With only two weekends remaining in the NFL’s regular season, the playoff picture couldn’t have been more muddled. Some teams just needed to win; some just needed other teams to lose; while others were in the unfortunate position of needing to win and receive help from others.

However, with Indianapolis winning against an emotionally charged Jacksonville team (thanks to the return of injured lineman Richard Collier to the sideline as an honorary captain) Thursday night and Baltimore’s running game dominating the Cowboys’ defense late in the fourth quarter Saturday, the playoff picture began to see the Windex going to work.

Indianapolis clinched a playoff spot with their win, but due to Tennessee’s advantage in the divisional tiebreaker system, Indianapolis was only able to secure the #5 seed while Tennessee locked up the #1 seed with their win over Pittsburgh. With the loss the Steelers are now locked as the #2 seed.

Also, locking up a #1 seed were the New York football Giants with their overtime win in the Meadowlands against Carolina. Carolina is now only a loss (and a Falcons’ win) away from falling from a potential #1 seed to the #5 seed. The #3 seed will go to the winner of the North division, of which Minnesota has the inside track over Chicago.

Despite their beat down at the hands of the Patriots, the apparently hapless-in-cold-weather Arizona Cardinals had already clinched the NFC West title and a #4 seed in the NFC thanks to playing in an abysmal division. Speaking of terrible divisions on the west coast, the AFC West, which appeared all but wrapped up for the Broncos when they had a 3 game lead with 3 games remaining, will now come down to a division battle between Denver & San Diego on the last weekend of the regular season.

What now appears to be the toughest (well at least the one with the most parity) division in the AFC is the East. The four division opponents will play each other this weekend with both games having playoff implications. If Miami beats the Jets…they’re the division champ. If New England beats Buffalo…they’re in the playoffs with a Baltimore loss. The Jets have to win and hope the Bills, who have been atrocious as of late, can pull off a win or the Ravens fall.

Baltimore just has to take care of the severely underachieving Jaguars at home to assure their playoff spot and the #6 seed.

With all that said, here’s the current outlook of the playoffs:

(teams in bold have locked position)

NFC

1. New York Giants
2. Carolina Panthers
3. Minnesota Vikings/Chicago Bears
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Atlanta Falcons
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Dallas Cowboys

Still Alive/What They Need to Clinch:

  • Minnesota (#3 seed with win OR Chicago loss)
  • Chicago (#3 seed with win & Minnesota loss)
  • Dallas (#6 seed with win)
  • Tampa Bay (#6 seed with win & Dallas loss)
  • Philadelphia (YEA RIGHT! Tampa would have to lose to Oakland so Philly is done)

AFC

1. Tennessee Titans
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. AFC East Champ (MIA/NE/NYJ)
4. Denver Broncos v. San Diego Chargers winner
5. Indianapolis Colts
6. Baltimore Ravens/AFC East

Still Alive/What They Need to Clinch:

  • Miami (#3 seed with win OR New England loss)
  • New England (#3 seed with win & Miami loss; #6 seed with win & Baltimore loss)
  • New York (#3 seed with win & New England loss; #6 seed with win & Baltimore loss)
  • Denver (#4 seed with win)
  • San Diego (#4 seed with win)
  • Baltimore (#6 seed with win OR New England loss)

Shotgun Spratling

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