It all depends. Usually we are used to the fact that the last game of the regular season is a soft coast in the playoffs. Yes, there’s always a two-way game that will sort things out — but nothing like that.
It looks like there are still seven playoff spots in the NFC and AFC, with up to four different teams that can shake the order and sneak past week 17. It’s a remarkable end to a bizarre season, and this week we’re going to look a little further into the games that will decide the playoffs.
The AFC had just had a team on the bubble with a dozen different scenarios about how they might get in. The Colts could finish with an 11-5 record and miss the playoffs because of the overall strength of the conference. The easiest way for them right now was to take care of their own case against Jacksonville, which everyone but one of our panelists thinks they’ll do, but Cleveland also loses to the Steelers.
Pittsburgh has been a hot mess in recent weeks, which has led the majority of pundits to pick them, but it’s not as if the Browns are more reliable. Heck, they would definitely be there if they beat the Jets last week. Instead, they blew it and left the door open to bounce back.
NFC is where things get even wilder. The whole Northeast is still up for grabs. Washington is in the driver’s seat right now, but the Cowboys and Giants could win, depending on how this weekend unfolds. A WFT win over the Eagles seals it, and this week there is a split between the panel. Dallas and New York could also do so, with experts mainly believing the Cowboys to get the job done.
But that’s not all we see in the NFC. The Cardinals try to sneak in and the Bears try to hang on. Of those games, it’s Arizona that has the easiest way to play the Rams this week. It’s not that it’s a simple game in itself — but the Bears play the Packers. Everyone thinks Green Bay will win this one, and the Packers have been in a role throughout the season.