by Jerry Keys

Now who in their right mind would have said the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals would be division leaders after 11 weeks?  Definitely not me.

Who would have thought that Tampa Bay, Oakland, New York (Giants), and Pittsburgh, relative perennial playoff teams, were all under .500 this late in the year?

Unlike the NBA and MLB, the NFL is indeed a model example of parity.  As playoff implications ride on each game now, the games start heating up like the Thanksgiving turkey at 7AM.

Unless a total collapse, four teams from the AFC have all but solidified their playoff spots.  The Chiefs (10-1), Colts (9-2), Titans (9-2), and Patriots (9-2)

will be vying for first round byes and home field advantage in the playoffs.
None of the four teams have a clear advantage schedule-wise, therefore I see the Chiefs being the #1 seed in the AFC.  The Week 14 Indianapolis at Tennessee match-up may decide who will win the division and have a first round bye.  If the Colts win, they hold the edge in season series 2-0.  If the Titans win, they will have a one game advantage

over the Colts.  This game will be crucial because both teams and the Chiefs included will most likely sport a 3-2 or 4-1 record to finish out the year.  Both teams will be playing in January but the winner of the AFC South will have a first round bye and be the #2 seed, the loser will be the #5 seed.

The Patriots will finish the last 5 weeks with a 2-3 record but still claim the AFC East.  If any team had the toughest schedule, it would be the Pats.  They play all three division opponents and travel to Indy.  The AFC East teams are known to beat up on each other and that will knock the Pats out of a first round bye and the #3 seed.

There are only two teams that will vie for the #6 seed.  It will either be the Dolphins (7-4) or the Broncos (6-5).  The Broncos have the tougher schedule

by traveling to Oakland, Indy, and Green Bay.  They also host the Chiefs.  A 3-2 finish will be a tough task.  The Dolphins will edge out the Broncos by one game and do something they haven't done in a number of years; play tough in December.  They have three road games remaining but have a 4-1-road record.
The #4 seed will be given to whoever wants to win the AFC North.  The Steelers are 4-7 but can put themselves right back in it if they can defeat the Bengals and Ravens and win the season series 2-0.  All four teams are still alive and the winner may very well take an 8-8 record into January.

No division is secure in the NFC except for the NFC South and the upstart Panthers (8-3).  The NFC East may send two teams to the playoffs as the Cowboys and the Eagles are both at 8-3.  The Eagles have the edge in an easier schedule and playoff experience.  The Eagles should win the East by besting the Cowboys in their rematch and unless they have a total collapse, the Cowboys should capture the #5 seed.

The Vikings (7-4) and Packers (6-5) will fight for the division title with the loser possibly not making the playoffs.  The second place finisher in the NFC North will only hope that the Cowboys or the Seahawks fall apart down the stretch.

The NFC West may very well send two teams to the playoffs, the Rams (8-3) and the Seahawks (7-4).  The Week 15 rematch may decide the division (Seattle won the first meeting). 

The 49'ers and defending world champ Buccaneers are on life support at 5-6.  The Rams have a very slight edge as the #1 seed in the NFC.  We could very well see a rematch of the NFC title game of two years ago, the Rams and Eagles.

Thanks to the competitive balance of the NFL we could possible see the Bengals and the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII.  Or maybe the Browns and Cowboys?  Whoever put down some money on these two Super Bowl match-ups in Vegas just may win enough to buy half of New York.