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Record: 1-10-1
Week 13 result: Lost to the Browns, 27-14
Week 14 opponent: at Dallas Cowboys
Path to the playoffs: The Texans have, mercifully, been mathematically eliminated from the 2022 postseason. Based on their current outlook as a roster, it may be quite a few years until they're back in the playoffs. Their one saving grace is their division — the AFC South is something of a crapshoot from year to year. Maybe they will roll a seven.
Record: 3-9
Week 13 result: Lost to the Seahawks, 27-23
Week 14 opponent: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Path to the playoffs: The Rams have lost six straight games after a 3-3 start to the season, and are having one of the most painful post-championship seasons in the history of American sports. They'd need to run the table and get a lot of help from others if they were going to make it back to the playoffs this year — a task they will not achieve. But it was all worth it to raise a championship banner at the start of the year.
Record: 4-8-1
Week 13 result: Lost to the Cowboys, 54-19
Week 14 opponent: Bye
Path to the playoffs: Despite their paltry record, the Colts still sit in second place in the AFC South. They'd need a collapse from the Titans in order to have an outside shot of reaching the playoffs, but now that Tennessee has lost two straight and fired their general manager, it's not impossible.
Record: 4-9
Week 13 result: Lost to the Buccaneers, 17-16
Week 14 opponent: Bye
Path to the playoffs: The Saints have lost four of their past five games, failing to score more than 16 points in any of those four losses. Had they been able to hold on to a 13-point lead with three minutes left against the Buccaneers on Monday night, they'd be right in the hunt to win the NFC South. Instead, they're going to need some help from elsewhere in the division.
Record: 4-8
Week 13 result: Bye
Week 14 opponent: vs. New England Patriots
Path to the playoffs: Arizona's playoff hopes are pretty dim as things stand, even compared to other 4-8 teams around the league. While the Panthers are only two games back in their division, the Cardinals are four games out of the NFC West, likely in need of running the table to secure a wild card spot if they're going to play on into the postseason.
Record: 4-8
Week 13 result: Lost to the Lions, 40-14
Week 14 opponent: at Tennessee Titans
Path to the playoffs: The Jaguars have a lot of work to do to reach the playoffs, and getting dismantled by the Lions last week certainly didn't help. That said, two of their last five games are against the division-leading Titans. Start with a win over Tennessee next week, and Jacksonville could make a run so that their season finale against the Titans decides the winner of the AFC South.
Record: 5-8
Week 13 result: Lost to the Steelers, 19-16
Week 14 opponent: Bye
Path to the playoffs: The Falcons are currently just one win behind the Buccaneers and will get to finish their season at home against Tampa Bay. If Atlanta can find some form during its bye week this week, it's not impossible to imagine the Falcons having a shot to play past Week 18.
Record: 5-7
Week 13 result: Beat the Texans, 27-14
Week 14 opponent: at Cincinnati Bengals
Path to the playoffs: The Browns face an uphill battle in winning the AFC North, looking up at both the Bengals and the Ravens in the standings right now. That said, they have an outside shot at a wild card spot in the AFC. While FiveThirtyEight currently gives Cleveland just a 9% chance to reach the postseason, a win at Cincinnati this week will shoot that up to 23%.
Record: 5-7
Week 13 result: Beat the Jaguars, 40-14
Week 14 opponent: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Path to the playoffs: The Detroit Lions are quietly one of the hottest teams in football, winners of four of their past five games. While their record still leaves them with a lot of work to do to reach the postseason, they are playing quality football — many teams sitting at a similar record are hoping for a spark that Detroit has already found. Upcoming matchups against the Vikings and Jets give the Lions the chance to prove their worth against two teams that currently look playoff-bound.
Record: 5-8
Week 13 result: Beat the Bears, 28-19
Week 14 opponent: Bye
Path to the playoffs: It's tough to ever count Aaron Rodgers out of the playoff hunt, and coming off yet another dominant performance against the Chicago Bears, maybe the twice-reigning MVP has finally found his stride in the 2022 season. The Packers would need to win out in order to make the playoffs, but it's not like Rodgers and company haven't pulled that off before.
Record: 5-7
Week 13 result: Beat the Chargers, 27-20
Week 14 opponent: at Los Angeles Rams
Path to the playoffs: After a comically bad start to the year, the Raiders have now won three straight games and are back in the hunt for the playoffs. While FiveThirtyEight currently gives them just a 16% chance to make the postseason, none of Las Vegas' next three opponents currently have a winning record. If they can sweep those games to get to 8-7, their postseason chances jump all the way up to 53%.
Record: 6-6
Week 13 result: Lost to the Bills, 24-10
Week 14 opponent: at Arizona Cardinals
Path to the playoffs: After two decades of torturing their AFC East competition, the Patriots' playoff hopes will likely come down to beating their division rivals in the final two weeks of the season. New England ends the 2022 season at home against the Dolphins and then on the road in Buffalo, with the Patriots having dropped both games against them so far this season.
Record: 6-6
Week 13 result: Beat the Saints, 17-16
Week 14 opponent: at San Francisco 49ers
Path to the playoffs: Tom Brady and Buccaneers are having quite an awful season, but at 6-6, they still lead a pathetic NFC South. Should things continue down this trajectory, Tampa Bay could wind up hosting a playoff game despite finishing the year with a losing record.
Record: 7-5
Week 13 result: Beat the Rams, 27-23
Week 14 opponent: vs. Carolina Panthers
Path to the playoffs: Heading into the year, many (myself extremely included) picked the Seahawks to finish last in the NFC West. Instead, with five games to play, they are very much in control of their own destiny. Seattle's path to the postseason and chance to host a playoff game will depend on the continued elite play of Geno Smith, who is currently completing passes at a level only Drew Brees has touched in NFL history.
Record: 6-6
Week 13 result: Lost to the Raiders, 27-20
Week 14 opponent: vs. Miami Dolphins
Path to the playoffs: The Chargers roster is loaded with talent, but at 6-6 and with plenty of tough games left on the schedule, Los Angeles is going to have to find a new gear if they're to play into January. Games against the Dolphins and Titans the next two weeks will have major implications on whether or not they reach the playoffs.
Record: 7-4-1
Week 13 result: Tied with the Commanders, 20-20
Week 14 opponent: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Path to the playoffs: The good news is that with seven wins to the season already, the Giants are very much in control of their own destiny. The bad news is that four of their final five games come against opponents with winning records, including two games against the 11-1 Eagles and a trip to Minnesota to play the 10-2 Vikings. If New York is going to reach the playoffs, they're going to have to do it by proving themselves against some playoff teams.
Record: 7-5
Week 13 result: Lost to the Vikings, 27-22
Week 14 opponent: at Buffalo Bills
Path to the playoffs: The Jets have a lot riding on this week's matchup against the Bills. Win, and their chances of reaching the postseason jump all the way up to 77%, according to FiveThirtyEight. Lose, and they drop to 42%. Best of luck to Mike White and company.
Record: 8-4
Week 13 result: Beat the Broncos, 10-9
Week 14 opponent: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Path to the playoffs: The Baltimore Ravens can seal the AFC North division with wins over the Steelers and Browns the next two weeks. But what's currently more concerning is the health of superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is considered to be "week-to-week" as he deals with a knee injury.
Record: 8-4
Week 13 result: Lost to the 49ers, 33-17
Week 14 opponent: at Los Angeles Chargers
Path to the playoffs: The Dolphins are a near-lock to make the playoffs this year. If they do, it will be their first postseason appearance since 2016. If they can beat the Bills when they meet in Buffalo in two weeks, Miami will very likely be AFC East division champs for the first time since 2008.
Record: 8-4
Week 13 result: Beat the Chiefs, 27-24
Week 14 opponent: vs. Cleveland Browns
Path to the playoffs: The Bengals made an unlikely run to the Super Bowl last year, and as winners of six of their past seven games, are positioning themselves to do it again. There's few players opposing defenses want to face less than Joe Burrow in January.
Record: 10-2
Week 13 result: Beat the Jets, 27-22
Week 14 opponent: at Detroit Lions
Path to the playoffs: The Minnesota Vikings are going to make the playoffs, and if the Eagles stumble in the homestretch of the season, could even steal a first-round bye. But despite their great record, there's not many people currently respecting the Vikings as a Super Bowl threat. Case in point, Minnesota (10-2) is an underdog against the Lions (5-7) this weekend in Detroit.
Record: 9-3
Week 13 result: Beat the Patriots, 24-10
Week 14 opponent: vs. New York Jets
Path to the playoffs: Buffalo's three losses on the season have come by a combined eight points. They are in the driver's seat to the top spot in the AFC and should force the road to the Super Bowl to ride through Buffalo.
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