This is an interesting playoff race. One that’s less about who’s getting in and more about how seeding shakes out.
In the AFC, five teams (the Broncos, Patriots, Jaguars, Chargers and Bills) have officially clinched a postseason slot, and we pretty much know who’ll get the remaining two bids: the Steelers and Texans, barring something crazy. The NFC also has five teams locked into the playoff field: the Bears, Eagles and three-fourths of the NFC West (sorry, Cardinals).
The Ravens and Lions aren’t dead yet, but they’re on life support. The one true “coin toss” situation is in the NFC South. The Panthers landed the first blow against the Buccaneers on Sunday, but the all-important Week 18 rematch in Tampa looms.
It might feel like things are fairly settled, but that’s far from the case. The Broncos and Rams were skating toward the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences, but last week’s losses hurt — especially for the Rams, who dropped down to the sixth seed. The NFC West race is remarkably fluid, and the 49ers somehow could steal the darned thing, even if the Rams remain fully capable of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February.
So, are the Seahawks the best team in football? That might be what these very temporary rankings suggest right now, but who knows what this week will bring? It’s a fool’s errand, but we keep fetching answers.
