NFL Week 15 kicks off
Playoff picture plus Jets-Ravens preview
NFC
1. 49ers (11-2): NFC West leader. The wild win in New Orleans affords them a potentially crucial tiebreaker over the Saints while boosting the Niners back into the division lead three weeks ahead of the regular-season finale at Seattle.
2. Packers (10-3): NFC North leader. They host surging the Bears (7-6) Sunday in the final regular-season game this year at Lambeau. But the Pack now are perched to host another game in January ... after a week off.
y-3. Saints (10-3): NFC South champions. The defensive collapse against San Francisco might not only prevent them from staying home in January – for the moment, it’s also knocked Who Dats out of bye position given the Pack’s superior conference record.
4. Cowboys (6-7): NFC East leader. As lackluster as their collective fate appears, Dallas still controls it. The Cowboys technically remain in first place despite the Eagles’ inspired win Monday but must take care of business with the Rams in Week 15 ahead of a key rematch in Philadelphia.
5. Seahawks (10-3): Wild card No. 1. The loss to the Rams dropped them from the second seed to fifth and the prospect of no playoff game at CenturyLink Field.
6. Vikings (9-4): Wild card No. 2. They took care of business against the toothless Lions to maintain a cushion over the Rams (8-5) and the Bears (7-6).
AFC
x-1. Ravens (11-2): AFC North leader. They notched a tough win in Buffalo, then saw their margin for error grow after the Patriots’ defeat. The Ravens will wrap up home field with two wins in their final three games.
2. Patriots (10-3): AFC East leader. The Chiefs snapped their 21-game home winning streak, further crippling the Pats’ chances to claim the top seed and foiling their bid to create breathing room from Buffalo in the divisional race.
y-3. Chiefs (9-4): AFC West champions. They wrapped up the division title for a fourth consecutive year. One more lapse by the Patriots would give Kansas City an opportunity to notch a firstround bye before hosting a playoff game at Arrowhead.
4. Texans (8-5): AFC South leader. They followed a dominant defeat of New
England by letting the Broncos paste them at home. The Texans currently own the tiebreaker for the division lead over Tennessee (8-5) but must play the scalding Titans twice in the final three weeks.
5. Bills (9-4): Wild card No. 1. They couldn’t quite get it done against Baltimore. Next, the Bills travel to Pittsburgh to face another potential playoff team.
6. Steelers (8-5): Wild card No. 2. They also presently own a tiebreaker over the Titans (8-5) by virtue of a slightly better conference record, but it’s a tenuous spot with the Bills coming to Heinz Field. x – clinched berth y – clinched division z – clinched first-round bye zz – clinched home-field advantage