Coming into Week 7, we're about solely one-third of the best way by means of the common season. So what good is a playoff lookahead this early, particularly one the place final season's champs (Seahawks) and this season's favorites (Rams) will not be included?
You could be shocked.
On the one hand, if we take a look at the >, you'd discover that the Colts and Buccaneers had been the highest two seeds in every respective convention. Neither crew ended up making the playoffs.
However, the fields weren’t that out of whack from what we finally noticed within the playoffs. Six of the seven AFC groups and 5 of the seven NFC groups that had been within the playoff area after Week 6 finally made the postseason.
So there are definitely some big-picture issues we will take from the present playoff area. It offers some perspective on simply how a lot floor preseason playoff favorites, such because the Rams and Texans, must make up if they need in on the playoff get together come January.
It additionally exhibits simply how robust the NFC North is now, with all 4 groups presently projected to make the postseason. For the reason that playoff format expanded in 2020, no division has ever landed all 4 groups in a single playoff area.
Right here is the present playoff area coming into Week 7, listed by divisional seed:
AFC
1. Chiefs
The unbeaten Chiefs personal the most effective level differential (plus-57) within the NFL, and three of their 5 victories have been fairly comfy. Kenneth Walker III (655 speeding yards, probably the most ever by a participant in his first 5 video games with a crew) has been a godsend, Patrick Mahomes has seemed principally terrific coming off harm, and KC's protection is permitting the second-fewest factors per recreation. However they haven't confronted a battering ram of a schedule to this point, and 6 of their subsequent eight video games are on the street, so we’re going to discover out simply how actual they’re over the following two months.
2. Payments
Buffalo hits the bye week in nice form at 5-1, however there have been some close-shave victories (and a house loss to the Patriots) amongst them. Josh Allen has been principally super in main the NFL's top-scoring offense, however he's additionally needed to do many of the heavy lifting at instances. The run protection has proven enchancment from a 12 months in the past, however nearly each different side of the protection as an entire might use enchancment. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if normal supervisor Brandon Beane could make any personnel enhancements on that facet of the ball previous to the commerce deadline.
3. Jaguars
The Jaguars have backed up their 13-win season with a powerful 4-2 mark to start out this 12 months, though losses to the Broncos and Texans each featured second-half breakdowns after holding fourth-quarter leads. On the entire, Jacksonville has carried out like a playoff-caliber crew, with Trevor Lawrence enjoying effectively and Travis Hunter beginning to affect video games in additional methods. The remaining schedule appears favorable on the floor, with the > (.409), and but seven of the ultimate 11 video games are away from house.
4. Browns
This season's early darlings, who extremely are doubtless a dropped punt snap away from being 5-1, are 2-0 within the division with wins over the Steelers and Ravens. Deshaun Watson has been useful on the entire however particularly good in second halves. This stays a low-scoring offense (17.7 ppg) with pass-protection points and an absence of run-game punch. Cleveland's protection has been on the rise, protecting 4 of the previous 5 opponents to 19 factors or fewer, however the Browns must discover methods to make life simpler on themselves with all 4 AFC North groups presently over .500.
5. Patriots
The season began on a bitter word, as Drake Maye struggled and the protection might do solely a lot to assist out. The arrow has pointed up in current weeks as Maye has gotten again on observe and A.J. Brown has returned to the lineup, though his first full recreation in Week 6 was forgettable. Holding tempo with the Payments will likely be powerful with 4 of the following 5 video games away from house and a few high-profile matchups left, together with present unbeatens Minnesota and Kansas Metropolis in Weeks 14 and 15.
6. Broncos
There's lots to determine on offense, the place play-calling duties have already shifted from Davis Webb again to Sean Payton — and the early outcomes have been even worse than earlier than. On the season, the Broncos common a league-worst 4.6 yards per play. Denver's two losses, each on the street, have every been by double digits. Its 4 victories have all been one-score affairs. Defensively, the Broncos have lived and died on sacks and turnovers however have been leaky in opposition to the run, with poor tackling. Payton has a tricky, aggressive crew, however till Bo Nix and the offense get going, they're additionally an incomplete one.
7. Steelers
Aaron Rodgers has 12 TD passes and is on tempo for his greatest passing totals since his MVP marketing campaign in 2021, however he's averaging a turnover per recreation. The Steelers wanted time beyond regulation to beat the Buccaneers and misplaced their different two street outings. With the Ravens and Bengals proper on their heels, the Steelers might want to proceed forcing turnovers on protection and reduce on them on offense. Their margin for error feels just a little slim, even with the 4-2 begin to the season.
NFC
1. 49ers
Even after Monday's scare in opposition to the Commanders, it's been laborious to argue with a lot of what we've seen from the Niners this season. They're 6-0, together with 3-0 within the division with head-to-head street victories over the Rams and Seahawks, the presumed NFC West faves coming into the season. Brock Purdy is enjoying at an MVP degree, and the protection has been improved, even when there's a necessity for extra massive performs. One factor to observe: Mike Evans' well being. The 49ers are a special crew with and with out him on the sphere. Shedding him, on high of all their different accidents, can be a serious blow to their No. 1 seed probabilities.
2. Vikings
They're 5-0 however ripe for questions given the state of the offense proper now. Kyler Murray is again underneath middle after lacking components of two video games, they usually've had the bye week to make changes, however they'll want to seek out methods to be extra explosive. Brian Flores' protection is completely smothering opponents, averaging two pressured turnovers per recreation and giving up 513 go yards the previous 4 video games mixed, however can this unit carry the crew all season? There's additionally the matter of the remaining power of schedule, which is a whopping .572, with a number of powerful opponents forward.
3. Panthers
Bryce Younger is off to a terrific begin, and the Panthers' offense is beginning to resemble a fairly attention-grabbing unit. Chuba Hubbard has anchored the run recreation, and the offensive line hasn't been the priority space some thought it could be. After permitting 59 factors within the opener, the Panthers have settled down a bit, giving up solely 64 within the 4 video games since. There's nonetheless room for enchancment on that facet, however the arrow is pointing up. With extra house video games (seven) than street video games (5) remaining, and amid a weaker NFC South, there's a fairly good runway for the Panthers to make the postseason two straight years.
4. Giants
The transfer to start out J.J. McCarthy appears like an inflection level on the season. The Giants presently lead the morass that’s the NFC East, however they're going to wish higher QB play persistently from right here on out to hold onto the division lead. All three wins have come at house, they usually have but to win on the street, which is the place the following two video games are, with the bye in between. John Harbaugh has helped make the crew extra aggressive, however the protection must make extra massive performs to maintain them forward of a weakened division.
5. Packers
The Packers' season seemed wayward after the 1-2 begin, however three straight victories have modified the trajectory, particularly with Jordan Love beginning to take command of the offense. Matthew Golden and Christian Watson are fueling the vertical passing recreation once more, even when there was some meat left on the bone. Don't overlook the contributions of the protection, both. Previously three video games, they've pressured 9 turnovers and allowed solely 34 factors. This unit might ascend even larger as soon as Micah Parsons returns, nevertheless it could be a couple of extra weeks' wait.
6. Bears
It has been a story of three mini-seasons in a single: earlier than Caleb Williams' harm, the three video games he missed, and after his return. With Williams, the Bears really feel like a daunting crew able to taking down virtually anybody; with out him, it's laborious to think about the Bears threatening high quality opponents. Defensively, it seems they should power turnovers to be efficient, permitting probably the most yards per play within the NFL. The schedule additionally figures to be a grind, with a number of powerful opponents remaining, they usually'll must do one thing about their 0-2 mark within the division.
7. Lions
It has been an uneven begin so far for the Lions, however they're within the playoff area as of now, due to an offense that places up the second-most factors per recreation at 32.8. The issue, after all, is a protection that provides up almost 30 factors and greater than 400 yards per recreation. They’ve proven a greater go rush, and the secondary might welcome Brian Department and Kerby Joseph again in some unspecified time in the future, however huge enchancment is required. They're coming off a bye with two large video games at house upcoming in opposition to the Packers and Vikings. Win these and the Lions can actually assist their probabilities of reclaiming the NFC North.
