NFL Playoffs Picture 2020: Which Teams Can Make Postseason in Week 14?
With just four weeks left in the NFL regular season, the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints are the only teams to have secured a playoff berth so far.
This weekend they could be joined by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers, with a playoff spot within touching distance for the trio.
Of the quintet, the Bills are the only team who can't win their division this week.
Here's a breakdown of the playoffs permutation ahead of Week 14.
AFC
The Chiefs clinched a playoff berth for a franchise-record sixth consecutive season by beating the Denver Broncos in Week 13 and could win the AFC West by avoiding defeat against the 8-4 Miami Dolphins this Sunday.
Should the Chiefs lose, they would still win a fifth consecutive divisional title if the Las Vegas Raiders fail to win at home against the Indianapolis Colts.
By winning in Miami, the Chiefs would momentarily take control of the No. 1 seed until the Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football.
The Steelers and Chiefs are both 11-1, but Pittsburgh holds the tiebreaker by virtue of having a better record against AFC teams.
In a battle of division leaders and the preview of a potential AFC playoff matchup, the Bills host the Steelers in primetime as six-time Super Bowl champions make the trip to Orchard Park for the first time in four years.
Pittsburgh's bid for an undefeated season went up in smoke following a surprise 23-17 loss at home to the Washington Football Team on Monday, but it remains within touching distance of a playoff spot.
The Steelers can secure a postseason berth with a win or tie in Buffalo and even a loss would be enough, provided the one between the Raiders and the Dolphins fails to win their respective games. Should Las Vegas and Miami both win,
Pittsburgh would clinch a playoff spot if it loses to Buffalo and the Tennessee Titans lose in Jacksonville against the Jaguars. That, however, appears unlikely as the Titans have won six of the last seven against their AFC South rivals, who have the second-worst record in the NFL at 1-11.
Having broken a six-game losing streak against the Steelers last year, the Bills would take a major step towards a first divisional title since 1995 by inflicting a second consecutive loss on Pittsburgh.
Buffalo could also clinch a playoff spot with a win, but it would need significant help from other teams. The first domino has already fallen as the New England Patriots lost 24-3 against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, but the Bills would still need the Dolphins and Raiders to lose on Sunday and the Cleveland Browns to defeat the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football.
NFC
The New Orleans Saints were the first team to clinch a playoff berth and retain a one-game lead over the Green Bay Packers in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Saints can secure a fourth consecutive divisional title with a win on the road against the beleaguered Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon. New Orleans has won nine consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league, and has allowed the fewest points, total yards and interceptions—8.8, 233.4 and nine respectively—of any NFL team since the beginning of Week 9.
Those are ominous figures for an Eagles offense that ranks 29th in total yards and 28th in passing yards respectively and has failed to score more than 17 points in the last four consecutive games, all of which have been losses.
Should the Eagles snap their losing streak, the Saints would still win the division if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose at home against the Minnesota Vikings, who arrive in Week 14 on the back of five wins in the last six games.
The game in Tampa will also have implications on the Packers, who currently hold the second seed in the NFC with a 9-3 record.
Should the 6-6 Vikings lose against the Bucs, Green Bay would win the NFC North if it avoids defeat in Detroit.
The Packers are currently on a three-game winning streak against the Lions and would clinch a playoff spot with a win in Detroit if the Arizona Cardinals lose on the road to the New York Giants.
Were the Cardinals to snap the Giants' four-game winning streak and improve to 7-6, Green Bay would still qualify for the playoffs with a win in Detroit if the Seattle Seahawks defeat the winless New York Jets.
