Seahawks get breathing room in hunt for wild-card spot
Here’s how the NFL playoff picture looks after Week 14’s action.
NFC
y-1. Saints (11-2): NFC South champions. They overcame the scrappy Buccaneers to win consecutive division crowns for the first time in franchise history.
y-2. Rams (11-2): NFC West champions. Fumbled an opportunity to sew up a first-round bye while surrendering the inside track to home-field advantage back to the Saints.
3. Bears (9-4): NFC North leader. Long shots to get a first-round bye, even after picking up the tiebreaker against the Rams.
4. Cowboys (8-5): NFC East leader. A loss would have knocked them from the field. Instead, they stunned the Eagles in overtime and essentially put a hammerlock on this division.
5. Seahawks (8-5): Wild card No. 1. They can’t do better than this spot but gave themselves breathing room after cruising by the Vikings on Monday night. 6. Vikings (6-6-1): Wild card No. 2. Only thing they seem to have going for them is that no one else in the conference seems to want this spot. In the hunt: Panthers (6-7), Eagles (6-7), Redskins (6-7), Packers (5-7-1)
AFC
x-1. Chiefs (11-2): AFC West leader. Outlasted Baltimore to clinch a fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
2. Patriots (9-4): AFC East leader. The collapse in Miami means they’ll have to wait at least one more week to secure the division for a 10th consecutive season. 3. Texans (9-4): AFC South leader. Their first loss since September prevented them from moving past the Patriots and into position for a bye. 4. Steelers (7-5-1): AFC North leader. Missed black and golden opportunity to open up a lead in the division by gagging in Oakland. 5. Chargers (10-3): Wild card No. 1. Huge game at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night with the AFC West lead at stake. 6. Ravens (7-6): Wild card No. 2. Despite losing in Kansas City, they retain this spot by the narrowest of margins since they have one more win against common opponents than Miami. In the hunt: Colts (7-6), Dolphins (7-6), Titans (7-6), Broncos (6-7), Browns (5-7-1) x-clinched playoff berth y-clinched division