NFL Playoff Picture: Teams Whose Playoff Dreams Are Nothing More Than a Mirage

We're at that point in the NFL season where we have to start taking the playoff picture seriously, folks. There are only three weeks left in the regular season, and there are seemingly hundreds of different scenarios to consider.

A handful of teams already have playoff spots wrapped up, meaning they will spend the rest of the season jockeying for position and perks like home-field advantage. Others are not as lucky (i.e. not as good) and will spend the rest of the season fighting tooth-and-nail to even make the playoffs.

In my estimation, some of these teams are in pretty good shape, and they will likely be very pleased as long as they take care of their own business.

There are other teams, however, that I think are fighting losing battles. They're technically still in the playoff picture, but realistically, they may as well start getting ready for 2012.

There are five teams whose souls I want to crush. Scroll ahead to share in the fun.

Note: we shall proceed according to records.

Seattle Seahawks (6-7)

The Seahawks didn't have much trouble with the St. Louis Rams on Monday night, pounding them 30-13 to win their fourth game in the last five weeks.

But in order to actually earn that wild-card berth, the Seahawks are going to have to keep winning.

Given the number of teams in the wild-card race, anything less than a 9-7 record is not going to cut it, and the Seahawks certainly won't be sneaking in with a 7-9 record again.

The Seahawks have been playing better of late, but they're the kind of team that you can't trust to do anything in a given week. Their defense is beatable, and we know that their offense is beatable.

It doesn't help that one of Seattle's remaining games is against the San Francisco 49ers, while the other two are on the road against the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals.

I can see the Seahawks finishing strong, but four wins in a row is asking too much from this team.

Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

Speaking of the Cardinals, they're another team that is kinda-sorta-not-really alive in the NFC playoff picture.

Thanks to their huge win against the 49ers on Sunday, the Cardinals are 6-7 and in pretty good standing in the wild-card pecking order. If they finish strong and other teams in the wild-card hunt stumble, the Cardinals could come out of nowhere to return to the playoffs.

But just like the Seahawks, the Cardinals are likely going to have to win out to make the playoffs. Even then, they're going to need too many teams to cooperate by falling flat in the closing weeks.

Arizona's tilt against the Cleveland Browns is not much of a hurdle, but a game at the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 and a game at home against Seattle in Week 17 are not going to be easy contests to win.

By the way, the Cardinals may have to do all this without starting quarterback Kevin Kolb. Per The Arizona Republic, Kolb displayed concussion symptoms after taking a blow to the head against the 49ers, and he will have to pass an array of tests before he can play.

San Diego Chargers (6-7)

The Chargers have turned things around in the last two weeks, but look me in the eye and tell me you think it's for real.

Of course it's not. The Chargers have beaten up on two really bad teams, and they're not going to get to face any more of those the rest of the way.

Just take a look at San Diego's schedule. The Chargers host the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15 and then finish the season at the Detroit Lions and at the Oakland Raiders.

All three of those teams are contenders, and all three of them are capable of making the Chargers look as helpless as they looked during their six-game losing streak.

Is there hope for the Chargers? I guess so. But in order to make the playoffs, they're going to need to win all three games and then hope for the teams around them in the AFC wild-card hunt to crash and burn.

It's far more likely that we'll see the Chargers crash and burn. Again.

Chicago Bears (7-6)

The Bears should have beaten Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos on Sunday. If they had, they would have sent a loud message that their injuries haven't killed their playoff hopes.

But the Bears lost in heartbreaking fashion, and they lost their edge in the NFC wild-card race as a result.

To boot, it's impossible to look at the Bears right now and not conclude that their injuries will be their undoing. Caleb Hanie has been next to useless in place of Jay Cutler, and Marion Barber single-handedly cost the Bears a win with his late-game failures against the Broncos.

Without Cutler and Forte, the Bears are a shell of what they once were. It's hard to imagine them finishing strong against Seattle, Green Bay and Minnesota, the latter two of which are on the road.

It's not the Bears' fault they're in this position; it just so happens they've been dealt some bad cards.

Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)

The Bengals really screwed themselves by losing to the Houston Texans in the final seconds on Sunday. That was a game they should have won, and it would have allowed them to maintain an edge in the AFC wild-card chase.

Now the Bengals are looking at a scenario in which they may not make the playoffs even if they win out.

To make the playoffs, the Bengals need the New York Jets to muck up what is a very easy finish. In addition, they're going to need the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders to fall off the pace.

It's not going to be easy for the Bengals to take care of their own business either. They should be able to beat the Rams in Week 15, but you can't rely on them to beat the Cardinals in Week 16 or the Ravens in Week 17.

I'm willing to bet that the Bengals will lose at least one of their remaining three games. If they do, their season is over. 

Once again, their season will likely be over even if they win all three games.