NFL Wild Card Predictions: Ranking the Teams with the Best Chance of Getting in

With three weeks remaining in the season, the NFL playoff picture has started to take shape.  

The Packers, Saints, Texans and 49ers are all in, having clinched their respective divisions.

The AFC North is currently a two way battle with the Steelers and Ravens both sitting at 10-3.  

The Broncos took a nice lead in the AFC West today, advancing to 8-5 with a win over the Bears, while the 7-6 Raiders dropped one game below them, losing to the Packers.

In the AFC East, the Patriots lead the Jets by two games with a 10-3 record and appear likely to win their division.

Meanwhile in the NFC, only the East is left to be decided. At 7-6, the Giants and Cowboys will battle it out in these next few weeks for the top spot.   

As for everybody else, a number of teams will need two or three good wins to clinch Wild Card spots.

Take a look ahead for teams with the best chances of getting in on a Wild Card. 

Atlanta Falcons

Winning on Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons kept their chances for a Wild Card berth alive and well.

At 8-5, the Falcons have games against Jacksonville, New Orleans and Tampa Bay remaining, and at least two of these three are winnable.

As it stands right now, the Falcons would be the fifth seed in for the NFC North, along with Detroit at No. 6, leaving Dallas and Chicago both on the outside looking in.

The Falcons can afford to drop a game, even if the Bears and Cowboys win out, and still get in the playoffs.

Projections

Week 15: WINS Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, New York

Week 16: WINS Detroit, Dallas, New York

               LOSSES Atlanta, Chicago

Week 17: WINS Atlanta, New York, Chicago

               LOSSES Detroit, Dallas

Rank No. 1 Atlanta gets in with the fifth seed

Notes: Loses to the Saints in Week 16

New York Giants

With a win over the Cowboys today, the Giants greatly helped their playoff chances. However, they still need to finish strong, as a Week 17 match up with Dallas is still looming.

Remaining on the Giants schedule are the Redskins, which should be a win, the Jets, which could go either way, and the Cowboys. Even if the Giants lose to the Jets, a win over the Cowboys will still get them in.

The way things will likely shape up, the Week 17 match-up will be the most crucial for both of these teams.

Projections

Week 15: WINS Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, New York

Week 16: WINS Detroit, Dallas, New York

               LOSSES Atlanta, Chicago

Week 17: WINS Atlanta, New York, Chicago

               LOSSES Detroit, Dallas

Rank No. 2 New York Wins out and gets in with fourth seed

Notes: Win in Week 17 is a must

Detroit Lions

The Lions have the Raiders, Chargers and Packers left on their schedule and are competing with the Bears, Falcons and Cowboys to get in.

With the schedule which remains, the Lions could go 2-1 and finish with the sixth seed.

Pretty much the only way the Lions don't get in is if the Bears win out and the Lions drop one, or if the Lions completely bomb and lose all three. The Lions can likely afford to lose two more games and still get in.

Projections

Week 15: WINS Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, New York

Week 16: WINS Detroit, Dallas, New York

               LOSSES Atlanta, Chicago

Week 17: WINS Atlanta, New York, Chicago

               LOSSES Detroit, Dallas

Rank No. 3 Detroit gets in with the sixth seed

Notes: Detroit loses to Green Bay in Week 16

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are currently in a tight race in the NFC East with the New York Giants, but lost the lead by losing to them on Sunday.  Although both teams have 7-6 records, the Giants now hold the tie breaker, but the two teams will face each other one last time in Week 17.

If Dallas wins out, defeating the Buccaneers, Eagles and then the Giants, they will be in and the Giants will be out. However, if Dallas loses, the Giants will be in and the Cowboys will be out.

The chances of Dallas beating the Bucs and Eagles are good, leaving the all-important Week 17 match-up.

The Giants have the Redskins and Jets remaining and if they lose to one of them—and the Cowboys win both of their games—then they will have to win in Week 17.

The Cowboys, on the other hand, have little room for error.  If the Cowboys drop a game before the Giants and then beat the Giants, they still won't get in.

Projections

Week 15: WINS Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, New York

Week 16: WINS Detroit, Dallas, New York

               LOSSES Atlanta, Chicago

Week 17: WINS Atlanta, New York, Chicago

               LOSSES Detroit, Dallas

Rank No. 4

Chicago Bears

The Bears are the longest shot in the NFC to get into the playoffs. Not only are the Bears 0-3 with Hanie at quarterback, but even winning two out of the three to finish will not get them in.

While the Bears can likely beat the Seahawks in Week 15, they will not have what it takes to beat Green Bay in Week 16. Although we can give them the edge in Week 17 against the Vikings, that will be no cake walk either. 

No Cutler and no Forte likely equals no playoffs for the Bears.

Projections

Week 15: WINS Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, New York

Week 16: WINS Detroit, Dallas, New York

               LOSSES Atlanta, Chicago

Week 17: WINS Atlanta, New York, Chicago

               LOSSES Detroit, Dallas

Rank No. 5 Wins two out of three, but loses to Green Bay and does not get in

New York Jets

As the AFC stands, count New England, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Denver and Houston all in, leaving just one Wild Card spot for New York, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Oakland to fight over.

Granted none of these teams are officially in except Houston, but their chances look pretty good. At 10-3, it's almost guaranteed that Baltimore and Pittsburgh will both get in. Denver has the closest fight, but even just winning one out of their last three would likely get them in the playoffs.

The New York Jets have won their last three games, putting them in a good position to make the playoffs with a Wild Card.  Remaining on the Jets' schedule are two winnable games against Miami and Philadelphia and one up in the air, at home against New York.

If the Jets can beat Miami and Philadelphia, then they can likely get in win or lose against New York.

Look at the projections to see how.

Projections

Week 15: WINS New England, New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee

       LOSSES Oakland, Denver

Week 16: WINS New England, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee, Oakland, Denver 

               LOSSES New York

Week 17: WINS Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York, New England, Houston, Denver, Oakland

               LOSSES Tennessee, Cincinnati

Rank No. 1 Jets get in with sixth seed

Notes: This is with the Jets winning two out of three and losing at home to New York in Week 16, which could likely go either way.

Tennessee Titans

Losing to the Saints on Sunday, the Tennessee Titans saw their playoff hopes take a big hit. The loss allowed the Texans to clinch the AFC South title and now at 7-6, they would likely have to win out in order to make the playoffs—a feat that may be hard to do facing the Texans in Week 17.

However, to the Titans' benefit, there is a good chance that the Texans will rest some guys in Week 17, giving them an outside shot.  As things stand right now, the Titans have a slight lead over the Raiders and the Bengals, based on tie breakers and two very winnable games against the Colts and Jaguars left.

If the Titans can beat those two teams and pull off the win against Houston, they could possibly edge out the Jets.

Projections

Week 15: WINS New England, New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee

       LOSSES Oakland, Denver

Week 16: WINS New England, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee, Oakland, Denver 

               LOSSES New York

Week 17: WINS Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York, New England, Houston, Denver, Oakland

               LOSSES Tennessee, Cincinnati

Rank No. 2 This is very hard as they either sneak in with the sixth seed, or drop a game leaving them on the outside looking in

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are another team who have struggled as of late, losing their last two—including one to Miami—and missing a number of their offensive players.

On Sunday the Raiders got destroyed by the Packers 46-16 and that may have all but sealed their playoff chances.

With the remaining schedule consisting of the Lions, Chiefs and Chargers, the Raiders have an outside shot of winning out, which would probably get them in with a six seed. But this would be difficult to do the way they are playing right now.

Projections

Week 15: WINS New England, New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee

       LOSSES Oakland, Denver

Week 16: WINS New England, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee, Oakland, Denver 

               LOSSES New York

Week 17: WINS Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York, New England, Houston, Denver, Oakland

               LOSSES Tennessee, Cincinnati

Rank No. 3 The Raiders win two of three, beating the Chiefs and Chargers, but miss the playoffs losing to the Lions next week.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have not been strong in the second half of the season, losing four out of the last five, and this will likely cost them the playoffs.

A close last second loss to the Texans on Sunday proved very costly to the Bengals playoff chances.

While the Bengals can likely win two out of the last three—against the Rams and Cardinals—it is not likely they will beat the Ravens in Week 17, which means they would probably miss the playoffs. However, if they beat the Ravens and won the other two games, they would sneak in with a sixth seed.

Projections

Week 15: WINS New England, New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee

       LOSSES Oakland, Denver

Week 16: WINS New England, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Houston, Tennessee, Oakland, Denver 

               LOSSES New York

Week 17: WINS Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York, New England, Houston, Denver, Oakland

               LOSSES Tennessee, Cincinnati

Rank No. 4 Cincinnati loses to Baltimore and misses playoffs