NFL Playoff Picture: The Latest Look at How the 2011 Postseason Is Shaking out

This is what the NFL playoff picture looks like before any of Week 15's action kicks off. 

Will it stay the same? Not likely. 

Let's analyze the playoff race as it comes down to the final three weeks. 

NFC 

1. Green Bay Packers (13-0)

2. San Francisco 49ers (10-3)

3. New Orleans Saints (10-3)

4. New York Giants (7-6)

5. Atlanta Falcons (8-5)

6. Detroit Lions (8-5)

The Packers can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win this week or a 49ers loss. Green Bay plays in Kansas City, and San Fran hosts the Steelers.

The Saints, and more specifically Drew Brees, are extremely hot right now, and after a relatively tough stretch, they get a bit of a break this week against a porous Vikings secondary. Hopping the 49ers for that No. 2 seed would be huge for the Saints. They're so incredibly energized at home, they need to host that second-round game.

As for the Giants, they're in the drivers seat to capture the NFC East title, but will most likely have to beat the Cowboys at home in the season finale to ultimately win the division.

The Falcons do get the Saints one more time, but with their other games against the Jaguars and Buccaneers, they should make the postseason. 

The Lions won't have it as easy. They face a testy Raiders team this week and still have the Packers on the schedule.   

AFC 

1. Houston Texans (10-3)

2. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)

3. New England Patriots (10-3)

4. Denver Broncos (8-5)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)

6. New York Jets (8-5)

You've got to hand it to the Texans. They've overcome an unfathomable amount of injuries to critical positions, and precisely when you think they'll fold as they've done in the past, they've made the plays to emerge victorious. Who would have ever thought T.J. Yates would lead a last-second, game-winning drive against a stout Bengals defense on the road to clinch the franchise's first postseason berth?

With their defense and running game, they're a scary playoff club. 

The Ravens are my current Super Bowl favorite for the AFC. They simply need to give Ray Rice 20 or more carries to take pressure of Joe Flacco. When Baltimore does that and plays their typical defense, they're tough to beat. 

I expect Tom Brady and Co. to squeak by the Denver Tebows this week en route to an another AFC East title. I'm just wondering how they'll fare at home in the postseason against a great team like the Steelers.  Because I don't have a ton of faith in the consistency of the Raiders, the Broncos should qualify for the postseason. The defense is solid, and Tebow is improving as a passer. Also, the end of the schedule isn't brutal.

Pittsburgh's in, no doubt in my mind, but there's a good chance they'll have to win a few games on the road to advance to another Super Bowl.

The Jets are a dark horse because of the talent on their defense, but they just seem more flawed to me this year than ever before. Then again, no one had much faith in Mark Sanchez the last two postseasons.

You never know.