Who’s in the hunt for the NFL Playoffs?
Embed from Getty ImagesThe end of the NFL season is coming towards an end with only three games remaining, with the hunt for an NFL playoff position heating up nicely.
As it stands only one team has secured their spot in the post season, which is the Dallas Cowboys. This week of fixtures could prove vital in the playoff race with several teams one game away from joining the Cowboys.
There are five teams who are most certainly joining the Cowboys in the post season. With the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks both a game away from securing their respective divisions, and the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders and New York Giants all close to clinching their places.
AFC North
The fight for the AFC North will be between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two teams will meet in week 16 in Baltimore. The Ravens are currently seeded eighth, and as well as facing off against Pittsburgh, play games at home versus the Philadelphia Eagles and away against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pittsburgh will be the favourites for the AFC North standing a game ahead of the Ravens and having an easier schedule, also travelling to the Bengals and ending their season at home against the Cleveland Browns.
Le’Veon Bell will be crucial to the Steelers playoff push. The running back rushed for three touchdowns and 236 yards last week against the Buffalo Bills, a franchise record.
Embed from Getty ImagesAFC South
Three teams are in the hunt for the AFC South Division title. The Houston Texans currently lead the division with a 7-6 record. The Tennessee Titans also sit at 7-6 but behind on head-to-head. The Indianapolis Colts sit a game behind and are seeded tenth in the conference.
The fight for the division could go down to the final week with the Texans travelling to Tennessee to face the Titans.
Tennessee will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas on Sunday, who are flying high on a 10-3 record after they beat the Oakland Raiders 21-13 last week. A loss seems probable for the Titans, and will be followed by games at the Jacksonville Jaguars before their game against Houston.
Bill O’Brien and his Texans have an easier schedule, having home games against the Jaguars and Bengals before they travel to their season finale at Tennessee.
Out of the three teams, the Colts have the hardest schedule and you could say I am quite kind just including them in ‘the hunt for the NFL playoffs’. Games at the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland before concluding at home against Jacksonville. Currently sat at 6-7, the Colts will most likely end 8-8 and therefore miss out on the playoffs. They will need a load of luck and also Andrew Luck if they are to make the playoffs.
AFC East
New England are just a game away from securing the division, but will have to get past a no-fly-zone in Denver if they want to do so this weekend. After facing off against the Denver Broncos, Tom Brady and his side will fly back to Boston to play the New York Jets before travelling to play the Miami Dolphins.
Miami themselves are looking for their first winning season since 2008, a year in which they made the playoffs through a wildcard but lost to the Ravens. Miami will be without injured quarterback Ryan Tannehill for possibly the rest of the season, with him picking up a knee injury against the Arizona Cardinals.
Matt Moore will take the helm in Miami till the end of the season, and English running back Jay Ajayi who has had a stellar season will most likely be called upon more often.
Miami’s last three games are against the Patriots, Jets, Bills and Patriots. One win could see them steal a wildcard spot. Two could assure them a spot in the post-season.
AFC West
Three teams are in the hunt in the AFC West. Kansas City, Oakland and Denver are looking to secure a place in the playoffs, with Kansas City currently leading the division.
The fight for the division will be between Oakland and Kansas. Both teams sit at 10-3 with similar schedules, both having to play against the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Raiders also face off against the Colts while the Chiefs play at home against the Titans this week.
Despite currently being sat in a wildcard spot with a record of 8-5. The Broncos may find themselves missing out on the playoffs. Denver has probably the hardest schedule in the last three games with games against the Patriots, Chiefs and Raiders.
There is a possibility that one win could see the Broncos make the playoffs if the likes of the Titans and Dolphins mess up. Two wins would most probably secure their place and give the AFC West three teams in the post-season.
NFC North
The NFC North could be one of the most heated contested fights for a playoff place. There are three teams still in with a chance of clinching the division crown. These are the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
Detroit currently sit on top, two games ahead of Green Bay and Minnesota. However, they have the hardest schedule with games against the Giants, Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers, a game which could decide who wins the division and makes the playoffs.
Green Bay are currently on a role having beaten Seattle 38-10 last week at home at Lambeau Field. However, they need to win their last three remaining games to have a chance. First up is the Chicago Bears with Minnesota and Detroit to follow.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Vikings who started the season so well have since gone off the boil. Their last three games give them a strong chance of making the playoffs, with games against the Colts and Bears, and as already mentioned, they play away against the Packers.
With the three teams in the hunt all playing one another throughout the last three weeks, the NFC North is the division to watch!
NFC South
Who thought the Carolina Panthers would have such a bad season? The NFC South sees Carolina sat in third with the Atlanta Falcons perched on top, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers second.
The Atlanta Falcons have had a great 2016 season and will be the favourites to win the division. A relatively easy schedule with games against San Francisco, Carolina and also the New Orleans Saints could see the Falcons end the season 11-5.
Tampa are also currently 8-5 this season and quarterback Jameis Winston will be looking to reach the playoffs in his second season in the NFL. They will also play Carolina and New Orleans in their last three games, as well as playing Dallas.
For Carolina a chance of the playoffs looks slim. They would rely on Atlanta and Tampa losing all three of their games, while winning their own three games.
If the Panthers and Broncos fail to make the playoffs it will be the first time since 2003 that both the Super Bowl finalists from the prior season don’t make the playoffs the following season. It will also be the fifth time it has occurred in NFL history.
NFC East
Dallas are already in the playoffs but will be looking to seal the top seed in the conference to ensure a home draw in the playoffs. The only team the Cowboys have lost to is the New York Giants who sit two games behind the Cowboys.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Giants will fancy their luck for their first playoff spot since they went all the way in 2011, and there is no doubt that Eli Manning would like to have one-up on his brother by adding a third Super Bowl ring to his collection.
Games against the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins, are up first for the Giants though.
Washington are also a contender for a playoff wildcard place. The Redskins have a current record of 7-9-1, with the tie coming in London against the Bengals. The tie could cost Washington, who have a tricky game against the Carolina Panthers this week before playing the Chicago Bears. The season for Washington ends at the MetLife Stadium in New York when they face the Giants.
NFC West
The Seattle Seahawks will most likely win the NFC West with the Arizona Cardinals sitting three games back. Seattle need just one win and could do so on Thursday when they play against the struggling Los Angeles Rams, who fired their head coach Jeff Fisher this week.
Failing to do so, the Seahawks have games against the Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. The Cardinals playoff hopes could be over after their loss against Miami last week, and they would simply need a miracle to get to the playoffs.
My Playoff Predictions
AFC: Patriots, Chiefs, Steelers, Texans, Raiders, Titans
NFC: Cowboys, Seahawks, Falcons, Packers, Giants, Redskins
As a Denver Broncos fan. I can only ask for the football Gods to provide me with a big win against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Has Simon Mignolet reclaimed his place at Liverpool?
Embed from Getty ImagesSimon Mignolet was back in action for Liverpool as they faced up against Middlesbrough on Wednesday night.
After sitting on the side-line and watching on as summer recruit Loris Karius took his place in goal Mignolet got his recall after a bad spell of form from Karius.
Mignolet had a quiet but solid game against Middlesbrough keeping his first clean sheet of the season. The Belgian also pulled off a fine save in the first half, getting a firm hand to a shot by Viktor Fischer.
Karius has been scrutinised recently for his poor judgement and lack of control in his area. He was blamed by several pundits when Dimitri Payet curled in a free-kick against Liverpool last Sunday.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, went out to state that he feels Karius is getting his hands on the ball, but his wrists aren’t strong enough, causing goals to be conceded against both AFC Bournemouth and West Ham United.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen it comes to key statistics it could be said that Karius is better than Mignolet. With the German boasting a 62.5% save percentage to the 55.5% (prior to the Middlesbrough game) of Mignolet.
The key question for Liverpool at the moment seems to be. Mignolet or Karius?
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