In balanced league, Chiefs moving up

Raiders, Bucs, Lions also big stories among postseason contenders.

There doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut Super Bowl favorite in either conference. Disorder! The NFL is set up for wild march to the postseason.

If the playoffs started today, New England (10-2 going into Monday night) and Kansas City (10-3) would have the first-round byes in the AFC and Dallas (112) and Detroit (9-4) in the NFC.

In the AFC, Denver (8-5) would play at Pittsburgh (8-5) and Oakland (10-3) at Houston (7-6). In the NFC, streaking Tampa Bay (8-5) would play at Seattle (8-4-1) and the New York Giants (9-4) would face fourth-seeded Atlanta (8-4) at the Georgia Dome.

The fringe teams in the AFC are Miami (8-5), Baltimore (7-5 before Monday), Tennessee (7-6) and Indianapolis (6-7). In the NFC, Washington (7-5-1), Minnesota (7-6), Green Bay (7-6) and Arizona (5-7-1) are all still in the chase.

With eight wins in his last nine games, Kansas City coach Andy Reid has the AFC’s hottest team.

“The only thing missing from (Reid’s) resumé now is that big Super Bowl win,” CBS analyst Tony Gonzalez said. “That is the only thing really stopping him from people saying he’s one of

the best coaches of all time.”

Reid took the Eagles to five NFC title games and one Super Bowl before getting fired and landing the Kansas City job in 2013.

“If you give him time, he’s going to come up with a great game plan to go out there and win games,” said Gonzalez, the former Chiefs and Falcons star.

Led by safety Eric Berry, the Chiefs appeared outplayed but still beat the Falcons 29-28 Dec. 4. Reid coaxed a nifty fake punt out of his special teams and Berry returned two interceptions for scores.

“From the players’ perspective, I know some players for the Chiefs and they love him,” Gonzalez said. “They love going out there. He’s loyal to them, so they’re loyal right back.”

The Chiefs have won 18 of their last 21 games.

“He’s doing what I believe the best coaches do: assessing the talent on his roster and putting that talent in the best position to win by putting them in the position in which they play the best,” former NFL executive Amy Trask said. “He’s not doing what some coaches do, which is looking at their players and forcing them into a scheme for which they’re not suited. He’s in his second location as a head coach, and by the way, Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll also (have had) tremendous success in their second stops.”

New England normally has the final say in the AFC but Oakland is having a breakthrough season. General manager Reggie McKenzie has quietly turned around the franchise with some calculated drafting and shrewd player personnel moves.

“What he’s done through the draft — getting stars Amari Cooper, Derek Carr, and Khalil Mack — and what he did in free agency — there are 10 starters in free agency, that whole left side, (Donald) Penn, (Kelechi) Osemele and (Austin) Hudson — this is one of the best offensive lines in football,” CBS analyst Bill Cowher said. “You think about where they were two years ago, three wins.

“Last year they had seven wins, now they have 10 wins. This guy has done a tremendous job of building this team not just through the draft, but through free agency, getting (coach) Jack Del Rio. This team is trending upwards and a lot of the credit should go to Reggie McKenzie.”

Others believe the Steelers can make a run in the AFC.

“Keep an eye on coach (Mike) Tomlin and Big Ben (Roethlisberger),” Fox analyst Dave Wannstedt said.

Despite two losses to the Giants, Dallas appears to be the class of the NFC. But with a rookie quarterback in Dak Prescott, they still have their doubters.

“I cannot remember ever going into the playoffs and saying, ‘I’m not really sure,’” CBS analyst Chris Simms said. “I know Dallas is the best team, but there’s not a dominant team that I just feel confident in.”

Injuries will play a role down the stretch. Miami’s hopes were altered when Arizona’s Calais Campbell made a low hit on quarterback Ryan Tannehill and likely knocked him out of the rest of the season with sprained knee ligaments.

A few weeks back, Seattle looked as though it was ready to return to championship form, but the hottest team in the NFC is the Tampa Bay Bucs, who have won five straight after getting thrashed by the Falcons on Nov. 3. They play Dallas this week and a Cowboys victory would help Atlanta if the Falcons can deal San Francisco its 13th straight loss.

“I don’t concern myself with other teams to get ourselves ready,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “We concern ourselves with our own club, our fight, our intensity. We don’t look outside for anybody else.”

After San Francisco, the Falcons play at Carolina and host New Orleans. By winning out, the Falcons would claim the NFC South title.

“We aren’t even worried about the playoffs right now,” Falcons free safety Ricardo Allen said. “What we do is we take it week-by-week. We just have to worry about next week. You start looking ahead and then you start looking over people, you might not even make it. We don’t worry about that.”

Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford, who’s been the master of the fourth-quarter comeback this season, has the Lions in control of the NFC North. However, there is concern about his injured finger on his passing hand suffered Sunday.

“He did have an issue with his finger, there’s no question,” Detroit coach Jim Caldwell said Monday. “He’s going to be able to play in the next game. He’s going to practice and those things.”

When pressed, Caldwell shut down his local media.

“I’m not going to talk to you about the nature of it, what happened, all the rumors and false reports,” Caldwell said. “That’s all I’m going to say about it, so if you ask me a question about it I’m going to do one of two things: I’m either going to flat-out ignore you or I’m going to ask for another question.” Touchy. Despite just two postseason appearances in the last 16 years, the Lions have their supporters.

“I think this is the Lions’ year,” said analyst Bart Scott. “Not only do they have the skill, they have all the love. Seven out of the eight wins have come with Detroit behind in the fourth quarter.”

“Here’s the deal,” CBS analyst Boomer Esiason said. “Donald Trump won the presidency. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series and Army beat Navy. So maybe it is Detroit’s year.”

Detroit’s fate may come down to a Week 17 showdown with visiting Green Bay.

“For the Detroit Lions, it is Matthew Stafford and that is it,” CBS analyst London Fletcher said. “He has a nonexistent run game, an average offensive line and average receivers. The only reason they are 8-4 is because of Matthew Stafford and his arm. It is time for people to get on the bandwagon. Matthew Stafford is the NFL’s most valuable player.”