The 2015 NFL Season is heading into its final four weeks, and there are two things we know about the playoffs through the current standings: The Carolina Panthers are NFC South champions and will be there, while the Cleveland Browns are officially out of the race, although they were never in it to begin with.
NFC
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Leaders | |||||||||||
| 1 | Carolina Panthers | South | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3–0 | 8–0 | .431 | .431 | W12 |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 4–1 | 7–1 | .410 | .400 | W6 |
| 3 | Green Bay Packers | North | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 3–2 | 6–3 | .507 | .438 | W1 |
| 4 | Washington Redskins | East | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 2–2 | 5–4 | .507 | .400 | L1 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 3–1 | 5–3 | .465 | .396 | L1 |
| 6 | Seattle Seahawks | West | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 2–2 | 6–4 | .556 | .429 | W3 |
| In the Hunt | |||||||||||
| 7 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 3–1 | 5–3 | .458 | .403 | W1 |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 0–3 | 4–5 | .431 | .389 | L5 |
| 9 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 2–2 | 3–6 | .500 | .500 | W1 |
| 10 | New York Giants | East | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 2–3 | 4–5 | .458 | .417 | L3 |
| 11 | Chicago Bears | North | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 1–3 | 2–6 | .542 | .450 | L1 |
| 12 | St. Louis Rams | West | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | 3–1 | 3–5 | .556 | .479 | L5 |
| 13 | Detroit Lions | North | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | 2–3 | 3–5 | .583 | .479 | L1 |
| 14 | New Orleans Saints | South | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | 1–3 | 3–6 | .556 | .438 | L4 |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | 0–5 | 3–7 | .563 | .479 | W1 |
| 16 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | 3–2 | 3–7 | .521 | .417 | W1 |
The interesting thing about the NFC is that no one is out of the picture. Last season the two wild card teams had 11 wins (Detroit and Arizona). This season it might take a lot less to get in. The Dallas Cowboys at 4-8 are in the picture mostly because they’re still in the hunt for the spot because they can win the awful NFC East, but even the 49ers, Saints, Lions and Rams at 4-8 still have a shot at one of the wild card spots because right now, the Seahawks aren’t getting away, although they do seem to be picking up the right kind of form right on time.
The Panthers are the only team with the playoff in their hands, winning the division. They can clinch home field advantage with three more wins or some combination of a Cardinals loss. The Packers, battling the Minnesota Vikings for the division title, aren’t going to catch up with them. The Washington Redskins? At 5-7, the best record the NFC East can produce, they’re not the best team in the NFC East though, and won’t worry anyone against them, not in the regular season or in the playoffs, if they make it.
AFC
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Leaders | |||||||||||
| 1 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 4–0 | 8–1 | .438 | .392 | W2 |
| 2 | Denver Broncos | West | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 3–1 | 6–2 | .479 | .467 | W3 |
| 3 | New England Patriots | East | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 4–0 | 7–1 | .486 | .458 | L2 |
| 4 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 3–0 | 5–4 | .563 | .486 | L1 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 3–1 | 6–2 | .569 | .488 | W6 |
| 6 | New York Jets | East | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 2–2 | 5–4 | .444 | .381 | W2 |
| In the Hunt | |||||||||||
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 1–2 | 4–4 | .500 | .405 | W1 |
| 8 | Buffalo Bills | East | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 3–2 | 5–5 | .542 | .444 | W1 |
| ] | Houston Texans | South | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 2–1 | 4–3 | .528 | .472 | L1 |
| 10 | Oakland Raiders | West | 5 | 7 | 0 | .455 | 1–1 | 5–3 | .486 | .317 | L1 |
| 11 | Miami Dolphins | East | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 0–5 | 3–6 | .465 | .383 | W1 |
| 12 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | 1–3 | 4–6 | .493 | .375 | L2 |
| 13 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | 2–2 | 3–6 | .458 | .333 | L1 |
| 14 | San Diego Chargers | West | 3 | 9 | 0 | .273 | 0–2 | 2–5 | .514 | .278 | L1 |
| 15 | Tennessee Titans | South | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 1–3 | 1–7 | .458 | .389 | W1 |
| Eliminated from playoff contention | |||||||||||
| 16 | Cleveland Browns | North | 2 | 10 | 0 | .167 | 1–4 | 2–8 | .535 | .292 | L7 |
Two interesting things in the AFC right now: The Patriots no longer have a hold on the top spot and might end up losing home field advantage which seemed sewn up from day 1 of the season, while the Bengals and Broncos have a god at who doesn’t crumble under the pressure. The Indianapolis Colts? There’s nothing to worry about.
Another interesting thing is that the hottest team in the league, the Kansas City Chiefs, are in fantastic position to keep on holding on to one of the wild card spots. The Jets are better than last year but you never know with them. The Steelers have a great offense but a defense that can fall apart at any minutes. The Bills are like the Jets, only with a crazier head coach. The Texans and the Colts will win the second worst division in football, and it doesn’t really matter who wins the division. They’re not doing anything in the playoffs.
Oh, and the Browns are the only team mathematically out of the playoffs. Rebuilding process number 15 is coming up.