The wild cards

12. Seattle Seahawks (6-4, No. 14) 13. New York Giants (7-3, No. 9) 14. Washington Commanders (6-5, No. 16) 15. Los Angeles Chargers (5-5, No. 15) 16. New England Patriots (6-4, No. 17)

Is it time to take the Commanders seriously? Despite all the drama off the field, this team is emerging as one of the hottest in the NFL. Since quarterback Taylor Heinicke took the starting job in Week 7, the Commanders are 4-1, including a 23-10 victory over the Texans on Sunday. While Heinicke has helped the offense take off in recent weeks, it’s the defense, specifically a defensive line led by tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen, that’s leading the way. Houston is far from an offensive juggernaut, but it only mustered 2.7 yards per play against Washington. That defense should only get better with the return of star defensive end Chase Young, who was activated to the 53-man roster on Monday. The Commanders have the misfortune of playing in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, but there’s a clear path to the postseason, especially if the Giants continue to slide.