It was a gut check Sunday in the NFL, with some brutal injuries here, and some rough losses there. The playoff hopes of the Dolphins and Giants are starting to look quite precarious, while the Vikings might be showing some cracks as well. And the NFC South looks all but certain to have a below .500 champion, and everybody loves those. And the Titans might be willing to join the Bucs in the below .500 division champs club as well. That is a tough club to gain access to.
Who is not showing cracks right now? The Philadelphia Eagles made it rain on the Giants at the Meadowlands, and the Bills and Chiefs still look like the class of the AFC, but the Bengals are lurking, ready to pounce, after crushing the Cleveland Browns. And let’s not forget about the true high point of Week 14: the 49ers doing some Purdy Dancing on Tom Brady and the Bucs at home. It is a great week to have an NFL team on the upswing. Sorry for those football fans who do not fall into that category.
Note: These are not power rankings. These are not picks based off any analytical data or insider knowledge. These are picks based off what I have seen during the season so far. I could be wrong, just like I could be right. Either way, I will be back again next week to offer an updated projection to cover any of my past mistakes. Check out the projections from weeks past here:
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13
AFC
1 Seed: Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) AFC West Winner
Keeping Patrick Mahomes off the field might not be enough to beat the Chiefs because apparently they have a pass rush now because life is always better when the rich get richer.
2 Seed: Buffalo Bills (13-4) AFC East Winner
The Bills have one of the true home field advantages in the NFL with how any weekend at Orchard Park can come with a blizzard. Beating Buffalo in the playoffs is going to be tough enough having to contain Josh Allen. Throw in the White Walkers bearing down on top of you and why even bother.
3 Seed: Cincinnati Bengals (12-5) AFC North Winner
I love trend busters, and the Bengals success coupled with the struggled of the Rams have given us an opposite Super Bowl hangover effect and those are the little things in life that make me unnecessarily giddy.
4 Seed: Tennessee Titans (9-8) AFC South Winner
I had them at 11-6 last week so that is all you need to know about my confidence in the Titans right now. And based on how Trevor Lawrence and Evan Engram (who got me a HUGE fantasy win this weekend) undressed the Titans at home, you can probably suspend your confidence in them as well.
5 Seed: Baltimore Ravens (11-6)
The good news is the Ravens can win without Lamar Jackson. The bad news is they have to win without Lamar Jackson against teams not called the Steelers. The other good news is Lamar Jackson should be back for the playoffs. The bad news is Lamar Jackson in the playoffs.
6 Seed: Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
How, you ask? The Chargers’ last four games are against the Flopping Titans, the Fighting Jeff Saturday Colts, the Miracle or Bust Rams and the We Hate Our QB Broncos. Just disband this team if they can’t parlay that into a playoff team.
7 Seed: Miami Dolphins (10-7)
I was listening to 560 WQAM, the Dolphins flagship station in Miami, and all the complaints were around the Dolphins inability to stick to the run and adjust to what the opponents defense throws at them and man did those complaints sound familiar.
NFC
1 Seed: Philadelphia Eagles (15-2) NFC East Winner
I have them losing in Dallas this weekend but that feels like wishful thinking more than anything. I don’t know what is more loaded: this offense or the Eagles fans when the playoffs start.
2 Seed: Minnesota Vikings (12-5) NFC North Winner
Uh oh, are the Vikings crashing back to Earth? They lost a road divisional game against a better than we think Lions team. The Vikings basically have the 2 seed on lockdown and can coast into the playoffs.
3 Seed: San Francisco 49ers (11-6) NFC West Winner
Brock Purdy. That’s it. That’s the blurb.
4 Seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) NFC South Winner
Thank goodness the rest of the NFC South is more inept then all the Tampa Bay Buccaneers not named Tom Brady, who had some great things to say about the 49ers pass rush.
5 Seed: Dallas Cowboys (14-3)
OMG THEY ALMOST LOST TO THE TEXANS!! Yeah, it’s called a trap game and they avoided it. Don’t worry, the embarrassing Cowboys loss is coming, just give it four more weeks. Maybe five.
6 Seed: Washington Commanders (10-6-1)
The Commanders had a week to figure out why they tied with the Giants, so you have to think they figured out a way to add one more point to their score this week right?
7 Seed: Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
The Giants’ collapse is the Seahawks’ gain. No better way to make the playoffs than because some other team gaked on themselves and you just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
AFC WILD CARD ROUND
(2) Bills over (7) Dolphins
The Dolphins were standing under heaters at SoFi Stadium due to how cold it was. It was 55 degrees out. That does not bode well for what they will play like in blizzardland that is Buffalo.
(3) Bengals over (6) Chargers
The Chargers are a fun story. Maybe. The Bengals are a very good team. Good teams top good stories. Usually.
(5) Ravens over (4) Titans
The Titans limp into the playoffs only to put up a 3 spot on the Ravens. I’d say wait until next year, but not sure that applies right now.
NFC WILD CARD ROUND
(2) Vikings over (7) Seahawks
I am willing to believe in the Vikings even though no one else will. And no, believing in them against a slowly fading Seahawks teams is not low hanging fruit you hater.
(5) Cowboys over (4) Bucs
The Bucs are too talented to be this bad, which makes me think whatever rot that team is dealing with will not be cleared out in the next four weeks. Watch Jerry Jones party like this win means something.
(3) 49ers over (6) Commanders
He won’t crush them like he did the Bucs, but Brock Purdy won’t have to because the 49ers defense will pitch a shutout. Heck, Washington might get negative points.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
(1) Chiefs over (5) Ravens
This game will be closer than it should be but I still will never bet against Andy Reid in the playoffs after a bye.
(3) Bengals over (2) Bills
The playoffs need upsets and this would be a doozy of one. How you ask? Let’s go with “Josh Allen throws two fourth quarter interceptions” as the reason or something these are predictions based on gut feeling what do you want from me.
(1) Eagles over (5) Cowboys
Take a drink every time they show sad Jerry jones in his suite as the Eagles cruise 48-13.
(3) 49ers over (2) Vikings
THIS GAME will be the reason the following four months will consist of 49ers fans convincing themselves that the Niners do NOT need Tom Brady because they rode the defense to a win in the Twin Cities.
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
(1) Chiefs over (3) Bengals
“We won’t get fooled again” The Who once said. The Chiefs will not allow a repeat of history this time and will actually score a whole touchdown in the second half.
(1) Eagles over (3) 49ers
The Eagles offense overwhelms the 49ers and this will be the game that causes 49ers fans to spend the next four months convincing themselves they do need Tom Brady, because who has even heard of Trey Lance anymore.
SUPER BOWL
(1) Eagles over (1) Chiefs
Eagles fans will invest so much energy in Andy Reid jokes that they won’t even realize the Super Bowl ended two days ago when they finish.
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