potentially win out. However, the Falcons still hold a head-to-head tiebreaker—the trump card—over the Lions.