NFL Playoff Picture Week 14: Breaking Down AFC and NFC Postseason Outlook

The Kansas City Chiefs did something fairly miraculous on Sunday in Week 13 to flip the script on the Atlanta Falcons and dramatically improve their own chances of making the postseason.

In one play, the Chiefs managed to turn a one-point deficit into a one-point lead without having control of the football and without any time expiring off the game clock. Pretty neat trick.

The Falcons took a 28-27 lead on the Chiefs late in the fourth quarter on Sunday on an Aldrick Robinson touchdown reception. The Falcons attempted to tack on two points, but Berry—already with a pick-six on the day—intercepted quarterback Matt Ryan and returned the ball to the opposite end zone for a defensive two-point conversion and a 29-28 Chiefs lead.

Since the go-ahead play came on a two-point conversion attempt, no time expired on the clock.

The 29-28 scoreline stood until the end of the game, improving the Chiefs’ record to 9-3 overall and keeping them apace in the AFC West with the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders, who defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills, respectively, on Sunday. The Chiefs’ manner of victory was the most astounding of a Week 13 NFL Sunday that saw the playoff picture come into sharper focus, with the 11-1 Dallas Cowboys becoming the first team to clinch a spot in the postseason.

Here’s a look at the current NFL postseason picture before Monday night’s contest between the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets:

The Cowboys booked a trip to the postseason thanks to the Washington Redskins’ 31-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals and can wrap up the NFC East title in Week 14 with a win over the New York Giants.

The Seattle Seahawks would appear to be the NFC team with the next-best chance of wrapping up the division. They were in imperious form on Sunday with a 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers and maintain a three-game cushion over the Cardinals. If Seattle doesn’t clinch the NFC West in the next two weeks, a Week 16 date against the Cardinals in Arizona should prove decisive. Despite the stunning loss to the Chiefs, the Falcons are still the leaders in the NFC South but now have the same 7-5 record as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who defeated the San Diego Chargers 28-21 on Sunday to extend their winning streak to four games. 

It would appear to be a two-horse race in the NFC South, but the 5-7 New Orleans Saints have a huge opportunity to make up ground in the division and, by extension, the wild-card hunt. The Saints still have to play the Bucs twice and the Falcons once. Their other remaining game is against the up-and-down Cardinals. Still, the Falcons would appear to have the best chance of winning the division, …

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