NFL Passion: Playoff Races through Week 13

We have now officially reached the stretch run of the NFL season. Playoff spots are beginning to be taken and teams are beginning to desperately attempt to fight each other off to secure a spot of their own. The defending champion Green Bay Packers and the new and improved San Francisco 49ers are the first teams to claim their postseason rights this year, both clinching their divisions in dominating fashion. They are both five games ahead of their closest division foe. While only two teams have clinched, there are a handful of teams that have looked ectremely good all year and are expected to claim their spots in the January festivities in the upcoming weeks. Then we have our bubble teams, the most uneasy and desperate of the bunch whose playoff lives are on the line every single week from now until the final whistle of Week 17. There is a cluster down there and things are definitely starting to heat up. Typical run of the mill football season if you ask me. Here is a glimpse of the conference playoff races, as well as the weekly division standings.

1. Green Bay Packers (12-0): The Pack Attack got its biggest scare of the season against a desperate New York Giants team, but came away with the slight 38-35 win. Now sitting at 12-0 with the NFC North, a first round playoff bye, and homefield throughout the playoffs virtually in the bag, the next question becomes will Green Bay do what the New Patriots failed to do in 2008, make history and become the first team ever to go 19-0 in the NFL? If Aaron Rodgers continues his dominance, the receivers continue to tear up secondaries, and the defense continues to make the big plays we are accustomed to, the chances of them reaching that feat are very high to say the least. 3 of their final 4 games come against pontential playoff teams.

2. San Francisco 49ers (10-2): After nine straight seasons of absolute embarrassment, the 49ers finally stand tall once again bolstering a 10-2 record and a division championship. They now try to fight off a red hot New Orleans Saints team that also covet that first round bye that San Francisco seeks. Jim Harbaugh has to be runaway favorite for coach of the year, if he isn't, I don't know who is. Pretty good for a first year NFL coach.

3. New Orleans Saints (9-3): Though the Saints haven't quite wrapped up their playoff spot yet, there is no denying that one of those berths is theirs. They aren't just satisfied with either that or a mere division title, they want that first round bye. If they keep playing as hot as they are and the Niners tank a few games down the stretch they just may get it. Drew Brees is putting up record passing marks that have been somewhat overlooked due to the flawless play of Aaron Rodgers this year, and I think he's my easy runner up in the MVP race. The Saints easily have the most dangerous offense that doesn't reside at Lambaeu, and even still I feel they match up nicely against the Packers. No team wants to face these guys in the postseason.

4.Dallas Cowboys (7-5): The Dallas Cowboys were a mere last second field goal away from looking very good in the NFC East when coach Jason Garrett iced his own kicker. Terrible. He went on to miss his field goal attempt and the Boys fell to the lowly Cardinals in overtime. Now they once again find them fighting for their playoff lives as they face the Giants next week with first place in the NFC East on the line. I think both teams will be ready.

5. Chicago Bears (7-5): The Bears are another team whose playoff destiny seemed cemented following a 5 game winning streak, but suddenly things are looking mighty dangerous in Chicago. The Bears have been hit by the injury bug, losing both Jay Cutler and Matt Forte at the worst possible times. To make matters worse, they now must face Tim Tebow and a Broncos team that continues to win football games that they aren't supposed to. It doesn't matter if it's the Lions or the Falcons, but Chicago simply needs one of these two teams to take a dive with them, then hopefully they can snag a playoff spot and get healthy enough to make a run. It would be a shame for a team of this caliber to miss the postseason in such unfortunate fashion.

6. Atlanta Falcons (7-5): The Falcons have been up and down all season, and are going to need to finish strong to secure themselves a playoff berth. They still have one game left against the Saints, and can only afford to lose one game at the most the rest of the way. I doubt 9-7 will cut it for anyone this year.

7. Detroit Lions (7-5): The last few weeks the Lions have continuously shot themselves in the foot with their questionable play and immature behavior. They need to get it together and do it now. They still have a very legitimate chance at a playoff berth, and they need to start playing like a playoff team, not a poorly disciplined high school team. They get the Minnesota Vikings next week.

8. New York Giants (6-6): New York has lost its last four games during a brutally tough schedule after jumping out to an early lead in the NFC East. All is not lost though, as they get a showdown with the Cowboys next Sunday night and a chance to take back what's theirs, the NFC East.

9. Seattle Seahawks (5-7): The Seahawks have tried to hang around all season, but to this point it looks like they will have to win all their games and get a nice amount of help to reach the postseason this year. But never say never, as Seattle marched into last postseason with a 7-9 record and even managed to knock off the then defending champion Saints in the process. This team can be something else at times.

10. Arizona Cardinals (5-7): The Cardinals also stick around the NFC wildcard race for now, but in my opinion are a longer shot than the Seahawks.

Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers all 4-8: What all these teams other than Carolina have in common is that their seasons all started with promise then quickly spiraled into misery. The Panthers on the other hand, were never expected to do much anyway and have competed at a much higher level than any of the others. I'm done addressing the Eagles woes. By next week, none of these teams will be in the hunt.

Minnesota Vikings (2-10), St. Louis Rams (2-10): These teams have had downright terrible seasons, plain and simple.

1. Green Bay Packers (bye)

2. San Francisco 49ers (bye)

6. Atlanta Falcons at 3. New Orleans Saints

5. Chicago Bears at 4. Dallas Cowboys

Conference Outlook: The Packers, 49ers, and Saints continue to look and play like the lead dogs of the NFC. I don't thiknk anyone else wins this conference. The Bears, Falcons, and Lions are in a dogfight for the final spot in the wildcard race, and I feel when it comes to Dallas and New York, one team wins the East while the other sits this postseason out.

1. San Francisco 49ers (10-2)

2. Seattle Seahawks (5-7)

3. Arizona Cardinals (5-7)

4. St. Louis Rams (2-10)

Divsion Outlook: The Niners have this one in the bag. This is the final NFC West division outlook you will be seeing from me this season.

1. Dallas Cowboys (7-5)

2. New York Giants (6-6)

3. Philadelphia Eagles (4-8)

4. Washington Redskins (4-8)

Division Outlook: The Eagles and Redskins are all but done in this one, and the showdown now begins between the Cowboys and the Giants. Round one of their division title dogfight is Sunday Night in Dallas.

1. Green Bay Packers (12-0)

2. Chicago Bears (7-5)

3. Detroit Lions (7-5)

4. Minnesota Vikings (2-10)

Divison Outlook: Green Bay has already won the division, but the battle between the Lions and Bears carries on. It's likely only one of these two teams will make the postseason. Who's it gunna be?

1. New Orleans Saints (9-3)

2. Atlanta Falcons (7-5)

3. Carolina Panthers (4-8)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-8)

Division Outlook: New Orleans is about one Falcon loss away from reclaiming the NFC South title. These two teams still meet once more this season, huge for both teams. While the Saints have seemingly moved on to trying to catch up to the 49ers, the Falcons still have division title hopes in mind. But right now it's more realistic for the Falcons to simply try to make themselves playoff bound.

1. New England Patriots (9-3): There is no true number one team in the AFC at the moment, with four teams all tied at 9-3, but the Patriots 7-2 conference record brings them into the conversation first. New England has one of the leagues easiest schedules the rest of the way and a first round bye at the least still seems like a shoe in for the Patriots. Only difference is they aren't as favored as they have been over the last ten years. Maybe that's a good thing, because come playoff time the last few years they haven't been able to live up to the hype.

2. Houston Texans (9-3): The Texans have played extremely well this year, and have been one of the few teams able to overcome injuries, impressive when you consider they have never reached the playoffs as a franchise. Well it looks like all of that is going to change this year, the only question is, how far can T.J. Yates take them in the playoffs? Scary question.

3. Baltimore Ravens (9-3): The Ravens have had both some extremely impressive wins and extremely disappointing losses this season, but regardless have remained good enough for a first place tie in the AFC, a spot they have been in pretty much all year. They badly want that first round bye, which could be the difference in whether or not they finally get over the hump this season.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers: Despite losing to the Ravens twice this season, the Steelers have continued to position themselves to compete in not only the AFC North, but the entire conference. They share that 4 way tie we speak of, but need to gain just one game on Baltimore to win the North. Very doable. They also lost to the Texans this season, so that first round bye is going to take some work. I still like this team to come out of the AFC once again this year.

4. Denver Broncos: These guys continue to boggle my mind the way they get victories, as they have now won 5 straight and find themselves in a dogfight with the Oakland raiders in the AFC West. No matter what happens I feel the Broncos season has been a success, but it would be awfully sweet for the mile high city to get their Broncos back into the playoffs. Tim Tebow for President.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (7-5): The Bengals are starting to feel the heat after taking a beating at the hands of the Steelers Sunday. They picked the wrong time to start playing like a young football team. They cling to possession of a final AFC playoff spot that about 5 teams want. This one is about to get ugly.

7. Tennessee Titans (7-5): The Titans have hung around all season while waiting for Chris Johnson and his new contract to produce, and suddenly that is happening and Tennessee finds itself in the thick of this wild card goose chase. They face the Saints next week, so we will see what that does to their chances.

8. Oakland Raiders (7-5): The AFC West lead has changed hands numerous times this season, and the Oakland Raiders are the latest team to have their hearts toyed with. Though they remain in a tie with the Broncos, they are currently behind in the tiebreaker and face the undefeated Packers next week. Talk about unfortunate. The AFC West lead has now been held by every team in the division at some point this year.

9. New York Jets (7-5): The Jets seem to do this every year, hang around then steal that final playoff spot in the closing weeks. That is why they are my favorite to snag the final wild card spot in the AFC. It will be no easy task though.

10. Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs all 5-7: These three disappointments continue to never say die. After this week is over, they may be saying die.

Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns both 4-8: You have to love Cleveland's heart, and Miami has done an excellent job of turning their season around, but unfortunately it's looking like too little to late for these guys.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-9) and Indianapolis Colts (0-12): The Jags continue to stink up NFL arenas everywhere and the Colts continue to feel the pain of no Peyton Manning. I don't think he's playing this year.

1. New England Patriots (bye)

2. Houston Texans (bye)

6. Cincinnati Bengals at 3. Baltimore Ravens

5. Pittsburgh Steelers at 4. Denver Broncos

Conference Outlook: There is a whole lot that can change in this playoff picture from now until Week 17. There is not one thing set in stone in this conference. All I know is I feel for whichever AFC West team has to go up against either the Steelers or the Ravens in round one, thank goodness for them they get a home game. This conference could go to just about anyone this year.

1. Denver Broncos (7-5)

2. Oaklnad Raiders (7-5)

3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-7)

4. San Diego Chargers (5-7)

Division Outlook: Both Kansas City and San Diego have a chance if they can win out and catch Oakland and Denver slipping in the final weeks, but odds are this one is between the Broncos and the Raiders. Let the games begin.

1. New England Patriots (9-3)

2. New York Jets (7-5)

3. Buffalo Bills (5-7)

4. Miami Dolphins (4-8)

Division Outlook: Barring a complete collapse the Patriots should have this one in the bag, while the Bills are in danger of taking over last place from the Dolphins.

1. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)

4. Cleveland Browns (4-8)

Division Outlook: Pittsburgh and Baltimore continue to battle it out for first place, and this one likely won't be decided until the final week of the season. This continues to be the best division in football and could see three teams in the playoffs.

1. Houston Texans (9-3)

2. Tennessee Titans (7-5)

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-9)

4. Indianapolis Colts (0-12)

Division Outlook: In this season's version of the worst division in football, the Texans maintain command despite being plagued by injuries. The Titans are still hoping those injuries will catch up with Houston and they can steal this division. The two teams still have one more meeting this year.