NFL

NFL Playoff picture: Who's in, who's out and who's still fighting?

The countdown to the NFL postseason is on.

Congratulations to Dallas, the first club to secure its playoff berth. Who's next? Who's heading in the right and wrong directions entering Week 14? Let's take a closer look.

Current NFC playoff standings

1. Cowboys (11-1): After winning ugly in Minnesota on Thursday night, they have extra rest to prepare for the home stretch: at Giants, vs. Bucs, vs. Lions, at Eagles. Save for a complete collapse, Dallas should soon clinch the NFC East. The NFC's No. 1 seed isn't far behind, though three consecutive playoff clubs stand in their way.

2. Seahawks (8-3-1): Offensively, it feels like Seattle might be readying for another dominant stretch drive. The division is well within reach but the loss of Earl Thomas — and how Seattle adjusts to unchartered waters — should decide its Super Bowl candidacy.

3. Lions (8-4): Their first NFC North title ever is so close they can taste it, yet so far away with tough NFC East road games sandwiched between the Bears coming to town Sunday and the Packers visiting in the finale for what the Lions hope isn't the division's fourth season culminating in a NFC North title game in Week 17.

4. Falcons (7-5): They currently hold the tiebreaker over Tampa, but the Falcons' grip on the division has grown increasingly tenuous as the Bucs' surge continues. Atlanta has a great offense and improved, albeit banged-up 'D,' but it was bested in the third phase by the Chiefs' perennially superb special teams. The remaining schedule — at LA, vs. SF, at CAR, vs NO — is favorable.

5. Giants (8-4): Their longest winning streak — six games — since the 2008 Super Bowl season was snapped in Pittsburgh, where the offense went cold. The G-Men are awaiting an MRI on the injured groin of Jason Pierre-Paul, a potential gut punch to their Super Bowl ambitions. They're clinging to the first wild card but a Week 17 road game in Washington could loom large.

6. Buccaneers (7-5): Tampa is riding a four-game winning streak, buoyed by an increasingly opportunistic defense accounting for 11 takeaways over that span. They still can catch the Falcons, but with two left vs. the Saints, they can easily fall behind New Orleans and out of the playoff picture as well.

Alive and well:

Washington (6-5-1): After dropping its second straight and reportedly being read the riot act by Jay Gruden in the aftermath of Sunday's loss to Arizona for lackluster preparation (should Gruden be chewing himself out, then?), Washington can still rebound, but that London tie could come back to haunt.

Green Bay (6-6): The Pack must first get back above .500 with a win over Seattle, then get at least a little help in the form of a Detroit loss.

On a ventilator:

Vikings (6-6): At 2-4 in the division, having been swept by the Lions, they need help.

Cardinals (5-6-1): Arizona remained relevant by upsetting Washington, but it trails Seattle by three games with a head-to-head left in Week 16.

Current AFC playoff standings:

1. Raiders (10-2): Darlings of the AFC at the moment, they're also a loss on 'Thursday Night Football' in Kansas City from falling out of the AFC West driver's seat. The Raiders have been crunch-time heroes, but they could use a comfortable victory along the way with an uncomfortable remaining docket: at KC, at SD, vs. IND and at DEN.

2. Patriots (10-2): Three postseason clubs left, including two on the road. New England isn't out of the cold yet, though its eighth consecutive postseason berth is a fait accompli.

3. Ravens (7-5): If the offense can build on its pummeling of Miami, perhaps the Ravens, deadlocked with the Steelers, are the team to beat in AFC North. But if not, with trips to Foxborough and Pittsburgh over the next three weeks, they could also soon be on the outside of the tournament looking in.

4. Texans (6-6): Houston has lost three consecutive games and, although Brock Osweiler finally did his part in Sunday's road loss in Green Bay, its overall trajectory isn't encouraging. Moreover, road trips to Indianapolis, which can pull into a three-way tie in the NFL's worst division with a win at the Jets on Monday night, and Tennessee, are a tall order. The health of Jadeveon Clowney, inactive Sunday with elbow and wrist injuries, is vital, but so is the Texans' 3-0 division mark.

5. Chiefs (9-3): Monstrous playmaking ability on defense and special teams continues covering for the offense, where Andy Reid should still get back Jeremy Maclin, and Travis Kelce has found another gear in his absence. After road wins in Denver and Atlanta, the Chiefs, not Oakland, can make the best case for being the conference's second-best team.

6. Broncos (8-4): In the case of Trevor Siemian, absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder. Will his injured foot mend in time for a Week 14 trip to Nashville? After watching Paxton Lynch struggle in a win in Jacksonville, would Gary Kubiak dare trying to preserve Siemian for Week 15 vs. the Patriots?

Alive and well:

Steelers (7-5): They're dangerous, for sure, especially as the defense continues taking it away and limiting opponents from scoring: six combined takeaways and 30 total points allowed during three-game ascent.

Dolphins (7-5): The 'Phins now need help from Denver after getting rocked in Baltimore.

Colts (5-6): Having the best quarterback in a log-jammed division is huge. Still having road trips to Minnesota and Oakland in Weeks 15 and 16, respectively, is a huge challenge, assuming Luck can stay upright.

Titans (6-6): They've already been swept by the Colts and sit at just 1-2 in the AFC South, not to mention a pair of AFC West battles that loom. But hosting the Texans in Week 17 ultimately gives Tennessee more than a puncher's chance if it can deliver a few knockouts along the way.

On a ventilator:

Bills (6-6): They're at 1-3 in the division and reeling after becoming the latest team to fall prey to the Raiders' comeback magic.

Visit ProFootballWeekly.com | View Latest E-Edition