NFL Playoff Picture Week 14: Latest AFC, NFC Standings and Bracket Scenarios

The final month of the 2016 NFL season has arrived. Week 14 is about to begin, and the playoff race is heating up at a rapid pace.

As of now, only the Dallas Cowboys have managed to clinch a postseason berth. However, there are scenarios in which the New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks can join them in the playoff-bound fraternity this week.

The Patriots can get in with a win and a loss by the Miami Dolphins. New England can also secure a first-round bye with a win and a loss by both the Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raiders are in if they win and either the Dolphins or the Denver Broncos lose. If Seattle ties or wins and the Arizona Cardinals lose, the Seahawks are headed to the postseason.

Let’s take a look at how the rest of the league stacks up. We’ll run down the divisional standings in playoff-seeding format. This means that division leaders will be seeded first, regardless of records. We’ll also examine some of the top playoff storylines heading into Week 14.

Week 14 Standings

If the season ended right now, the Patriots, Raiders, Seahawks and Cowboys would hold first-round byes. The Baltimore Ravens would host the Denver Broncos, while the Houston Texans would host the Kansas City Chiefs over in the AFC.

In the NFC, the opening round would consist of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants at the Atlanta Falcons.

The Raiders and Cowboys would each host the lowest-seeded team in their respective conferences in the divisional round.

Notable Storylines

Race for the No. 1 Seed in the AFC

About 15 years ago, the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots were involved in a little something that many fans now refer to as the “Tuck Rule Game.”

There’s a real chance that the Raiders and Patriots could meet in the AFC Championship Game this year, but it’s anyone’s …

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