West and NFC South races formidable
Here’s our ranking of how compelling each NFL divisional race should be down the stretch.
8. NFC East
So much for all those years of downto-the-wire finishes. With a four-game lead, the Eagles can claim the crown with a loss by the Cowboys on Thursday or a win of their own Sunday. Either result would mark the earliest the NFC East has been wrapped up since 2004, when Philadelphia earned the crown in Week 12 en route to the Super Bowl.
7. AFC East
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have sapped this foursome of any drama for years, claiming it for a record eight consecutive seasons (and 13 with Brady healthy). New England can’t clinch this week and still faces the Bills twice, but its three-game lead appears virtually insurmountable. The real intrigue lies in whether Buffalo can end an NFL-worst playoff drought that dates to 1999.
6. NFC North
While the Lions and Packers are alive, almost every route ends with the Vikings (9-2) wrapping up their second division title since 2010. Though hard to stomach, Detroit might be best off if Minnesota takes care of business. With games vs. the Falcons and Panthers ahead, the Vikings could help the Lions by dinging the record of the two frontrunners for the NFC wild-card spots.
5. AFC North
Sunday’s prime-time tilt between the Ravens and Steelers could either settle matters or set up a surprisingly close finish. Pittsburgh (9-2) has a threegame advantage and seemed to have little trouble dispatching Baltimore in a 26-9 Week 4 victory. But faltering could stir unrest ahead of a highly anticipated clash with the Patriots in Week 15.
4. AFC South
At 7-4, both Tennessee and Jacksonville face just one contender — the Jaguars host the Seahawks in Week 14, while the Titans are at home against the Rams in Week 16 — over the next four games. A meeting in the regular-season finale easily could decide the division, though these clubs might also be headed for a rematch in the wild-card round.
3. NFC West
The Rams and Seahawks might constitute the best matchup of two contenders within one division. Los Angeles (8-3) has a one-game lead, but Seattle claimed the first game between the two and plays host in a Week 15 showdown. With each club yet to face the Eagles along with one remaining matchup against one of the AFC South co-leaders, this division features some of the NFL’s best late-season contests.
2. AFC West
It might not be pretty, but this once-straight forward group has the highest potential for December chaos. After starting 5-0, the Chiefs (6-5) are in a nosedive and sit just one game ahead of the Chargers and Raiders. Los Angeles is surging and could follow in the footsteps of the 1992 San Diego team by becoming the second group ever to start 0-4 yet win its division. Oakland, meanwhile, shouldn’t be overlooked after topping Kansas City in one of the year’s most memorable shootouts. The Chiefs are favored in all five of their remaining games, but missteps in the rematches at home (against the Raiders in Week 14 followed by a Saturday night battle with the Chargers) could set up Oakland’s regular-season finale in Los Angeles as the title clincher.
1. NFC South
Known for its annual upheaval — only the Panthers in 2014 and ’ 15 have repeated as champs — the NFC South is poised to have the most fascinating finish. It’s the only division with three winning teams; the Saints and Carolina are locked at the top at 8-3, with the reigning NFC champion Falcons a game back. New Orleans is the only team with an unblemished division mark at 2-0 but faces two clashes with Atlanta. A meeting of the Falcons and Panthers in Week 17 could be decisive if the Saints falter. But with so many intradivisional battles slated for December, the trio make the NFC South the clear center of attention in the stretch run.