*DIVISION LEADER*
*WILD CARD TEAM*
BONAFIDE CONTENDERS
1-5
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-1)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-2)
DALLAS COWBOYS (8-3)
BUFFALO BILLS (8-3)
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (7-4)
All of these Bonafide Contenders found a way to win in Week 12. Buffalo going to the wire against Detroit didn't add any style points but they stay at #4 as San Fran didn't exactly roll offensively against New Orleans. No Changes.
PLAYOFF CONTENDERS
6-11
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-2)
MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-3)
TENNESSEE TITANS (7-4)
BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-4)
CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-4)
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-6)
Cincinnati is hitting their stride at a crucial time as they pull even with Baltimore for first in the AFC North. No disrespect to Miami as they sit in this grouping even though they lead Buffalo in the East. I gotta be honest, Minnesota and Miami don't have that feeling the Bills give you when they're clicking. Tennessee drops a crucial seeding game to Cincy, and Tampa Bay loses but no competition to take them out.
WILD CARD CONTENDERS
12-17
NEW YORK GIANTS (7-4)
NEW YORK JETS (7-4)
WASHINGTON COMMANDEERS (7-5)
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-5)
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-5)
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (6-5)
We see the Giants take a tumble down to wild card contenders as they sit in 3rd place in the NFC East with Washington nipping at their heels. The Jets also sit in 3rd in the AFC East with New England at their heels. Seattle drops a tough one at home to Las Vegas and LA picks up a huge one point win over Arizona to get above .500.
TOP 10 PICK CONTENDERS
18-28
ATLANTA FALCONS (5-7)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-7-1)
DETRIOT LIONS (4-7)
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-7)
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (4-7)
CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-7)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-7)
GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-8)
ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-8)
CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-8)
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-8)
These teams have very different vibes but sit in the same grouping. Teams like the Jags, Lions, and Browns can be proud of where they're trending. Then you look at a disappointing week for the Falcons, Colts, Packers, and Cardinals. Those last two gotta be wishing they can land themselves top 10 picks.
1ST OVERALL CONTENDERS
29-32
DENVER BRONCOS (3-8)
LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-8)
CHICAGO BEARS (3-9)
HOUSTON TEXANS (1-9-1)
The Rams fought hard even though the final score doesn't necessarily indicate that. The Bears were doomed from the start, Denver is getting uglier by the week, and Houston needs to see some building blocks develop over these final 6 weeks. Would Denver draft a QB? Houston is probably the only team that's almost guaranteed to take a QB 1st overall.