Since everyone else has put in their speculation on the playoffs, I thought I would do the same.
On the AFC side, the Buffalo Bills are currently in the #1 seed spot with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals right behind them. Jacksonville is holding at #4 while the Baltimore Ravens, the LA Chargers and the Miami Dolphins round out the field.
The Bills and Bengals face each other on Monday night which will have seeding implications. If the Bills win, they will effectively lock in the #1 seed as it is unlikely they will lose to the Patriots in Week 18. If the Bengals win, the Chiefs will move to the #1 seed (assuming they beat Denver) and the Bengals will push up to the #2 seed. If the Ravens also lose to the Steelers the night before, the Bengals will also win the North Division. The Bengals have an outside chance of taking the overall #1 seed but they would need the Chiefs to drop a game to either the Denver Broncos or the Las Vegas Raiders, both of whom are freefalling. But they are divisional opponents, so anything is possible. Of course, the Bengals could also fall to the #5 seed if they lose to the Bills and then lose to the Ravens next week, so wild swings abound.
On the lower ends of things, the Ravens and Chargers have locked playoff appearances and are pretty set in the #5 and 6 seeds (unless the Ravens manage to win the division). The #7 seed is being contested by 4 teams: Miami, New England, the NY Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are a long shot and if Miami wins either in Week 17 or Week 18, they are out. Similarly, if the Jets win against Seattle this week, they are also out. Personally, I think there is too much talent on the Dolphins not to win one of their two games and take the #7 spot, even with their starting QB out with a concussion. If they do collapse, my gut says that the Jets will take their place.
On the NFC side, the Philadelphia Eagles should lock the #1 seed this weekend, locking Dallas in as the #5 seed. The Minnesota Vikings and the San Francisco 49ers have won their divisions and currently sit in the #2 and 3 seeds. I don't really see the 49ers losing either of their last two games while the Vikings might drop one so a flop in seeding is highly possible. The #4 seed is either going to be the Tampa Bay Bucs or the Carolina Panthers with this week's game between the two likely to decide things. My gut says that the Bucs will find a way, especially with their defense getting back to full strength.
On the lower end, the NY Giants and the Washington Commanders hold the last two spots, with Seattle, Detroit and Green Bay fighting to get in. I think the Giants will hold on, not only for a playoff spot, but the #6 seed as well. The rest is much more up in the air. The Commanders finish against Cleveland and Dallas. Cleveland is a winnable game and I think Dallas will be resting folks, making a Commanders victory easier. If they win out, they are in. I think Seattle will lose to the Jets, putting them in a bad spot. Green Bay has to win their last two games against the Vikings and the Lions, which also seems like a tall order, while Detroit plays Chicago and then finishes at Lambeau.
As I said, I think the Commanders win out, making all this moot, but of the remaining, I think the easiest path is for the Detroit Lions. They looked bad against the Panthers but they should beat the Bears and then its against the Packers for all the marbles. While the Packers have been on a hot streak, I don't see them having actually fixed what was wrong earlier in the season and think they will lose to the Vikings tomorrow. But I'm kinda hoping they do win, just to add that much more drama in Week 18.
So as of right now, the AFC is:
Bills bye
#7 Dolphins at #2 Chiefs
# 6 Chargers at #3 Bengals
#5 Ravens at #4 Jaguars
The NFC is:
Eagles bye
#7 Commanders at #2 Vikings
#6 Giants at #3 49ers
#5 Cowboys at #4 Bucs
