NFL Playoff Picture Week 13: Latest AFC, NFC Standings and Bracket Scenarios

As the 2017 season winds down, we'll take a look at the AFC and NFC playoff pictures. After 12 weeks, it's a bit fuzzy, but teams have emerged in both conferences as favorites for first-round byes.

The NFC looks far more competitive than the AFC at the top. Is it too early to single out two teams in the American conference? One head coach spoke about what Week 15 could mean for home-field advantage.

Which division went from worst to competitive in the last two years? What should we look out for in the upcoming games when dissecting the NFC South?

There's a sub-.500 NFC team that's not giving up on postseason talk. Is it optimism or delusion? 

Check out the Week 13 standings and playoff picture with notable postseason scenarios.

                   

Week 13 AFC Standings and Playoff Picture

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-2, 1st-Round Bye)

2. New England Patriots (9-2, 1st-Round Bye)

3. Tennessee Titans (7-4, vs. Baltimore Ravens 

4. Kansas City Chiefs (6-5 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars) 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4 vs. Kansas City Chiefs) 

6. Baltimore Ravens (6-5 vs. Tennessee Titans) 

7. Buffalo Bills (6-5) 

8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-6)

9. Los Angeles Chargers (5-6)

10. Oakland Raiders (5-6)

11. New York Jets (4-7) 

12. Miami Dolphins (4-7)

13. Houston Texans (4-7)

14. Indianapolis Colts (3-8) 

15. Denver Broncos (3-8) 

16. Cleveland Browns (0-11)

                

Two-Team Race for No. 1 Seed?

The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers have separated from the pack in the AFC. Both teams have a two-game lead on the No. 3-seeded Tennessee Titans. 

The Steelers crushed the Titans 40-17 in a Week 11 matchup. The Patriots have shut down all the talk about their porous defense and haven't allowed 20 or more points in a game since their Week 4 loss to the Carolina Panthers. 

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin sat down with Tony Dungy and talked about fireworks when his team goes head-to-head with the Patriots in Week 15:

Many critics jumped on Tomlin's case for looking ahead, but the Steelers head coach gave a candid answer. The winner of that game will likely claim home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoff schedule, which sets the stage for a potential part two between the two clubs.

               

AFC South Stronger in 2017 

Remember when the AFC South finished as the weakest division in the league? The Houston Texans earned a home playoff game at 9-7 to represent the group in 2016. 

As it stands, the AFC South could send two clubs to the playoffs in 2017. The Titans and Jaguars list behind the Steelers and Patriots as squads to watch going down the stretch. Jacksonville went on the road and dominated Pittsburgh in Week 5, which gives some hope for a competitive matchup before the conference championship game.

The Titans haven't looked impressive in their previous wins, but they lead the division with a home playoff game intact. Tennessee will play Jacksonville in Week 17, which may decide the AFC South champion. 

             

Week 13 NFC Standings and Playoff Picture

1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-1, 1st-Round Bye)

2. Minnesota Vikings (9-2, 1st-Round Bye) 

3. Los Angeles Rams (8-3, vs. Atlanta Falcons) 

4. New Orleans Saints (8-3, vs. Carolina Panthers)

5. Carolina Panthers (8-3, vs. New Orleans Saints) 

6. Atlanta Falcons (7-4, vs. Los Angeles Rams)

7. Seattle Seahawks (7-4) 

8. Detroit Lions (6-5) 

9. Green Bay Packers (5-6) 

10. Dallas Cowboys (5-6) 

11. Washington Redskins (5-6) 

12. Arizona Cardinals (5-6) 

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7) 

14. Chicago Bears (3-8) 

15. New York Giants (2-9) 

16. San Francisco 49ers (1-10)

                 

NFC South Dominance 

After 12 weeks, three NFC South teams hold playoff spots. This group has supplanted last year's AFC West as the toughest division top to bottom. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started the year as a popular dark-horse favorite to finish with the NFC South title. Now, they're 4-7 without a realistic hope of reaching the postseason. 

It took two months, but the Atlanta Falcons shook the Super Bowl hangover to win their last three games, scoring at least 27 points in each contest. For the most part, the Panthers and New Orleans Saints have been steady. The two teams will play for the second time on Sunday. 

The Saints have an opportunity to sweep the season series and hold onto the division lead. However, New Orleans still has to play Atlanta twice.

           

Green Bay Packers Hold on to Playoff Hopes 

The Green Bay Packers continue to eye the backdoor to the postseason. At 5-6, with the Buccaneers and winless Cleveland Browns next on the schedule, quarterback Aaron Rodgers could return to action.

Any time Rodgers throws a pass on the field, Packers fans gain a little hope that his return could complete an improbable run at a postseason spot:

Green Bay would need multiple teams in and just outside the playoff picture to collapse to clinch a playoff spot. However, the added urgency could bring out the best in quarterback Brett Hundley, who's taken over for Rodgers in the meantime.  

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