NFL Playoff Picture Will Get Cleared Up After Weekend Slate Of Games

Posted on: December 8, 2017, 06:00h.

Last updated on: December 8, 2017, 03:45h.

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Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

There are four weeks remaining in the NFL’s regular season and several games on Sunday will determine if teams that are hoping to make the playoffs will keep their chances alive.

Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid led his team to a 5-0 record to start the season but has lost six of the last seven and is now fighting for a playoff spot. (Image: Getty Images)

Atlanta was one of those squads and defeated New Orleans, 20-17 on Thursday. The Falcons were 2 ½-point underdogs.

The victory for last year’s Super Bowl loser kept alive their playoff possibility. Atlanta is 8-5 and currently the seventh seed in the NFC, with the top six teams making the postseason.

Carolina and Seattle have as many wins, but one less loss and if the playoffs were today they would get in, but they have games this Sunday and could join the Falcons with five losses.

It is just part of the complicated scenarios that exist in both divisions and while nothing is definite, this Sunday could eliminate some teams. Below are some of the high impact games.

NFC Drama

With Atlanta’s victory the pressure is on the Panthers and Seahawks to win or fall in a tie with the Falcons. Carolina faces 10-2 Minnesota at home and the Vikings are a 2 ½-point pick. If quarterback Cam Newton can’t get past Minnesota they probably are out of the playoffs.

Seattle is another team that is in a must win game and it won’t be an easy task. The Seahawks travel to 8-4 Jacksonville as 3-point underdogs. With the Rams and Cowboys remaining on the their schedule, this is a win they must have.

There are three squads that have faint hopes of making the playoffs but with six victories each are probably going to have to win out to have a chance. Detroit 6-6 are at Tampa Bay and are a 2 ½-point selection to win. The Cowboys are 3 ½-point picks to defeat the hapless New York Giants and should come out with a win.

Green Bay has the best chance of the three traveling to play the winless Cleveland Browns, but are surprisingly only favored by three.

AFC Logjam

Baltimore has the fifth seed with a record of 7-5, but there are four teams battling it out for the last spot. The Ravens have a tough test against Pittsburgh and the Steelers are favored by seven.

Of the four teams at 6-6 three of them are in the same division. Kansas City, Oakland and San Diego are fighting for the AFC West title and whoever claims it will get into the playoffs. The other two will have to hope they can win enough of the remaining four games to claim a wild card pick.

The Raiders are getting four points when they travel to Kansas City. The Chargers are traveling to Washington to play the Redskins and are 6-point underdogs.

The last team in the hunt are the Buffalo Bills. They are hosting Indianapolis and are 3-point favorites. It would be a must-win game if they are going to keep up with the other three teams. They would hold a tiebreaker over both the Raiders and Chiefs having beaten them earlier in the year.