NFL Playoff Picture: Cincinnati Bengals and More Wild Card Winners

When this season began, nobody saw the Bengals even going .500, much less earning a wild-card spot.

Rookies Andy Dalton and A.J. Green saved an offense that was headed for disaster and although the Bengals have dropped four out of their last six games, all four losses have come against teams who are already boasting double-digit wins.

The Bengals get a more manageable task against the Cardinals this week and although the Ravens aren't an ideal team to finish against, Baltimore has four losses on the road this season and not one of those teams boast a winning record.

Both the Steelers and Ravens have already locked down the AFC North and one of the wild-card spots. The division will unexpectedly send three teams to the playoffs when it's all said and done.

Here are the other three teams who'll consume wild-card spots and how the NFL wild-card picture is looking right now.

Baltimore Ravens

After Ben Roethlisberger was pummeled and humiliated in an embarrassing Monday night performance, it's clear that the Steelers either need to sit him or risk limping into the postseason with a quarterback who is less than 100 percent.

That being said, the Steelers finish with the Browns and Rams. They have a better chance of winning out than the Ravens do whether or not Big Ben plays. The Ravens have the tiebreaker, but the 12-win Steelers will bring home the division.

AFC Playoff Picture

Team	Wins	Losses
#New England Patriots	11	3
*Baltimore Ravens	10	4
#Houston Texans	10	4
Denver Broncos	8	6
*Pittsburgh Steelers	10	4
New York Jets	8	6
Cincinnati Bengals	8	6
Tennessee Titans	7	7
Oakland Raiders	7	7
San Diego Chargers	7	7

* - Clinched Playoff Berth
#- Clinched Division

Atlanta Falcons

The NFC Wild Card is far more cut and dry. The Falcons have nine wins and although they don't have a shot at winning the division, they'll still secure one of the wild-card spots.

They have the Saints in front of them, but with a Week 17 gimme at home against the Bucs, the 10-win Falcons are a lock for the postseason. Though the competition is fierce in the NFC, nobody is going to want to face Atlanta come playoff time.

Detroit Lions

The Lions showed off the ability to come from behind once again. Their late-game heroics against the Raiders gave them nine wins on the season and with Calvin Johnson racking up 214 yards and a pair of scores, there is no way Megatron's Lions will be shut out of the playoffs.

The Lions have two tough games against the Chargers and Packers, but even if they lose out, the odds of a team overtaking them in the NFC wild-card picture are still slim.

NFC Playoff Picture

Team	Wins	Losses
#Green Bay Packers	13	1
#San Francisco 49ers	11	3
*New Orleans Saints	11	3
Dallas Cowboys	8	6
Atlanta Falcons	9	5
Detroit Lions	9	5
Seattle Seahawks	7	7
Chicago Bears	7	7
New York Giants	7	7

*-Clinched Playoff Berth
#-Clinched Division

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